page_title: Rollins Pass
section_title: Environment
hierarchical_section_title: Rollins Pass / Environment
caption_attribution_description: English: Alpine Tundra Damage on Rollins Pass by a Motorized Vehicle
context_page_description: Rollins Pass, elevation 11,676.79 ft, is a mountain pass and active archaeological site in the Southern Rocky Mountains of north-central Colorado in the United States. The pass is located on and traverses the Continental Divide of the Americas at the crest of the Front Range southwest of Boulder and is located approximately five miles east and opposite the resort in Winter Park—in the general area between Winter Park and Rollinsville. Rollins Pass is at the boundaries of Boulder, Gilpin, and Grand counties. Over the past 10,000 years, the pass provided a route over the Continental Divide between the Atlantic Ocean watershed of South Boulder Creek with the Pacific Ocean watershed of the Fraser River, a tributary of the Colorado River.
  The abandoned rail route over Rollins Pass was nominated for and accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 because of significant events and engineering feats accomplished by railroading efforts in the early 20th century. In 1997, additional areas on the pass were added to the National Register of Historic Places to include achievements made by John Q.A. Rollins and his toll wagon road that traversed the pass.
caption: This annotated view shows the damage to the alpine tundra caused by illegal offroading on Rollins Pass. The vehicle is outlined in blue, the tire tracks in red, and the designated road in yellow.
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