Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways - 2024/2025

Crossing the Continental Divide three times, passing Colorado’s two highest peaks and uniting two of the most famous towns in the Rockies, this byway is in rarefied air. The first leg stretches from Copper Mountain to Leadville, a rustic town that was home to get-rich-quick barons and silver-boom divas. Now a National Historic Landmark District, Leadville was at the forefront of the 1879 silver boom. Victorian houses, mines and the Tabor Opera House make it a fascinating place to visit. The second leg passes beneath Mount Elbert (14,438 feet) and Mount Massive (14,427 feet) and crosses the Continental Divide at Independence Pass. The long descent into the Roaring Fork Valley leads to Aspen, a ski town synonymous with the Hollywood jet-set. However, Aspen began as a silver mining camp, and by 1891, it had surpassed Leadville in silver production. The final leg returns to Leadville and crosses Tennessee Pass before passing Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, a former training ground for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division, en route to Minturn.

Distance: 115 miles • Allow 4–5 hours
Total elevation gain: 7,775-12,095 feet
(Note: Vehicles over 35-feet in length are prohibited over Independence Pass. The pass is closed in winter.)