The Most Important Rule to Remember on Colorado's Mountain Passes

Residents of the state of Colorado have been traveling routes through the Rocky Mountains since long before it was a state. Today there are around 82 routes through the mountains used to access some of the most beautiful parts of the Centennial State.

Traveling the steep and winding roads of Western Colorado requires drivers to pay attention when climbing and descending mountain passes. To ensure safety, the state of Colorado has established a right-of-way for vehicles that all motorists should learn.

Get our free mobile app

Traveling Colorado's Mountain Passes

The most important rule to remember when traveling Colorado's mountain passes is to recognize the right-of-way when you encounter another vehicle on a steep, narrow, one-lane mountain road. In the state of Colorado, the vehicle traveling uphill has the right of way. The vehicle traveling downhill should always yield.

The Law According to the Colorado Code

Colorado's Title 42 Vehicles and Traffic Article 4 Code 42-4-711 deals with rights of way and traveling on mountain highways. It states that on narrow mountain highways with a grade of 6% or more, the ascending vehicle has the right-of-way. Violating this rule is a class A traffic infraction.

Keep reading to check out ten of Colorado's most popular mountain passes located on the Western Slope. Each of these roads will require you to yield to an ascending vehicle if you encounter one.

Yield to Uphill Traffic on All 10 of These Colorado Mountain Roads

If you plan on driving over Colorado's mountain passes remember to yield the right-of-way to vehicles traveling uphill. Here are ten roads in Western Colorado with narrow lanes and steep ledges that will require you to be prepared to yield to oncoming vehicles.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

UP NEXT: These are the Most Beautiful Roads to Drive in Colorado

Are you looking for the perfect Colorado getaway? Is time something you don't possess in abundance? All you need is half a day, in some cases even less, to enjoy these awesome Colorado roads.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

MORE: Are You Brave Enough to Drive Colorado's Most Perilous Roads?

Slivers of asphalt cling to mountainsides with barely enough room for a subcompact car, let alone the monster RVs peppering the roadways. Blind corners leave even the most experienced drivers wondering what awaits around the bend. Let's not forget the thousand-foot drops with nothing between safety and impending doom but a thin slice of gravel -- talk about white knuckles.

If you're brave enough to "risk your life" for beautiful views, you won't be disappointed.

How many of these dangerous roads have you traveled in Colorado?

Gallery Credit: Tim Gray