7 top road trips in Colorado

Encompassing the rolling Eastern Plains and the majestic Rocky Mountains within its rectangular borders, Colorado is famous for its gorgeous landscapes. Crossing this rugged state will take you past soaring mountains, sun-drenched plains, red rock mesas and high-altitude deserts – all of which look especially fetching through a car or RV windshield.

Anyone who loves hitting the open road is in for a treat in this state. In between extraordinary vistas, tempting stops invite you to pull over: towns, scenic lakes, historic sites and outdoor recreation opportunities of every kind, including some fabulous hikes. And endless miles of well-maintained Scenic and Historic Byways provide easy access to the state’s diverse attractions.

Do some planning to make sure you catch Colorado at the best time of year – then grab your keys and set off. These are the best road trips in Colorado.

1. Over Independence Pass

Best road trip for those with limited time

Start/finish:Twin Lakes/Aspen
Approximate distance: 27 miles

The ribbon of road between the historic township of Twin Lakes and the swank mountain town of Aspen forms the backbone of one of Colorado’s most epic drives. Along this part of the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway, the vistas are cinematic in scale. Swatches of snow are often visible along the ridges, just below the knife edge of peaks; alpine tundra vegetation flourishes at the top of the pass. Peaking at 12,095ft, you’ll be on the edge of the Continental Divide, facing views that are real-life IMAX moments.

While the pass is closed in the winter (October to May), for the rest of the year, the drive is short and sweet – and we recommend taking your time. Don’t skip Twin Lakes Reservoir, an angler’s and paddleboarder’s dream. The lakeshore is dotted with historic ruins, including the remains of Interlaken, built in 1879 and once Colorado’s largest resort.

And don’t miss dropping into Independence (near Aspen), a ghost town dotted with weathered wood cabins. This was the first mining site in the Roaring Fork Valley, and it offers an evocative glimpse of the past.

Detour: For added endorphins, go for a hike on 14,440ft Mt Elbert. It’s one of the “easier” fourteeners in the state – just be sure to start out early to make it to the summit and back in one day.

2. Top of the Rockies

Best road trip for big mountain views

Start/finish:Minturn/Aspen
Approximate distance: 115 miles

If you liked the drive over Independence Pass, extend the journey to take in the rest of this Scenic Byway. One of the highest roads in the US, the route seldom drops below 9000ft as it follows the mountaintops. You’ll go through three spectacular mountain passes, cross the Continental Divide, take in two Colorado giants – Mt Elbert and 14,428ft Mt Massive – and roll through historic towns in central Colorado.

If outdoor recreation is your thing, the route passes through three National Forests, offering opportunities to hike, climb, fish and ski. Along the way, tiny Minturn is big on small-town charm, while historic Leadville offers the chance to learn all about Colorado’s rags-to-riches mining beginnings at the National Mining Hall of Fame.

Twin Lakes offers the chance to wander through a historic mining camp that once produced gold, silver and other metals. At the end of the tour is Aspen, one of the state’s poshest and most cultured mountain towns – and a must-visit, even if you don't consider yourself part of the tony set.

Planning tip: In the summer, from June to September, pick up provisions to munch on the drive at Minturn’s bustling farmers market. The kids can pet goats while you shop.

3. Trail Ridge Road across the Continental Divide

Best road trip for alpine tundra scenery

Start/finish:Estes Park/Grand Lak4
Approximate distance: 27 miles

Rocky Mountain National Park’s signature drive, Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuously paved through road in North America, climbing to 12,183ft. It follows the same path that generations of Ute, Arapaho and Apache people used as a trade route to traverse Milner Pass and cross the Continental Divide.

Expect outrageous views of snow-capped peaks, meandering streams, tight switchbacks, high-country meadows, wildflowers galore and (with luck) some Rocky Mountain wildlife. Be sure to stop at some of the countless turnoffs to explore tundra trails or, at the very least, take selfies from the top of the world. Note that from October to May the road is closed due to snow.

Planning tip: For a short but steep leg stretch, walk the mile-long Alpine Ridge Trail – and enjoy giddying views of the Never Summer Mountains.

4. Peak to Peak Highway

Best road trip for fall foliage and quirky towns

Start/finish:Estes Park/Nederland
Approximate distance: 42 miles

Colorado’s first Scenic Byway, Peak to Peak Highway is a year-round hit, winding past towering mountains such as 14,255ft Longs Peak and lush alpine valleys, plus a handful of appealing one-horse towns. The road is especially stunning in the fall, when the mountains become a quilt of gold, yellow and orange. This season also brings bugling elks searching for mates...and carloads of leaf-peepers.

Set aside a couple of hours for the drive. Before leaving Estes Park, follow the riverwalk or take a spooky ghost tour of the historic Stanley Hotel, the reputed inspiration for Stephen King's The Shining. Along the route, consider stopping in Ward, a former boom town and bohemian magnet that has settled into an artfully ramshackle state of disrepair, or Peaceful Valley, notable for its little onion-domed church perched on a hillside. At the end, stroll through Nederland, a hippie holdout known for its quirky shops and colorful cafes.

Planning tip: Loads of hikes are possible in the national forests and wilderness areas along the route, including trails around Arapaho Peak, Roosevelt Peak and Indian Peak.

5. Santa Fe Trail

Best road trip for history

Start/finish:Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site/Trinidad
Approximate distance: 116 miles

History buffs will love this day-long drive along the Santa Fe Trail, the Old West’s first wagon “highway,” which once extended all the way from Missouri to New Mexico. Views of sun-drenched prairies and wheat fields, sugar-beet farms and railroad yards unfurl on this wide-open two-lane road, providing a rich mix of history and uplifting backcountry scenery.

The route’s signature attraction is the Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, set beside the Arkansas River. Perched on the erstwhile US–Mexico border, the fort marked a cultural crossroads where Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Mexican and American traders met, mingled and coexisted.

While initially built for trade, the fort was later seized by the US Army – the start of a military presence that remains strong in Colorado to this day. Trade declined as thousands of settlers poured into the frontier following the Louisiana Purchase and a notorious cholera epidemic that greatly affected the region’s Indigenous communities.

In nearby Comanche National Grassland, homestead ruins and original wheel ruts from wagons on the Santa Fe Trail are still visible. Take time to check out Trinidad, too: tucked into a chimney-top mesa, the town was once an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail.

Detour: Another highlight of the Comanche National Grassland is Picketwire Dinosaur Tracksite, with the largest group of documented dinosaur tracks (more than 1500) in North America. You’ll need to book a 4WD tour or hike to reach the site.

6. The Highway of Legends

Best road trip for traces of Colorado’s mining past

Start/finish:Trinidad/Walsenburg
Approximate distance: 82 miles

Steeped in mining folklore and Native American tales, the sleepy towns and majestic mountain passes of the Highway of Legends provide a beautiful detour from the I-25 throughway that links Denver to cities to the north and south. You’ll pass through some of southeastern Colorado’s most glorious countryside; budget 2 hours to drive the route, more if you stop to take in the sights.

Historic Trinidad is one of the shining stars of the route. Its Main St was an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail, and the spot where Mother Jones later led marches with striking miners. The Trinidad History Museum offers an excellent primer on it all.

Standing like forgotten sentinels along the road in Cokedale are rows and rows of coal ovens, which once produced coke for the steel industry. Plan on a stop in Cuchara for views of the Spanish Peaks and the Great Dikes granite formation; and in La Veta, where there are more churches than paved roads.

This being Colorado, there are plenty of recreational activities to enjoy as well. The Cucharas River offers terrific fishing, while the hiking in the Spanish Peaks Wilderness is some of the best in the state.

7. Trail of the Ancients

Best road trip for Indigenous culture

Start/finish:Mesa Verde National Park/Ute Mountain Tribal Park
Approximate distance: 116 miles

The Trail of the Ancients is the only National Scenic Byway dedicated to archaeology. This beautiful and eye-opening route winds through the canyons, mountains and plains once inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans and later nomadic Navajo, Apache and Ute people. Though the route covers just 116 miles, it passes fascinating sites worth lingering over, making this a good multi-day trip.

The crown jewel of the drive, Mesa Verde National Park is home to over 5000 archaeological sites, including 600 Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. (A guided ranger tour is highly recommended.) Just north, the Anasazi Heritage Center has interesting films, hands-on exhibits and artifacts dating to 400 CE.

Elsewhere, the Canyon of the Ancients and Hovenweep National Monument are Ancestral Puebloan treasures that have been largely left alone and are perfect for DIY exploration. And Ute Mountain Tribal Park houses a number of lesser-known cliff dwellings.

Planning tip: If you visit Ute Mountain Tribal Park, petroglyphs and shards of Native American pottery can seen scattered over the site, but an official guide must accompany all visitors.