Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2008 - (Page 23) 1. Alpine Loop (Southwest) ©Jean Landess of Middle Park Times/NSBO The History: Traveling mostly through backcountry, this four-wheel-drive route passes numerous ghost towns, including Animas Forks, where 25 feet of snow fell in 23 days in 1884. Visitors will also experience the Victorian charm of Lake City, Ouray and Silverton. Four-wheel drive required? Yes Portions closed in winter? Yes Distance: 63 miles • Allow 7 hours ©2001 Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway/NSBO The Experience: With a narrow window in which it is snow-free (June to September), the Alpine Loop travels through a landscape of treeless tundra among peaks splashed with red and yellow ore. ©Sally Pearce/CDOT 4. Colorado River Headwaters* (Northwest) The Experience: The unique thrill of this byway is tracing one of North America’s mightiest rivers to its source. Along the way you’ll pass through Gore Canyon, verdant ranchland and, ultimately, Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in the state. The History: Be sure to pull over and explore Cozens Ranch, one of the oldest homesteads in the Fraser Valley. Also, near the source of the Colorado River, travelers should drop by the historically rich Grand Lake Lodge. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 80 miles • Allow 3 hours 7. Frontier Pathways* (Southeast/South Central) The Experience: Out of the way and often overlooked, this route ventures through the pristine, forested Wet Mountains before descending into the pastoral Wet Mountain Valley, where the massive Sangre de Cristos line the horizon like a row of teeth. The History: Before setting off, visit the El Pueblo Museum for a look at the fur-trapping days of territorial Colorado. Check out the Westcliff Schoolhouse from 1891, or pay a visit to the ghost town of Rosita. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 103 miles • Allow 4 hours 2. Cache la PoudreNorth Park ©Sally Pearce/CDOT 5. Dinosaur Diamond* (Northwest) ©January 2002 Dinosaur Diamond/NSBO 8. Gold Belt Tour* (South Central) The Experience: Engage four-wheel drive and savor the rugged and surreal qualities of Phantom Canyon along a former railroad bed, enjoy the frequent glimpses of Pikes Peak or stay in two-wheel drive for the segment between Cripple Creek and Victor. The History: Tour the area where the nation’s greatest gold boom took place. More than 500 mines in the Cripple Creek and Victor Mining District produced more than 21 million ounces in gold, which exceeded the production of the California and Alaska gold rushes combined. Four-wheel drive required? Yes, for portions of Shelf Road Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 113 miles • Allow 5 hours ©Bureau of Land Management/NSBO (Front Range/Northwest) The Experience: Look for bighorn sheep on the rocky faces along the idyllic, crystal-clear Cache la Poudre River. Follow this Wild and Scenic River to Cameron Pass for views into the broad basin of North Park and perhaps a moose sighting. The History: This route begins in the city of Fort Collins, where the Avery House and Fort Collins Museum provide insight into the city’s agrarian past and present. The byway ends in Walden, where you can visit the North Park Pioneer Museum. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 101 miles • Allow 3 hours The Experience: Dinosaur National Monument offers some of the most remote and starkly beautiful landscapes in the nation. Outside Fruita, take a detour up the mesa to Colorado National Monument for maroon and ocher sandstone canyons. The History: In addition to the outstanding local museums in Grand Junction and Rangely, this multistate tour offers the awesome opportunity for travelers to see Fremont Indian pictographs in Canyon Pintado and Dinosaur National Monument. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 486 miles • Allow 2 to 3 days ©Sally Pearce/CDOT 3. Collegiate Peaks (South Central) The Experience: You could call this byway the Avenue of Fourteeners, for along its entire length, the Collegiate Peaks continuously rise over 14,000 feet, including Mt. Princeton, Mt. Yale and Mt. Harvard. Take a detour up Cottonwood Pass Road in fall for an explosion of fall color. The History: Salida is often known as a recreational haven, but it also happens to be one of the largest historic districts in the state. A stop at Buena Vista’s Turner Farm reveals the valley’s agrarian roots. Additionally, you can detour to the former mining camps of St. Elmo, Vicksburg and Winfield. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? No Distance: 57 miles • Allow 2 hours ©Sally Pearce/CDOT 6. Flat Tops Trail (Northwest) The Experience: Bucolic fields and hills of aspen typify much of this route, making it perfect for a fall color drive. Make a stop by the Flat Tops Wilderness and Trappers Lake, which many consider the birthplace of the wilderness preservation movement. The History: Linger in Meeker, where rancher heritage is alive and well. Visit the Meeker Hotel where Teddy Roosevelt once stayed, and check out the White River Museum, where you can learn about the Meeker Massacre of 1879, a bloody conflict between Utes and members of the U.S. White River Agency. You can also tour original U.S. Army garrison buildings. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? Yes (Ripple Creek and Dunckley passes) Distance: 82 miles • Allow 3 hours ©Kelli Hepler/NSBO 9. Grand Mesa* (Northwest/Southwest) The Experience: On what is believed to be the world’s largest flat-topped mountain, you’ll find old-growth forests, aspens, meadows and so many lakes you’ll lose track. Stop at the Lands End Overlook, which clings 6,000 feet above the valley and offers views as far as the Sneffels Range near Ridgway. The History: Check out the Cedaredge Welcome Center at Pioneer Town, and pick up a historical brochure on the byway. Then head up Grand Mesa to Raber Cabins and take a walk along the interpretive trail to learn about typical cow camps of Colorado. Four-wheel drive required? No Portions closed in winter? Yes (Lands End Road) Distance: 63 miles • Allow 2 hours 1-800-Colorado | www.colorado.com 23 http://www.colorado.com
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