The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests has reopened the Alpine Tunnel road following the completion of a multi-year reconstruction project to restore the Palisade Wall.
Visitors hoping to access the Alpine Tunnel Historic District should park near the junction of the Alpine Tunnel road and National Forest system trail #298 (Williams Pass trail) and hike the remaining mile to the West Portal Complex. A large boulder currently blocks access to the parking area at the Alpine Tunnel West Portal. The boulder is located approximately 12 miles up the road from the junction with trail #765. The road beyond the Williams Pass junction has limited space for vehicles to turn around.
“We appreciate the public's patience as we take the time to ensure the boulder is safely and appropriately removed,” said Gunnison District Ranger Dayle Funka. “Given the incredible work that has been completed to rebuild the Palisade Wall, we wanted to reopen the road as soon as we could so the public could resume visiting the historic district.”
The Alpine Tunnel, located just east of Pitkin, opened in 1882. At more than 11,500 feet in elevation, at the time it was the highest railroad tunnel in North America. The first of its kind in Colorado, the tunnel allowed the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad to cross the Continental Divide. It was abandoned in 1910 and eventually became a popular off-roading spot.
In 2016, an avalanche damaged the Palisade Wall and closed the Alpine Tunnel road. The Gunnison Ranger District, the National Forest Foundation and local partners leveraged state and private funding, along with money from the Great American Outdoors Act, to restore the wall and reopen the road. Restoration work began in 2022.
Last year, a team of rock masonry craftsmen shaped approximately 70 capstones and 60 wall stones for the restoration of the wall. This summer, construction crews excavated the collapsed area and rebuilt the wall and adjacent roadway.
The closure order for the Alpine Tunnel historic area has been rescinded and the public can again travel on trail #839 (Alpine Tunnel road), #767.1B and #888, #298 and #539 as shown on the 2017 motor vehicle use map. The map is available on the GMUG website or at the Gunnison Ranger District office in Gunnison.
(Source: U.S. Forest Service.)
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