Tourist Drives off Edge of Trail Closing Black Bear Pass in Colorado

If you like to off-road in Colorado, chances are you have heard of the iconic road known as Black Bear Pass near Telluride. This road has been on my bucket list for the longest time, and when my wife and I were in Ouray a few years ago, I really wanted to take the drive.

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She, on the other hand, did not. Not because she was scared, she wanted our Jeep Wrangler to be the vehicle that got to experience it, which is understandable. This off-road trail is not for the faint of heart, as it has steep switchbacks near Bridal Veil Falls coming into Telluride.

Black Bear Pass is Known for Its Dangerous Switchbacks

Over the years, there have been numerous instances of vehicles rolling off the switchbacks for various reasons. There have also been many closures of the trail due to driver error.

This week, Black Bear Pass is closed once again, this time, thanks to a tourist from South Carolina. According to the San Miguel County Sheriff's Office, the popular trail was shut down on Wednesday after a South Carolina man drove a Kia Telluride the wrong way up Black Bear Pass.

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Numerous people in the area told the man not to drive up the switchbacks, yet he did anyway. After going through three to four switchbacks, he quickly learned why he shouldn't have driven up as he got stuck with the wheels going off the side of the trail.

Black Bear Pass Closed Until Vehicle Removal

As a result, Bridal Veil Road up to the falls is closed, and there is no estimated time of reopening since a tow truck will have to remove the vehicle from the edge of the trail. It's always a good rule of thumb to adhere to warnings from locals and others who frequent areas such as this to not getting into any sort of trouble. When will stubborn tourists learn?