County Route 281 - Colorado
AKA: Oh-My-God Road
Central City - Idaho Springs
Distance/Driving time: 3 miles/9m
County(ies): Clear Creek
Submit your on this road.
Rider Comments:
- I was there in a tour van. It was a thrill ride, watching stones falling off the road down the mountain. Not for those who fear high places. No guard rails, narrow road and two ways. There were two women in the back seat of the van who kept there heads down in there hands and all they could say was 'Oh my God'. The van driver told us that's how the road got the name; the old miners could be heard yelling, 'Oh my God' as they went down the mountain. I loved the thrill and the breath taking mountains. - Riccardo (8/9/12)
- My wife and I ran this road on July 4th, 2008 on two cruisers, 04' Victory King Pin and her 07' Kawasaki 900 custom. Saw the sign coming out of Central City and just had to try it! One hell of a hair raising ride from the top. Switchbacks, steep and I mean steep grades, absolutely no side rails and very narrow in spots with plenty of blind curves on the way down. Funny thing was we must have been passed twice going down along with a least a half dozen or more vehicles going up! But we were the only lunatics attempting this ride on cruisers this day. My wife and I enjoy exploring hard packed gravel roads, often taken miles off of rides. But this one took years off my life and brakes. Rode the clutch and brakes nearly the entire ride down. Near the bottom we had a decision to make left or right at a very rutty switchback. Took the left fork and later found out the right would have been the easier of the two. Don't know if we will ever try it again. Loved the way it got the adrelene flowing, but having just layed my bike down on a 3700 mile ride in June, I was still healing and not ready for a slide on this super slope. But if your up for a thrill, and your brakes are very good (just had mine done before my last trip in June) then you only live once....go for it, my wife and I did and it made for a 4th of July we will never forget. Heck I'm 60 and she is 56...pretty good for two youngseters, plus we won a hundred dollars at the Riviera before the descent. - Frank and Cheryl Fraley (7/4/08)
- From I-70 take Idaho Springs exit 240. Drive west through town on Colorado Blvd. Take a right onto 23rd Avenue. After crossing the bridge turn left onto Virginia Street. Go half a mile on Virginia street and take a right onto Virginia Canyon Road (CO-279) which is the paved road. Follow Virginia Canyon Road north out of Idaho Springs. Within a mile, turn right onto a dirt road when you see a sign pointing to Central City. This is 'Oh-My-God Road' (CO-281). This was at one time a major supply route for the gold fields, and after riding this road you will know why it is called 'Oh My God Road"'. SR 281 is probably best done on a dual-sport or dirt bike with appropriate tires, and not heavy cruisers. Traction is sometime limited due to roadway condition, so no street tires. The gravel roadway portions require use of rear brakes only in places and can be scary. Best scenic ride is actually from top to bottom, so start at Central city and come down. There are a lot of abandoned gold mines, that should not be entered, very close to the road in places and lots of photo opportunities. Take a lot of film or memory cards. - Doug Stracener (7/19/07)