List of federal scenic byways in Colorado

See also: List of Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways

This is a list of the 21 federally designated scenic byways in the US state of Colorado. Three federal agencies designate four types of scenic byways. The 21 scenic byways in Colorado include:

• 2 All-American Roads designated by the Federal Highway Administration;^[1]
• 11 National Scenic Byways designated by the Federal Highway Administration;^[1]
• 10 National Forest Scenic Byways designated by the United States Forest Service;^[2]
• 3 Back Country Byways designated by the Bureau of Land Management^[3]

Federal scenic byways in Colorado
Federal scenic byway route signs
Highway names
Interstates	Interstate nn (I-nn)
US Highways	U.S. Highway nn (US nn)
State	State Highway nn (SH nn)
County	County Road nn (CR nn)
Forest	Forest Road nnn (FR nnn)
System links
Scenic Byways National National Forest BLM NPS

Five of these scenic byways have double federal designations. The 13 combined All-American Roads and National Scenic Byways in Colorado are currently the most of any state. All 21 federal scenic byways are among the 26 Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways.

List of All-American Roads in Colorado

 

Main article: All-American Road

There are currently two All-American Roads in Colorado with 284 miles (457 km) of roadway.

1. San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway^[4][5][6] 236 miles (380 km)
2. Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Scenic Byway^[a][7][8][9] 48 miles (77 km)

List of National Scenic Byways in Colorado

 

Main article: National Scenic Byway

There are currently 11 National Scenic Byways in Colorado with 1,169 miles (1,881 km) of roadway. Two adjacent National Scenic Byways in New Mexico have 1,043 miles (1,679 km) of roadway. Two adjacent National Scenic Byways in Utah have 694 miles (1,117 km) of roadway. Two adjacent National Scenic Byways in Arizona have 126 miles (203 km) of roadway.

1. Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway^[10][11][12] 80 miles (130 km)
2. Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway^[13][14][15] 134 miles (216 km) plus 328 miles (528 km) in Utah^[16]
3. Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway^[17][18][19] 103 miles (166 km)
4. Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway^[20][21][22] 131 miles (211 km)
5. Grand Mesa Scenic Byway^[23][24][25] 63 miles (101 km)
6. Highway of Legends Scenic Byway^[26][27][28] 82 miles (132 km)
7. Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway^[29][30][31] 40 miles (64 km)
8. Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway^[32][33][34] 188 miles (303 km) plus 381 miles (613 km) in New Mexico^[35]
9. Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway^[36][37][38] 117 miles (188 km)
10. Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway^[39][40][41] 115 miles (185 km)
11. Trail of the Ancients Scenic and Historic Byway^[42][43][44] 116 miles (187 km) plus 366 miles (589 km) in Utah,^[45] 126.3 miles (203 km) in Arizona,^[46][47] and 662.4 miles (1,066 km) in New Mexico^[48]

List of National Forest Scenic Byways in Colorado

 

Main article: National Forest Scenic Byway

There are currently ten National Forest Scenic Byways in Colorado with 1,012 miles (1,629 km) of roadway.

1. Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway^[49][50][51] 101 miles (163 km)
2. Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway^[52][53][54] 82 miles (132 km)
3. Grand Mesa Scenic Byway^[23][24][25] 63 miles (101 km)
4. Guanella Pass Scenic Byway^[55][56][57] 22 miles (35 km)
5. Highway of Legends Scenic Byway^[26][27][28] 82 miles (132 km)
6. Mount Evans Scenic Byway^{[b][58][59][60]} 49 miles (79 km)
7. Peak to Peak Scenic Byway^[61][62][63] 55 miles (89 km)
8. San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway^[4][5][6] 236 miles (380 km)
9. Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway^[36][37][38] 117 miles (188 km)
10. West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway^[64][65][66] 205 miles (330 km)

List of Back Country Byways in Colorado

 

Main article: Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byway

There are currently three Back Country Byways in Colorado with 323 miles (520 km) of roadway.

1. Alpine Loop Back Country Byway^[67][68][69] 63 miles (101 km)
2. Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway^[36][37][38] 131 miles (211 km)
3. Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway^[70][71][72] 129 miles (208 km)

List of state scenic byways with multiple federal designations

 

 

 

Five Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways currently have two federal designations.

The following Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway is both an All-American Road and a National Forest Scenic Byway:

• San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway^[4][5][6] 236 miles (380 km)

The following three Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways are both National Scenic Byways and National Forest Scenic Byways:

• Grand Mesa Scenic Byway^[23][24][25] 63 miles (101 km)
• Highway of Legends Scenic Byway^[26][27][28] 82 miles (132 km)
• Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway^[36][37][38] 117 miles (188 km)

The following Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway is both a National Scenic Byway and a Back Country Byway:

• Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway^[36][37][38] 131 miles (211 km)

Gallery

•  

  Colorado blue columbine along the Alpine Loop Back Country Byway

•  

  Poudre Canyon on the Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway

•  

  Gore Canyon on the Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway

•  

  Colorado National Monument along the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  The Flat Tops Wilderness from the Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway

•  

  Hardscrabble Pass on the Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway

•  

  Bicycling on the Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Autumn along the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

•  

  The Sawtooth and Mount Bierstadt from the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway

•  

  West Spanish Peak from the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway

•  

  Dinosaur footprints along the Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve along Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Echo Lake along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway

•  

  The Indian Peaks Wilderness from the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway

•  

  Uncompahgre Gorge along the San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site on the Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Creede on the Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Mount Elbert and Twin Lakes along the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway

•  

  Canyons of the Ancients National Monument on the Trail of the Ancients Scenic and Historic Byway

•  

  Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep along the Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow Scenic Byway

•  

  Autumn along the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway

See also

•  U.S. Roads portal
•  Colorado portal

• Scenic byways in the United States
• Bibliography of Colorado
• Geography of Colorado
• History of Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• List of Colorado-related lists
• Outline of Colorado

Notes

1. The Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway on U.S. Route 34 is the highest continuous paved highway in North America with its high point at 12,183 feet (3,713 m) elevation near Fall River Pass.
2. The Mount Evans Scenic Byway on Colorado State Highway 5 is the highest paved road in North America with its upper terminus at 14,140 feet (4,310 m) elevation near the summit of Mount Evans at 14,267 feet (4,349 m) elevation.

References

1. Federal Highway Administration. "America's Byways: Colorado". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
2. America's Scenic Byways. "America's Scenic Byways: Colorado". Retrieved June 10, 2023.
3. Bureau of Land Management. "Back Country Byways" (PDF). Retrieved June 10, 2023.
4. "San Juan Skyway". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
5. "San Juan Skyway". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
6. "San Juan Skyway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
7. "Trail Ridge Road". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
8. "Trail Ridge Road: Rocky Mountain National Park". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
9. "Trail Ridge Road / Beaver Meadow Road". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
10. "Colorado River Headwaters". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
11. "Colorado River Headwaters". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
12. "Colorado River Headwaters Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
13. "Dinosaur Diamond". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
14. "Dinosaur Diamond". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
15. "Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway – Colorado". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
16. "Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway – Utah". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
17. "Frontier Pathways". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
18. "Frontier Pathways". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
19. "Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
20. "Gold Belt Tour". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
21. "Gold Belt Tour". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
22. "Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
23. "Grand Mesa". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
24. "Grand Mesa". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
25. "Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
26. "Highway of Legends". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
27. "Highway of Legends". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
28. "Highway of Legends". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
29. "Lariat Loop". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
30. "Lariat Loop". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
31. "Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
32. "Santa Fe Trail". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
33. "Santa Fe Trail". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
34. "Santa Fe Trail Scenic and Historic Byway – Colorado". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
35. "Santa Fe Trail – New Mexico". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
36. "Silver Thread". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
37. "Silver Thread". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
38. "Silver Thread Scenic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
39. "Top of the Rockies". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
40. "Top of the Rockies". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
41. "Top of the Rockies". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
42. "Trail of The Ancients". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
43. "Trail of the Ancients". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
44. "Trail of the Ancients – Colorado". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
45. "Trail of the Ancients – Utah". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
46. "Kayenta-Monument Valley Scenic Road". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
47. "Dine' Tah "Among the People" Scenic Road". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
48. "Trail of the Ancients – NM". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
49. "Cache la Poudre-North Park". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
50. "Cache la Poudre – North Park". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
51. "Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
52. "Flat Tops Trail". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
53. "Flat Tops Trail". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
54. "Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
55. "Guanella Pass". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
56. "Guanella Pass". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
57. "Guanella Pass Road". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
58. "Mount Evans". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
59. "Mount Evans". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
60. "Mount Evans Scenic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
61. "Peak to Peak". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
62. "Peak to Peak". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
63. "Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
64. "West Elk Loop". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
65. "West Elk Loop". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
66. "West Elk Loop". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
67. "Alpine Loop". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
68. "Alpine Loop". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
69. "Alpine Loop". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
70. "Los Caminos Antiguos". Colorado Tourism Office. 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
71. "Los Caminos Antiguos". Colorado Department of Transportation. 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
72. "Los Caminos Antiguos". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved June 10, 2023.

External links

• America's Byways: Colorado
• America's Scenic Byways: Colorado
• Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byways
• National Forest Scenic Byways
• Colorado Tourism Office
• The Highways of Colorado by Matthew Salek

38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado)