Rabbit Ears Pass

Rabbit Ears Pass (el. 9426 ft.) is a high mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado in the United States.

The pass straddles the continental divide at the southern end of the Park Range along the boundary between Grand and Jackson counties. The pass is named for nearby Rabbit Ears Peak, a mountain in Park Range to the north that is prominently visible from the east side of the pass during good weather. It separates the upper basin of the Yampa River on the west with North Park and the upper basin of the North Platte River on the east. The west summit, though steeper (7%), is lower (9400'), and the true high point is the east summit. Although lower in elevation than many of the high mountain passes farther to the south in the Colorado Rockies, the pass often receives a great deal of snow in winter and is subject to regular short closures during heavy winter storms. The meadows beneath it along U.S. Highway 40 allow for reliable cross country skiing. The pass provides the route of U.S. Highway 40 between Kremmling and Steamboat Springs. It is one of three crossings of the continental divide along the U.S. Highway, along with nearby Muddy Pass to the southeast and Berthoud Pass as it approaches Denver. The pass is significantly steeper on the western side (near Steamboat Springs) than the eastern side, where it descends along a slow incline towards Muddy Pass. There is a single runaway truck ramp on the west side for truckers whose brakes become hot while braking down the incline.

Access to the Old Rabbit Ears Summit can be achieved by turning north off of Highway 40 to Dumont Lake. The old summit is marked with a stone monument. The road is now Grand County Road 199. From the old summit, it is easy to reach the base of Rabbit Ears Peak via 4x4 trails.