Colorado is a driving state. In fact, there are so many scenic drives in Colorado, you honestly can’t go far without bumping into a scenic byway sign.
I’ve spent the past 12 years driving through this beautiful state. Over the years, I’ve amassed a list of the most scenic drives in Colorado and how to get there. These drives all offer jaw-dropping vistas, so be sure to pack your camera and be prepared to switch drivers in order to let everyone enjoy the view!
The Best Scenic Drives in Colorado
These scenic drives can be added to any Colorado itinerary. I’ve broken down this list of the best scenic drives in Colorado by region to help you plan the ultimate Colorado road trip or find a scenic drive near you. In this local guide, you’ll find:
- Awesome recommendations for incredibly scenic Colorado drives
- The approximate mileage and time (one way) for each drive
- Things to do and points of interest nearby
- A quick guide to driving in Colorado
Scenic Drives Near Denver
You don’t have to go far from the Mile High City to find a spectacularly scenic drive. In fact, you can even squeeze a scenic drive into your weekend Denver itinerary. There are many amazingly scenic drives near Denver you don’t want to miss!
Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park
Arguably one of the most famous scenic drives in Colorado, Trail Ridge Road is a must-do activity in Colorado. Located in Rocky Mountain National Park, this high-alpine drive delivers on views. It’s a $25 fee to enter the park.
Local Tip: This road is unmaintained and closes from mid-October until mid-June. Check for up-to-date conditions.
Time (one way): 1 hr 45 minutes
Mileage (one way): 48 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Rocky Mountain National Park hiking trails, scenic vistas, and plenty of wildlife viewing
Related: The Insider’s Guide to Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park (coming soon)
The Poudre Canyon Near Fort Collins
As the longest scenic byway on the list, the Cache la Poudre Scenic Byway stretches 101 miles from Fort Collins deep into the northern Rockies of Colorado. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, but the road is pretty windy. Take the road partway, or use it as a way to get to the Never Summer Mountains.
Time (one way): 3 hours
Mileage (one way): 101 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Raft the Poudre River, rock climb in Poudre Canyon, camp, and hike.
Mount Evans Scenic Byway
Drive the highest paved road in the United States on this classic scenic drive in Colorado. Mount Evans Scenic Byway slithers its way to the top of Mount Evans, a famous Colorado 14er located just 40 minutes outside of downtown Denver reaching a hight of 14,264 feet above sea level! Take care to acclimatize properly, as I’ve even gotten altitude sickness on the drive up.
The road is open from the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend until the first weekend in October and there’s a fee of $10 per vehicle
Pro Tip: People frequently bike this road and there are no guardrails so share some space.
Time (one way): 1 hour 30 minutes
Mileage (one way): 28 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Scope out the views from a 14,000-foot peak, road bike, scenic fall driving.
Peak-to-Peak Byway Near Lyons, Colorado
For big-time mountain views, take the scenic way into Estes Park via the Peak-to-Peak highway. This winding mountain road boasts plenty of natural beauty including inspiring mountain vistas and a bird’s eye view of Estes Park.
Time (one way): 2 hours
Mileage (one way): 55 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Visit Rocky Mountain National Park, check out Estes Park and Nederland, hiking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, ski at Eldora Mountain, epic fall foliage.
Pike’s Peak Highway
Dream of standing atop a 14,000-foot mountain, but don’t have the effort to hike? Just outside of Colorado Springs, you can drive to the top of a Colorado 14er along the Pike’s Peak Highway. One of the best scenic drives in Colorado, this epic adventure has plenty of hair-raising hairpin turns along the tarmac road to the summit.
Local Tip: There’s a $10 charge per person ($5 per child) to use the road.
Time (one way): 1 hour 30 minutes
Mileage (one way): 19 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Enjoy the epic views, grab a donut in the warming hut at the top, check out Santa’s Village at the base.
Beautiful Roads in the Sawatch and Elk Mountains
The mountains around Buena Vista, Aspen, and Crested Butte boast some of the best scenery in the state. This area is littered with excellent camping, world-class hikes, and plenty of water-based activities. You’ll also find some of Colorado’s most scenic drives.
Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway
Just outside of Leadville you can squeeze your way between the tallest and second tallest peaks in Colorado. Mount Elbert (14,439 feet) and Mount Massive (14,429 feet) stand like iron gates along the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway. Snaking over Independence Pass, this is one of the highest byways, rarely dipping below 9,000 feet in elevation.
Time (one way): 2 hours
Mileage (one way): 82 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Hike the tallest mountain in Colorado, fish, SUPing, hiking, off-road driving, and pristine camping.
Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway in the Sawatch
If you’re looking for fantastic drives with a view, you’ve got to check out the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway. This paved road makes its way across the base of the Sawatch Range. This spectacular mountain range is home to more 14,000 foot peaks than any other range in the country, 14 to be exact. So take your time craning your neck towards the sky along this classic Colorado drive
Time (one way): 1 hour 30 minutes
Mileage (one way): 57 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Check out Buena Vista, Leadville, and Salida. Go white water rafting, hiking, mountain biking, and enjoy some of Colorado’s best free camping.
West Elk Loop
More of a vacation loop than just a simpy scenic byway, the West Elk Loop travels through Carbondale (near Aspen), Paonia, Crawford, Gunnison and Crested Butte. It’s a long stretch of utterly scenic driving with plenty to see and do. Although you can smash it out in a day, I recommend taking the weekend to enjoy this scenic Colorado mountain drive.
Time (one way): 7 hours
Mileage (one way): 205 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Gunnison National Park, explore Aspen and the Maroon Bells, bike in Crested Butte. Enjoy world-class high alpine fishing, hiking, mountaineering, and camping.
Kebler Pass near Crested Butte
Spoil yourself with endless aspen groves along Kebler Pass. Make your way from Aspen to Crested Butte along this beautiful slice of road. This scenic byway is ideal between late June through early October. Since some of the road is dirt, it becomes impassable over winter.
Time (one way): 1 hour 30 minutes
Mileage (one way): 31 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Aspen viewing, fall foilage, wildflowers, excellent camping, hiking, ATV riding.
Fantastically Beautiful Drives in the San Juan Mountains
With their deep red soil, the San Juan Mountains evoke a sense of awe and magic. This region of Colorado is known for its unbeatable Jeep trails and off-road driving. Ther are also several 14,000-foot peaks to hike nearby.
The Million Dollar Highway near Ouray
This iconically beautiful drive is actually a part of the San Juan Skyway. The stretch of road between Ouray and Silverton is unbelievable and insanely scenic. It might be my favorite scenic drive in all of the US. Make your way across red-capped peaks and spot the mining operations that put this part of Colorado on the map.
Time (one way): 1 hour
Mileage (one way): 25 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Camp, hike, check out the historic mountain towns of Ouray and Silverton.
The Alpine Loop in Silverton
For a true off-road adventure, make your way across the Scenic Loop in Silverton. The Alpine Loop makes its way across the San Juan Mountains passing through the towns of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton. I recommend a 4WD, high-clearance vehicle with a short wheelbase for the entire journey, but you can still experience 2/3rds of the route in a 2-wheel-drive vehicle.
Local Tip: You’ll need a suitable off-road vehicle for Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, and Mineral Creek.
Time (one way): 5 hours
Mileage (one way): 65 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: ATVing, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and exploring small mountain towns.
San Juan Skyway
Another long, yet scenic drive in Colorado, the San Juan Skyway stretches from Durango to Telluride to Silverton. To see the best this road has to offer, consider spending a weekend along the route. This drive boasts epic mountain scenery with plenty of classic San Juan Mountain views. The byway eventually stops at Dolores and overlaps with parts of the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway
Time (one way): 6 hours
Mileage (one way): 236 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Visit Telluride, check out the Millon Dollar Highway (stretch between Silverton and Ouray), hike, camp, climb, and see Mesa Verde National Park.
Scenic Drives on the Western Slope
There’s a saying here in Colorado, “west slope, best slope.” It’s easy to see why this area of the state gets so much love, it’s utterly beautiful. There are plenty of scenic drives in the area, many of which don’t have the crowds you’ll find closer to Denver and the Front Range.
Trail of the Ancients
Located in the southwest part of the state near the Four Corners region, you’ll find one of the most historic scenic drives in the country. Check out the sites of Lowry Pueblo, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and Mesa Verde National Park
Time (one way): 3 hours
Mileage (one way): 114 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Four Corners, desert hiking, camping, and Native American heritage.
Unaweep Canyon Outside of Grand Junction
Just outside of Grand Junction lies one of the most unbelievable drives in Colorado. Make your way through the Unaweep Tabegauche Scenic Byway and be utterly amazed as you transition from red sandstone walls to deep valleys with dramatic granite cliffs rising on either side. Stop in Ridgeway to admire the scenery.
Time (one way): 3 hours
Mileage (one way): 130 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Rock climb at Unaweep, scenic fall driving, hiking.
Dinosaur Diamond Scenic and Historic Byway
Technically this byway covers territory in both Colorado and Utah. The entire loop is certainly a worthy road trip unto itself, but the segment in Colorado crosses through all sorts of areas of interest including Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur National Monument.
Time (one way): It can be done in a weekend, but a minimum of 4 nights is best – there’s lots to see!
Mileage (one way): 512 miles
Points of interest/Things to do: Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Arches, and Canyonlands National Park.
Quick Tips for Driving in Colorado
In order to enjoy Colorado’s most scenic drives, you’ll want a little local driving knowledge under your belt. Here are a few quick tips for driving in Colorado:
- Mountain traffic is real – plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of extra time to get from point A to point B, especially if you are traveling on I-70 or Highway 285.
- The left lane is for passing. It’s easy to get caught up in the beauty of it all, but respect the local traffic laws and pull over if you’re causing a hold-up.
- Colorado mountain roads can be very rough. Always make sure you have proper clearance if you’re going to travel on dirt.
Check out these Colo-radical resources for your next adventure.
- Tips for Visiting Colorado (coming soon)
- Your Guide to Road Tripping in Colorado (coming soon)
- 11 Amazing Colorado Hot Springs
- The Ultimate Colorado Bucket List
