Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways - 2024/2025

This byway has great variety, and its diversity of Rocky Mountain ecosystems is set against backdrop of the “greatest gold camp in the world.” Cripple Creek (a National Historic Landmark District) and Victor anchor a mining region that yielded 23.5 million ounces of gold between 1891 and 2005. Highlights include the Gold Coin Mine in Victor and the Cripple Creek District Museum. Cripple Creek also features casino gaming. In Cañon City, explore the area’s penitentiary past and present at the Museum of Colorado Prisons. Afterward, a stop at the Royal Gorge is a must. Cutting 1,200 feet into the plateau, the Arkansas River has formed one of America’s most impressive canyons. At 1,053 feet, the suspension bridge that crosses the gorge is among the highest in the world and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. To complete the circuit, drivers proceed north along High Park Road to Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Petrified sequoia trees and a fossil record of more than 1,700 different organisms — including 1,500 species of insects alone — make this one of America’s most significant fossil beds.

Distance: 131 miles • Allow 6-7 hours
Total elevation gain: 5,187–9,695 feet
(Note: Four-wheel drive is required on the Upper Shelf Road.)