Oh My-God-Road aka Virginia Canyon Road

June 27th 2006: Golden, Colorado (just west of Denver). We are in Clear Creek City Park N39° 45.197' W105° 13.193'. The campground is located on the south side of 10th street at the end of the road. Clear Creek City Campground is one of the nicest (location wise) campgrounds you can stay in (our opinion). located on Clear Creek 3-blocks from downtown Golden. They have paved interior roads with small back-in sites (mature trees are so wonderful); 50-amps, water and sewer, $28.91 per-night 303-278-1437. There is a 2-week max stay before you have to leave the park and they do not take reservations.

We were visiting Central City, Colorado when it came time to return to our motorhome in Golden, Colorado. That meant it was time to take the Oh-My-God Road back to Idaho Springs and I-70. If you have never heard about Oh-My-God Road let me tell you a little about it.

Oh My-God-Road also known as Virginia Canyon Road

The Oh-My-God Road also known as Virginia Canyon Road/RD 279 connects Central City with Idaho Springs 8-miles away and over 2,000' lower in elevation. Oh-My-God Road is partially paved, partially hard packed earth and makes the vast majority of that descent in around 5-miles, thus that part is a serious series of switchbacks designed to literally fall off the south side of the mountain containing all that gold.

I'm told it got its name from the reaction of stagecoach passengers riding over it! I think you'll find it less scary today, but still worth the drive.

Oh-My-God road at one time was the link between Idaho Springs and Central City. It was a critical access and supply road for miners bringing supplies to there camp by horse and wagon before 1865. Once the railway reached Central City/Black Hawk traffic along the road dwindled.

Evidence of old mine operation on Oh My God Road

A great deal of mining activity took place along this road, evidence and ruins still remain and add to the ambience of the drive.

Joyce had not been looking forward to this road because of the name and what others have said. It really is hard for someone who is frightened by a roller coaster to look forward to taking anything with the moniker Oh-My-God! Being a good sport she indulged me, probably because I spent a day with her while she perused shoppes in Pearl Street Mall.

At one time this road was purported to be narrow, so narrow that cars couldn't pass, one had to give way and let the other by. Those days are gone. While most of it is dirt it is wide and well maintained. However, the numerous blind corners and lack of guard rails will frighten some who are accustomed to modern interstate driving. Some say that the road is not much wider than a car and half with a slight shoulder on one side and a sheer drop on the other, that is a fairly good description but I did not notice the road being that narrow. Joyce begs to differ. Two people same car same ride different perceptions. The sheer drop with no guardrail is accurate as are the blind corners/switchbacks.

One thing we can all agree on is the countless old mines littered along the road as evidenced by mining equipment and tailings.

Coming out of Central City on Virginia Canyon Road or O-M-G road begins as a hard climb to the top of the mountain. Once on top of the mountain the road drops in a stunning set of switchbacks that I am sure inspired the sobriquet.

Oh My God Road or RD 279 as it leaves Central City

Joyce took this picture at the intersection of two dirt roads somewhere along the Oh-My-God road. Idaho Springs is downhill while Central City is uphill.

Oh My God Road or RD 279 as it leaves Central City

The picture to the right is of one of the few straight sections of that incredible descent. Even with this "straight" section you get an idea of the grade.

Idaho City, Colorado from Oh-My-God Road

At one point Joyce was able to spot Idaho Springs and I-70 as we made our way down that mountain on Oh-My-God Road.

If you look closely you can see several switchbacks on the OMG road between where we are and Idaho Springs. Folks, I want to assure you we are falling off this mountain.

Tailings from old gold mine on Oh-My-God Road

Tailings as those in the picture to the right provide evidence of old gold mines.

Remains of old car that fell off Oh-My-God Road

To the left is a "crashed" automobile that fell off Oh-My-God Road long ago. We can only speculate that it fell off the road after failing to make one of those switchbacks several hundred feet above. Don't you know Joyce loved seeing that!

Abandoned mine entrance off Oh-My-God Road