Lake City Scenic Tour Descriptions

Experience the breathtaking majesty of the rugged San Juan Mountains with one of our 4-wheel drive scenic tours. The Sportsman offers personalized high adventure drives in the comfort of our vehicles. You can visit ghost towns and alpine meadows, meandering streams and beaver meadows ... all without having to sweat the drive over the steep and rugged terrain. Description of each of our scenic tours are listed below.

The Alpine Loop is a National Historic Byway that traverses Cinammon and Engineer Passes, both reaching over 12,000 feet. At its peak, the road takes you to a breathtaking 12,980 feet, covering twisty, narrow, and steep roadway. The "Loop," as it's called, is the country's highest 4-wheel drive road and is a beautiful way to see the Rockies at their fullest without having to hike.

During this tour, your guide will point out natural, geological, and historical highpoints. If you want to stop and take photos, wander through ghost towns, or just enjoy the beauty, just let your guide know. Otherwise, your guide will offer suggestions for activities and photographic opportunities.

This tour is a full-day tour that generally begins at 8 am and ends between 4 and 5 pm. The cost is $95 per person; children 4 to 12 $48; children under 4 are free. The tour also includes lunch and beverages.

The Alpine Loop tour is our most popular tour, so we suggest reservations, especially during our busy summer season (June through August). September means the leaves turn to brilliant gold, and we can book up quite quickly then as well.

All prices subject to change without notice.

Part or all of this operation is conducted on public lands under special permit from the US Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service. Outfitter #1920 and Permit # CO16003-06004.

Big Blue is a gorgeous alpine valley in the eastern section of the Uncompahgre Wilderness with Big Blue Creek and two other feeder streams, Soldier Creek and Fall Creek, running through it. This gorgeous mountain paradise is a place that we recommend everyone see. It contains groves of aspens and spruce and fir forests, and the creeks are some of the prettiest in the west.

To reach Big Blue, your guide will take you north of Lake City and then exit onto a one lane road that will twist it's way up about 11 miles before you head down into Big Blue valley. Be sure to keep your eyes open for wildlife because this tour is almost always good for deer viewing. Along the way, you'll see some of the most stunning aspen groves around, so keep your camera handy.

The Big Blue tour is a full-day tour that generally begins at 8 am and ends between 4 and 5 pm. The cost is $95 per person; children 4 to 12 are $48; children under 4 are free. The tour also includes lunch and beverages.

Again because our summer can be quite busy, we suggest reservations. However, walkins are always welcome.

This tour takes you to American Basin, one of the most photographed areas in the Colorado Rockies. It's famous for flowers, millions upon millions of flowers that are normally in full bloom from mid July to mid August.

Your guide takes you to American Basin using part of the Alpine Loop road. After a little over 16 miles, you veer left onto a fairly rough road to American Basin, and then a 4-wheel drive road to the trailhead for Handies Peak. Handies is one of the 14ers that encircle the Lake City area.

The American Basin tour is a great way to spend your morning, and we suggest extending the trip to include a picnic lunch. You start your tour at 8 am and return by 12:30 pm. If you want, afternoon trips are also available. The cost is $75 per person; children 4 to 12 are $38; children under 4 are free. The tour also includes beverages. Lunches are also available for $7 per lunch.

Wager Gulgh is a half-day tour that takes you initially on the Alpine Loop road, but then takes a smaller, more rugged road that terminates at Carson. Most consider Carson, at 11,600 ft, to be the best preserved ghost town in the San Juans. It was established in 1881 as a mining town but was abandoned in 1902. The town is privately owned, but visitors can stroll around as long as care is taken.

Spend the morning or afternoon enjoying the mountain views and learning about this wonderful ghost town. Your guide will offer opportunity for photography and point out the highlights.

The Wager Gulch tour is a half-day tour generally starting at 8 am and ending around 12:30 pm. If you want, afternoon trips are also available. The cost is $75 per person; children 4 to 12 are $38; children under 4 are free. The tour also includes beverages. Lunches are also available for $7 per lunch. (Carson is a great place for a picnic!)

Cebolla (suh Voy yah) means onion in Spanish, but it's really a beautiful mountain stream that meanders from the Slumgullion pass area all the way to Blue Mesa reservoir. This half-day tour takes you along the upper-half of the stream, where you pass beautiful valleys as well as gorgeous canyons.

Your guide talkes you through two wilderness area, Powderhorn and LaGarita, the Cathedral Valley, and the Mason State Wildlife Area on a relatively easy going road. This tour enables you to view lush valleys, beaver ponds, streams and wildlife. And keep your eyes out for moose! They often enjoy the lush greens that run the bottoms of the streams and ponds.

The Cebolla Loop tour is a half-day tour generally starting at 8 am and ending around 12:30 pm. If you want, afternoon trips are also available. The cost is $75 per person; children 4 to 12 are $38; children under 4 are free. The tour also includes beverages. Lunches are also available for $7 per lunch. (The Cebolla loop offers many choices for beautiful picnics.)