Yankee Boy Basin
Distance
4.68 mi one-way, out & back
Time
Half day with the basin spurs
Difficulty
Moderate
One of the most popular 4x4 routes in Colorado, and deservedly so: evergreen forest opening into some of the best wildflower fields in the state, waterfalls, alpine lakes, and 14,150-ft Mt. Sneffels framing the whole basin. Its own guide pitches it as the way to soak in the very best of Colorado without being on a scary road — true, with one caveat. The road is easy as far as Twin Falls; the difficulty is concentrated in the last 2–3 miles, where there are rocky sections that need good line choice and a reported drop of about two and a half feet just past the falls. That staging is useful for us: a bigger rig can enjoy the basin to Twin Falls and turn around before the technical upper section, and the switchbacks above lead to Wrights Lake at roughly 12,170 ft.
Highlights
- •World-class wildflower fields, waterfalls and alpine lakes
- •Framed by Mt. Sneffels — 14,150 ft, high point of Ouray County
- •12,434-ft high point on the main road
- •Easy to Twin Falls, technical for the last 2–3 miles
- •Switchbacks above the falls climb to Wrights Lake (~12,170 ft)
- •Access point for the Silver Basin and Governor Basin spurs
Access & Permits
No permit required to drive it. The road sits outside the Mount Sneffels Wilderness boundary — motorized travel is prohibited inside any designated Wilderness, so stay on the road. Co-managed by Ouray County and GMUG National Forests (Ouray Ranger District), official road 53.1B. Typical season May 1 – Nov 30.