Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways - 2024/2025

One of this byway’s top historic sites is the Flat Tops Wilderness, which is often credited as being one of the places that inspired the ethos of preservation in the West. In the early 1900s at Trappers Lake, a short drive just off the byway, Arthur Carhart was so moved by the beauty of the scenery, he promoted the idea of preserving the land in its raw state. He wasn’t the only one who appreciated the area’s attributes — Teddy Roosevelt hunted elk here. Before the area was at the forefront of the preservation movement, it experienced a significant conflict between white settlers and Ute Indians who had lived on the land for centuries. At the White River Museum in Meeker, learn about the Meeker Massacre of 1879, in which tensions between whites and Indians exploded in armed conflict. The museum is located within the original late-1800s officer’s quarters and showcases the area’s heritage. The town of Meeker — in addition to Buford and Yampa — is a great place to take in the atmosphere of an authentic ranching town.

Distance: 82 miles • Allow 2 hours

Total elevation gain: 6,249–10,343 feet

(Note: Much of the byway is a two-wheel-drive dirt road. Watch out for sheepherders and sheep. The portion from Buford to Yampa is closed in winter.)