Scenic Drives in Colorado
Beautiful Scenic Fall Drives in Colorado
It’s September, and even though the past few days have felt like mid-summer, Fall is almost here and that means…aspen!
The beautiful colors that aspen grace us with every year are here, and they only show for the first couple weeks of September so don’t miss it! I lived in Colorado for 6 years before witnessing the glory of this event. A couple years ago my daughter and I took Boreas Pass (off Hwy 285 at Como) and enjoyed the blazing colors under a crystal blue sky. We took our time, stopping along the way to take photos; when we got to Breck we enjoyed a fun lunch at Breckenridge Brewery. It was a very enjoyable day trip from SE Aurora; I hope to do it again this week before the leaves fall.
Here are a few other drives that are day trips from the Denver Metro area:
Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway: This highway will take you from valleys to ridges from Black Hawk to Estes Park. Take CO 119 from Black Hawk north to Nederland, then follow CO 72 to Raymond. From here, take CO 7 past Longs Peak to Estes Park. Quaking aspen will show themselves along the entire drive.
Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway: Just south of the historic town of Georgetown, this route takes you through pockets of quaking aspen. Once you reach the town of Grant, you turn right on US 285 and take it to the top of Kenosha Pass, where the aspen are plentiful.
Maroon Bells: This will be a bit longer trip but I’ve heard it’s worth it. The peaks of Maroon Bells (southwest of Aspen) are an idyllic spot to view and photograph the awe-inspiring colors of fall. On weekends in September, you can only access the Bells via shuttle buses that leave Aspen on a regular basis. If you can get a campsite along Maroon Creek Road, you can drive all the way to Maroon Lake… breathtaking views!
We hope you’re able to get on the road soon and witness this beautiful Colorado event!
