Regional Guide

Get in the car and motor over to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. With some stunning views deep into the canyon, it's a can't-miss. The South Rim Drive is 7 miles from Tomichi Point to High Point, with 10 overlooks in between.

In White River National Forest, don't miss Independence Pass Road (Highway 82), which connects the Arkansas Valley with Aspen. It passes a real ghost town and crosses the highest pass in Colorado, 12,095-foot Independence Pass over the gorgeous Sawatch Range.

Fall, when the aspen trees are changing, is the best time to drive the Flat Tops Trail, a National Scenic Byway. You'll motor through a region of deep sandstone canyons carved by countless rivers and streams. This route extends from Meeker to Yampa, following Rio Blanco County Road 8, Route NFR 16, and Routt County Road 17.

Drive the pine forests and waterfall-filled valleys of Clear Creek Canyon in San Isabel National Forest. This 65-mile jaunt takes you through a ghost town and past several picnic areas.

How does the name Highway of the Fourteeners grab you? It delivers on its promise, passing ten 14,000-foot peaks on either side of Buena Vista. There is no other stretch of highway in the U.S. where you will see this many of the highest peaks together.