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While you will spend a lot of time in the car while bagging this handful of our 26 Scenic & Historic Byways (see page 74 for a full list), it’ll be worth it. SOUTHWEST: BASECAMP: DURANGO From Durango, nearly every road out leads to a scenic byway. Start on the Trail of the Ancients, the first one designated for archaeological significance — it’s the site of cliff dwellings and petroglyphs of Ancestral Puebloans. You’ll also snap a photo at the Four Corners, where the boarders of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah meet at one point. Your next leg is the Tracks Across Borders. Chug along the routes of the state’s famed narrow-gauge railroads — pulloff to hop aboard the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad to give your driver a little respite. Next, you’ll head north along the San Juan Skyway, home to silver-boom towns and unbelievable San Juan mountain views. As you ride past the hamlets of Silverton, Telluride and Ouray, make sure to visit their historic downtowns full of Victorian-era architecture. On the same day, you could also swing the 65-mile Alpine Loop, which is only snow-free and accessible in the summer months. WEST CENTRAL: BASECAMP: DELTA Delta, a town with history dating back to the Jurassic period, is your homebase for the three scenic byways in this territory. Kick off your trip in the north on Grand Mesa, where the world’s largest flattop mountain and more than 300 stream-fed lakes await. Grab fresh apples from Cedaredge’s farms, and stop at the Land’s End Observatory for amazing views south of the town of Mesa. Shaped like a lasso, the West Elk Loop connects charming and artsy mountain towns of Carbondale, Montrose, Crested Butte and Gunnison. You’ll also have the chance to jaw drop at the beauty of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. End your journey on the Unaweep Tabeguache, home to dinosaur fossils, bighorn sheep and the sandstone walls of the Dolores River Canyon. NORTH CENTRAL: BASECAMP: GRANBY This area has four scenic highways you’ll want to check off your list. While your basecamp is Granby, this adventure starts with Lariat Loop near Denver, so it’s the perfect road trip if you’ve just landed at DIA. It takes you by Coors-loving Golden, the tiny mountain-town of Morrison and outdoorsy Evergreen. Get out and stretch your legs at Lair o’ the Bear Park to wander in the hills above Idledale. Take your geography class knowledge of the Continental Divide and put it to work on Peak to Peak. Wind your way through mining ghost towns, Victorian-era villages and gorgeous views of snow-capped mountains like Longs Peak. Cut across Rocky Mountain National Park along Trail Ridge Road, North America’s highest paved through-road (summer only). Wrap up on the Colorado River Head-waters byway. View the upper swells of the Colorado River before it becomes one of the mightiest rivers in the United States. Finish off your trip with a soak in the hot springs at Hot Sulphur Springs. COLO-ROAD TRIPS ESTABLISHED IN 2017 We have even more itineraries on our website that will get you around Colorado with the ease of a local — especially to the places many visitors don’t even know about! Visit COLORADO.com/ColoRoadTrips.
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