The Wild Road to Kite Lake, outside of Alma
Kite Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3.671m (12,043ft) above the sea level, located in Park County, Colorado, in USA. The road, with amazing views, should open by early June each year. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado.
Nestled in the Mosquito Range of the Rocky Mountains, the bumpy road to the lake is unpaved. It’s called Kite Lake Road (Park County Road 8). This road can be done with a passenger car, but it can be very rugged and rutted after a hard winter. The road gets rougher as you go up. Most cars can make it to near the Sweet Home Mine but higher clearance is recommended. The last mile of this road can be a bit rougher, but a good-clearance 2WD should still be able to make it when the road is dry. Best to take a car with some high clearance and possibly 4x4 capabilities if rain is in the forecast.
Starting from Alma, the highest incorporated municipality in the United States with permanent residents, the road is 8.85km (5.5 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 510 meters. The average gradient is 5.76%. This area is heavily affected by seasonal weather. The road is often grated in summer, but this can vary from year to year. Check with the Forest Service in Fairplay for the latest conditions. It can be very windy towards the lake. There is heavy summer traffic.
Pic: Tyler Carter