Fourth of July - Independence Pass

Last year, my roommate and I drove over an incredibly beautiful mountain pass. We were departing from Monarch, CO to drive to Aspen, CO. The road was very popular among bicyclists.

As we followed the GPS, we had no idea we would be going over this magnificent pass. And it just so happened to be Independence Day. How much of a perfect coincidence was that?!

At the top of the pass is a parking lot and hiking trails.

The trail meanders through alpine tundra speckled with wildflowers. Please stay on the trail, as Alpine plants are fragile and grow slowly. Trampling them can cause damage that takes years to recover.