Welcome to Pikes Peak - America's Mountain! The Pikes Peak Highway entrance is conveniently located 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs on Highway 24. The beauty of being so close to the city is that you can spend your time enjoying the mountain instead of getting to the mountains. Plan for your round trip journey to the summit to take 2-3 hours. The safe, scenic highway provides you the opportunity to enjoy Pikes Peak at your leisure. From the gateway at an elevation of 7,400 feet, you'll encounter some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world as you wind your way through an alpine wonderland of scenic beauty, mountain reservoirs, beyond timberline, overtaking the clouds...All along the way to the 14,115 foot summit of America's most famous mountain. Along the way, you'll discover the North Slope Recreation Area, Crystal Reservoir Gift Shop, Historic Glen Cove Inn, and the Summit House. There are three lakes for fishing, picnic areas, hiking trails, and breathtaking views. Stop and watch one of our "Meet the Ranger" Interpretive Programs and learn about the history, myths, flora and fauna on the mountain. All offer visitor services and basic necessities to make your day both enjoyable and memorable.See more..
5.0Trail Ridge Road(3.446 reviews) - Great Rocky drive Scenic Drives
Get in before 9 without a pass and use the gypsyguide for the best tour. It will take all day if you go to Grand Lake but you cannot renter without a timed pass. Lot’s of places to stop along the way great scenery. Bring warm clothes for the top. It’s windy and cold at Alpine. Also good to bring food for a picnic. Sheep meadow was good for seeing moose. Visitor centerS were not that helpfulSee more..
4.5Peak to Peak Scenic Byway(1.830 reviews) - Beautiful drive, but you can’t go all the way up to the top in the winter Scenic Drives
Popular route from Estes Park to Black Hawk.See more..
We were so glad we took this road to independence pass. They had had a snowfall a few days before we got there and the small lake was frozen and there was snow everywhere. Beautiful drive although in a rented RV sprinter van there were some tight curves but it was fun.See more..
4.5Skyline Drive(1.239 reviews) - Nice drive along a ridge permitting you to see down both sides Scenic Drives
A narrow, one way road that is not suitable for RV's or over-size vehicles and that offers three miles of thrills.See more..
Experience breathtaking views of Colorado's scenic beauty by cruising through the Mount Evans Scenic Byway in Denver. This road connects Idaho Springs to Mount Evans’ summit and offers stunning views of snow-capped peaks, picturesque greenery, and wildlife sightings of mountain goats. Echo Lake Park is a great spot to take a break and enjoy a picnic. You can also camp in the area to immerse yourself in the stunning scenery and hike one of the many trails. The road can close unexpectedly due to inclement weather, so check in advance before visiting. – TripadvisorSee more..
5.0Million Dollar Highway(734 reviews) - Drive Otto Mears Dream - The Million Dollar Highway Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives
Enjoy million-dollar views along this 25-mile highway that hugs the side of the mountain. It connects the Colorado towns of Silverton and Ouray while taking you past dramatic landscapes, from pine forests, valleys, and gorges to the snowcapped San Juan Mountains. The road is marked by hairpin turns, narrow lanes, steep drop-offs, and a lack of guardrails at some points, so drive carefully. A self-guided audio tour might help—you'll get to tidbits of the area's history along the way, too. There are cabins and camping areas where you can stay the night; you can also explore historic landmarks like the Ironton Townsite or hike to the summit of the surrounding peaks. – TripadvisorSee more..
This trip is not for the faint of heart. There are some parts where you will be teetering on the edge trying to squeak by while another car is going down the mountain. Once you get past the nail biting parts get ready for some beauty. I went here mid-late fall so there was some part where there was a lot of beautiful foliage and other parts where the leaves had already fallen. It truly is a beautiful pass. There are some pretty rough spots so it’s probably best if you have an SUV, truck or a car that’s not lowered. In good weather most cars can make it up but I’d reckon in any other type of weather definitely go with AWD or 4 wheel drive.See more..
4.5Old Fall River Road(514 reviews) - Spectacular If Terrifying Drive Scenic Drives
This dramatic and scenic roadway built in 1913 followed an old Indian pathway that climbed over 3,000 feet.See more..
5.0Kebler Pass(477 reviews) - Loved it Scenic Drives
The drive from Crested Butte to Paonia passes West Beckwith Mountain, the best spot in the state to view foliage. With 50 square miles of golden aspens.See more..
Even though not an official national scenic byway, Guanella Pass Byway is nevertheless spectacular. We drove it from its northern end in Georgetown, itself a remarkable historic town all the way south to Grant, roughly speaking 22 miles. The pass is closed in winter, but provided spectacular vistas when we visited in mid September. There are numerous recreational activities along the way. Mount Bierstadt is a relatively easy (and popular) fourteener, but we opted to hike to Silver Dollar Lake (see my other Trip Advisor entry on that). As mentioned, historic Georgetown is a great place as a starting hub. Guanella Pass itself has a large parking lot, with a number of hiking trails (shorter and longer) starting from there and with spectacular panoramic views of Mt Bierstadt and the accompanying range. After that, it's downhill again, through pine forests all the way to Grant.See more..
Really cool drive thru the canyon. It was a beautiful day to make this drive. Be aware some areas are quite bumpy. You don't necessarily need a 4wd to tackle this road but would recommend higher clearance due to rocks and washboards. Even though the canyon drive is about 20-ish miles long, allow plenty of time for slow going thru narrow roads and blind curves. We combined it with a drive thru Victor then on to Cripple Creek and learned about Gold mining which was fun. See more..
4.5Animas Forks(234 reviews) - Nice Day Trip but beware! Scenic Drives • Ghost Towns
This is a great day trip if you are just seeing the sights and are not doing the whole "Jeep" thing. Most sources say that this can be reached via 2wd. Yes, it can but I'd only do it in a car you hate or maybe if you borrowed someone's without telling them. Even then, it would take some finesse. 4wd isn't necessarily needed but it sure makes a world of difference. The biggest issue is major portions of the road are comprised of fairly large, sharp rocks. I did it in a rental Ford Explorer with 4wd. (The rental company probably wouldn't approve).The 4wd worked great but I was really concerned about the tires taking a sidewall hit. They were just stock all-season tires. No way should a 2wd car, with it's low ground clearance attempt this road. A 2wd suv could make it with a competent driver taking it slow if it's dry. A stock, street 4wd is no issue but beware! Your donut spare isn't going to get you home from here!See more..
5.0South Rim Road(219 reviews) - Amazing Overlooks Scenic Drives
My wife and I took this loop while visiting the area. Very nice drive. Lots to see. Takes you thru some quaint town. Allow time to stop and enjoy all the trip has to offer. Nice way to spend a daySee more..
5.0Red Mountain Pass(114 reviews) - Trailer South From Ouray Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives
Just finished pulling a 30’ travel trailer across. Started from Ouray at sunrise, drove slowly, and pulled over often. Traffic was very light, but views in the morning were spectacular. Highly recommend going thru early before traffic increases so that other vehicles are not an issue. Worth the time. Relax, pay attention to the road, and enjoy the views when you pull over....and there are plenty of pull outs. Once in a lifetime views.See more..
4.5Monarch Pass(109 reviews) - S P R I N G :: G ON D O L A Scenic Drives
Exciting. Enlightening. Awesomeness. Travelers TIP: This is the ONLY Gondola in Colorado open in the Spring! Every other gondola is open for Winter skiing and Summer biking/hiking (All after Memorial Day - and most much later in June). Monarch happily opens in early May on a weather dependent day. In 2022 it started runs on May 14 and "officially" opened on May 15. Check the website if this is your intent.See more..
5.0Highway of Legends Scenic Byway(86 reviews) - Spectacular scenic drive through Southern Colorado Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives
This is a great way to explore the Spanish Peaks country. The scenery is gorgeous. If you are in a rush and just want to drive through, you can make the full drive (~80 miles) in a couple of hours. If you have time and interest, there are lots of little towns to stop and explore and you could easily spend a whole day.See more..
4.5Schofield Pass(82 reviews) - This drive is beautiful when leaves are changing Scenic Drives
Between Crested Butte and Marble, this difficult road has narrow, steep passages.See more..
It’s a 2 way dirt road until 1/2 way up with a small parking lot. We parked there for few seconds and notice a car kept going beyond the open gate. So we followed. From here, the roads are very narrow as it was difficult in squeezing 2 vehicles across. Fortunately, the other vehicle was a truck and he went sideway up the side of the mountain just so we can squeeze by. Once you get to the very top, it’s just a circular driveway to go around. There are maybe space for 2 cars, which were taken so we went further down to another small lot to park. Overall, it was a nice little excursion and had a great view of the surrounding. See more..
We did not hesitate to drive the rent car down this road to the bottom of the canyon. It is a steep grade but it's not that bad. When you arrive at the bottom, you see the Gunnison River and a picnic area. We drove along the river for quite ways looking for the perfect place to stop for lunch. The river had some rapids here and there and just a different view of the canyon walls above.See more..
Nice lunch stop on our trip to Crested Butte. We had time to hike a little bit and also to make a picnic and "load batteries" before next part of our trip. Hiking through so colorful areas, surrounded by many wild flowers is unforgettable. My camera was almost "hot". I couldn't turn it off having so many beautiful flowers around me. Take with you a sunscreen, water and a hat. I recommend this place. RomanPSee more..
4.5Lobo Overlook / Radio Tower(47 reviews) - Top of the World! Spent More than 3 hours Lookouts • Scenic Drives
We drove to Wolf Creek Ski area and it was like a ghost town. So, we went up to the Lobo Overlook which was really a spectacular view. It was very windy so we didn't have our picnic there, but on a not so windy day it would be great! Enjoy the drive and the view!See more..
If taking this scenic highway south make sure to stop at the visitor's center in Lake City. They gave us some great ideas for this drive, including a guidebook that explained all the sites along the way. Unfortunately we ran into some nasty thunderstorms heading towards Creede. We managed to get in some great views including Lake San Cristobal, Sherman Historic Town Site, Windy Point Overlook and North Clear Creek Falls.See more..
This 62-mile round trip scenic drive takes visitors along Colorado's canyon rims for panoramic views of the gorges carved by the Green and Yampa Rivers.See more..
Loved this place, not only for it's beauty, but also because I got to see where Rooster Cogburn faced down Lucky Ned Pepper (John Wayne and Robert Duvall). This place is a must see! Also How The West Was Won was filmed there!See more..
4.0Old Lime Creek Road(27 reviews) - Edge of your seat! Spent 2-3 hours Hiking Trails • Scenic Drives • Off-Road & ATV Trails
This Jeep trail has amazing views and not too long (2-3 hours). It takes you by Potato Lake. Must have a 4x4 and take your time driving this one. There is a part of the trail that narrows and you are driving on the edge, so if you have a fear of heights, I do not recommend. No rails. Glad we drove this one!See more..
This area is spectacular. The Unaweep Divide was a lovely drive. Into Unaweep Canyon which is a deep canyon between Whitewater and Gateway. The land is lush on one side and more barren on the other. It’s name means canyon with two mouths in Ute Indian. This is a reflection of the two creeks - East Creek and West Creek - which flow out of opposite ends of the canyon, separated by the Unaweep Divide. The divide is at 7008 feet. The mountains are layers of different rock making for pretty layers. I enjoyed imagining making a home here. But when I looked the sale price of the land I liked was $1.3 million. Sigh. The sweeping vistas filled my heart and there’s a peacefulness here even while vehicles drive by. The ranch homes are large and lovely. Cows dot the landscape. The drive to Gateway was indeed lovely.See more..
The road into Lake City goes over this pass and the views are breathtaking!! The road is well maintained and well worth the drive. The beetle kill has been cleaned up and the area is so peaceful.See more..
4.5Shrine Pass Road(17 reviews) - Color viewing adventure Scenic Drives
We returned home from Vail via Shrine Pass. Was an easy leisurely drive over the 11094 ft. Pass. The views were great and color of trees beautiful. Saw several places for picnics and camping. Recommend starting on east side as it is not as steep as west side. Can make it easy without 4x4.See more..
This is a serious 4WD road and shouldn’t be attempted if you think you’re going for a nice smooth ride in the mountains. No, there are no signs to warn you; you should do your homework before ascending a grade like this. The winters were too much even for the Colorado Midland, a standard gauge railroad (not narrow gauge) that ran in the late 19th-early 20th centuries. The train never ran over the pass but through nearby tunnels. It’s a great and beautiful journey but travelers should be prepared for both a bone-jarring ride and cooler temps. And no cell service except just below the eastern side of the summit for about 1/4 mile. See more..
We've driven this road a number of times and made it a point to drive it once a month a couple years running. It's rough driving if there's snow, but otherwise it's a very good drive with some nice hikes along the way.See more..
Grand Mesa is the largest, flat-topped mountain in the world, spanning 500 square miles and rising between 5,000 feet and 11,237 feet of elevation. The top of the Grand Mesa is a layer of basalt poured by lava approximately 10 million years ago which has protected the mesa from the erosion suffered by surrounding sedimentary rocks.See more..
5.0The Highway of Legends(9 reviews) - Beautiful scenic drive Scenic Drives This is a great way to explore the Spanish Peaks country. The scenery is gorgeous. If you are in a rush and just want to drive through, you can make the full drive (~80 miles) in a couple of hours. If you have time and interest, there are lots of little towns to stop and explore and you could easily spend a whole day.See more..
GREAT VIEWS on the west side of the pass. Weston Pass Rd. is an unimproved 20mile back country road, County Rd 22, between Hwy 24 (just south of Leadville), and Hwy 285, south of Fairplay CO. The 6miles west of the Pass (elev. 11,921 ft) are pretty rough--GO SLOW! SUVs can handle, but it would be very difficult for a sedan. Our Jeep Wrangler had no problem, and I only used 2-wheel rear drive. Good drive!! See more..
Accessed off Guanella Pass, above Georgetown, Colorado, this 4 wheel drive trail has beautiful views, both in the trees and above tree line. Best done with a rugged, high clearance 4wd vehicle with good tires, and an experienced driver, some spots are rocky, steep and narrow, and need to be navigated with care. Check with the local Forest Service Office about conditions. Travel with another vehicle, if possible.The road crosses a lovely creek several times as it crashes down the mountainside. There are some great picnic spots. Be advised that it goes up to over 13,000 feet in elevation. There are several old mines and the ghost town of Waldorf, where not much is left. The trail continues up to McClellan Mountain and the old mine and ghost town of Santiago,See more..
Scenic views of the Rio Grande River Valley are visible for the first few miles of the trip. The 9.4-mile scenic and relatively remote gravel road climbs through spruce/fir/aspen timber to beautiful rolling, grassy, subalpine parks and passenger car travel ends at Hanson's Saw Mill (pit toilet). The road begins on the north side of CO-194, approximately 7.3miles SE of Creede.See more..
4.5Rat Creek(2 reviews) - Rat Creek Loop off Bachelor Loop a blast. Scenic at altitude, & just challenging enough to be exciting, not dangerous. Spent 2-3 hours Scenic Drives • Off-Road & ATV Trails
Rented a 4-seater from Creede Adventure Rentals. Easy and quick process. Took out with map in hand. We did Engineer Pass out of Lake City a couple of years ago and we were concerned that this would not measure up! No issue. Although Engineer took more skill and was more challenging, Rat Creek Loop is way more scenic than Engineer. So for couples that want a challenge, go to Lake City. But For a great family adventure, can’t beat Rat Creek!See more..
Rated difficult, with several steep sections, this trail is for four-wheelers only.See more..
3.0Gold Belt Byway(1 review) - farms and BLM Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives We drove a stretch of this National Scenic Byway, the portion from Florissant, where we visited the Florissant Fossil beds National Monument, over State Highway 9 toward Cañon City. This will take you approximately an hour of driving. It was a pretty leisurely and deserted drive, mostly through farmland and BLM land surrounded by mountains. There are two more 'branches' in this byway, both connecting Florissant with Florence and Cañon City, but those are much slower routes and partly unpaved.See more..
4.0Gobblers Knob(1 review) - Unique rock formations Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Scenic Drives Been by this spot for the past 66 years. So much history in this area. Old stage route came through this area in 1800’s. Spent time in grade school exploring the area nearby, as there are Indian writings on a cliff to the west of here. See more..
