Sunday 2 August 2020

Discover lesser-known gems on a Colorado road trip

Road tripping near Colorado Springs, credit Dan & Zora Avila
Colorado is home to more Scenic Byways than any other state in the USA, and to encourage thoughtful travel in the wake of COVID-19, Colorado Tourism Office has created a Scenic Byways site to help plan road trippers on their next visit, by connecting secret small towns with majestic peaks and cultural gems. Fuel your road trip desires with these routes and check out Colorado.com/colorados-scenic-historic-byways for more inspiration.

Southern Colorado’s Highway of Legends Historic and Scenic Byway: Travel beneath the iconic Spanish Peaks on the Highway of Legends Scenic Byway. The lore of this area is vivid, swirling in spiritual myths of Native Americans and the history of their clashes with Spanish explorers. Along the route, stop at the laid-back town of La Veta, meander through ranchland and forest to the National Historic District of Cokedale and explore the Victorian architecture of Trinidad.

Silver Thread Scenic Byway: This Byway travels through breathtaking, only-in-Colorado views and stretches of land so remote travellers will feel as though they’re trekking through uncharted territory while discovering hidden treasures in two historic districts, Creede and Lake City.

Trail of the Ancients Byway: Colorado's Trail of The Ancients takes visitors to two remote national monuments and Mesa Verde National Park. This National Scenic Byway near Cortez and Dolores takes road trippers through the heart of the landscape and unique history of the American Southwest.

The Alpine Loop: This Byway travels through a surreal landscape of treeless tundra, wildflower meadows and the dramatic San Juan Mountains — passing over mining roads established in the late 1800s near Silverton, Ouray and Lake City.

Gold Belt Scenic Byway: Colorado’s Gold Belt Tour showcases some of the most productive gold mining areas in the world. Along the belt lies Cripple Creek and Victor, where travellers can participate in tours of old mines, as well as view active operations. Preserved in the wild landscape within the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument are fossils from an ancient ecosystem dating back 34 million years ago.

While on the road, embrace the all-American tradition and social-distancing-friendly Drive-in movie theatre. Colorado has eight drive-in cinemas for those who want to watch a film under the stars, or with a mountain backdrop. The Holiday Twin Drive-In has opened to the public again with social distancing rules in place. It is the last of its kind in the northern Colorado town of Fort Collins, situated near Horsetooth Reservoir for stunning pre-movie views and sunsets. See here for upcoming screenings.

Find out more and get a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide at www.colorado.com

Colorado Tourism Office

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