Great Scenic Drives Near Denver to Fuel Your Love of The Open Road

Sitting at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Denver isn’t like most cities when it comes to scenic drives. Pretty much everything around the Mile High City is scenic. There are so many spectacular options in Colorado that your only limitations are how much time you have and what your definition of a “drive” is. You can roll along a sinuous carpet of highway as it winds its way through a narrow canyon. Or, go four-wheeling deep into some forested wilderness. A large percentage of Colorado’s roads are unpaved, after all. The choices are virtually endless. To help you decide, we’ve made a list of some of the greatest scenic drives near Denver.

Trail Ridge Road

This journey through and over Rocky Mountain National Park just might be the mother of all scenic drives. A day pass to the park is $25 per vehicle, and the road will probably be crowded. But the spectacular, above-tree-line views are well worth it. Towering peaks, pristine mountain lakes, wildflowers, and the chance to see wildlife like elk, bighorn sheep and moose make this 48-mile drive from Estes Park to Grand Lake a Colorado must-do.

Mount Evans Scenic Byway and/or Pikes Peak Highway

Just west of Denver near the town of Idaho Springs, the 28-mile Mount Evans Scenic Byway ($15 per vehicle) is the highest paved road in North America. It tops out at 14,130 feet near the summit of Mount Evans. The second-highest paved road, the 19-mile Pikes Peak Highway ($35 per vehicle), is just west of Colorado Springs and surmounts 14,115-foot Pikes Peak. Both offer astonishing alpine scenery and the chance to say your car climbed one of the USA’s tallest mountains.

Peak to Peak Scenic Byway

Established in 1918, this 55-mile jaunt from Blackhawk to Estes Park is the oldest of Colorado’s 26 official scenic byways. The route travels through the foothills of the lofty Front Range. It parallels the Continental Divide and affording plenty of opportunities to peel off and explore historic mining towns, mountain lakes and even Eldora Ski Area. The last 15 miles skirt the eastern side of Rocky Mountain National Park in the shadow of 14,255-foot Longs Peak, one of Colorado’s most iconic summits.

Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic Byway

With all the mountains near Denver, it can be easy to forget that almost half of Colorado is flat prairie. This 128-mile route from Ault to Fort Morgan and Sterling through the Pawnee National Grassland showcases pioneer history. It also provides views of the Pawnee Buttes, two distinctive geologic features that rise 300 feet above the surrounding plains near the town of Grover.

Lariat Loop Scenic Byway

The closest scenic byway to Denver, this 40-mile loop encompasses the foothills towns of Golden, Bergen Park, Evergreen, Kittredge, and Morrison. Highlights of the drive include subalpine forest that bursts into color each fall. You also won’t want to miss the Buffalo Bill museum and grave atop Lookout Mountain. And be sure to check out Dinosaur Ridge, a national natural landmark featuring stegosaurus bones and iguanodon tracks. Finish up with a stop at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, one of the USA’s most famous music venues.

Top of the Rockies and Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byways

Head west on I-70 to Copper Mountain and make the spectacular 82-mile drive south to Salida. You’ll take in two of Colorado’s most beautiful scenic byways along the way. Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway runs through the historic mining town of Leadville (the country’s third-highest municipality at 10,151 feet). It then winds past Mount Elbert and Mount Massive, the two highest summits in Colorado. Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway, from Twin Lakes to Salida, serves up breathtaking views of mounts Oxford, Harvard, Columbia, Yale, Princeton, Antero and Shavano, all of which top out at higher than 14,000 feet.