Audio By Carbonatix
Two Colorado towns have landed on a new list of the most scenic American small towns. But the state tourism agency has upped that ante considerably with an updated compendium of 99 gorgeous places in these parts that must be seen to be believed.
That makes 101 Colorado spots to put on your itinerary – whether you’re a tourist or a resident.
The travel website Trips to Discover‘s “20 Most Beautiful Small Towns to Visit in the U.S.” includes a pair of Colorado destinations: Breckenridge and Ouray. Other than Colorado, only New York (Cooperstown and Chautauqua) and California (Carmel-By-The-Sea and Nevada City) are represented by two entries. The other communities that made the grade are Camden, Maine; Holland, Michigan; Rockport, Massachusetts; Beaufort, South Carolina; Port Townsend, Washington; Buckhannon, West Virginia; Fairhope, Alabama; Sitka, Alaska; Key West, Florida; Cannon Beach, Oregon; Marfa, Texas; Asheville, North Carolina; and Taos, New Mexico.
Here’s what the site has to say about Breckenridge: “You might be familiar with Breckenridge, Colorado for its massive ski and snowboard resort that draws hoards of winter sport enthusiasts each year. But even after you leave the resort, the town of Breckenridge still has lots of things to do. Breckenridge is famous for being home to the Breckenridge Brewery and lots of adorable winter-wear shops and restaurants. With a prime location in the majestic Rocky Mountains, this town is absolutely beautiful to visit during all four seasons.”
This is its take on Ouray: “Located in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, Ouray is known as the recreation capital of the state and a beautiful place to visit. It is a high alpine community that is at 7,800 feet in elevation. You’ll find steep mountainsides and jagged peaks here for dramatic views. There are trails to hike, hot springs to soak in, and a unique Main Street with shops to check out in Ouray. Camping and ice climbing are other memorable things to do on your trip. For lodging, you can find historic hotels, cozy cabins, charming bed and breakfasts, and standard motels.”
Colorado.com, the state’s official tourism website, has gone much further. The most recent version of its “99 Gorgeous Places in Colorado” rundown, refreshed just last month, is broken into three parts – “Postcard Places,” “Local Favorites” and “Hidden Gems” – and while plenty will be familiar (and beloved), others are far enough from the beaten path that even Colorado natives may have missed them.
Count down all 99 below, complete with Colorado.com text:
Sky-high over Breckenridge.
Postcard Places
1. Maroon Lake
The Scene: An alpine lake perfectly positioned to reflect the image of the Maroon Bells, two purple-and-white-striped peaks. The idyllic display lures photographers with tripods trying to find new angles, fly fishermen arcing their lines upon its placid waters and hikers humbled by the panorama. Nearby Towns: Aspen, Snowmass
2. Dallas Divide
The Scene: No other place in Colorado encompasses such a variety of settings in one view: ranch country, rolling foothills giving way to aspen, spruce and fir trees, and peaks so jagged it seems they were carved yesterday. Visitors in autumn find a rainbow of blue skies, plum-colored mountains, orange and gold leaves, and outstretched green meadows. Nearby Towns: Ridgway, Telluride
3. Trappers Peak
The Scene: Within the Flat Tops Wilderness, just beyond serene Trapper’s Lake and a swath of 60-foot spruce trees, sits this striking plateau. Because of its level summit, hikers can walk along this most iconic Flat Top, glimpsing dozens of tiny lakes below. Nearby Towns: Meeker, Yampa
4. Medano Creek, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
The Scene: Every spring, a wide, shallow and gently flowing creek emerges from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains behind Great Sand Dunes National Park to form a oasis for those waiting to build sandcastles and cool off in its divinely chilly waters. Just as quickly, come late August, the creek disappears for another year. Nearby Towns: Alamosa, Mosca
5. Pikes Peak
The Scene: Christened America’s Mountain for its part in inspiring the words to “America the Beautiful,” this peak’s 14,110-foot-high summit is busier than most of the state’s tallest peaks. It bustles with lovers of spacious skies and purple-mountain majesties who arrive via winding road or hearty hike. Nearby Towns: Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs
6. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
The Scene: Massive, slanting red-rock outcroppings rise from the earth to create an acoustically ideal natural amphitheater. Hikers explore every curious crevice and concertgoers savor the crystal-clear sounds that emanate from its famous sandstone-surrounded stage. Nearby Towns: Morrison, Lakewood, Golden, Denver
7. City Park, Denver
The Scene: Looking west from the park’s lake offers a snapshot of what makes Denver such a special place. The surrounding stretch of green gives way to downtown’s skyscrapers. And beyond those, the Front Range mountains – skyscrapers of a different sort – cut through the sky, reminding residents of the playground that awaits when they leave the office. Nearby Town: Denver
8. Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Scene: At sunrise, the lake’s waters mirror the light show displayed on the snow-capped mountains behind it. The sun takes full advantage of the Continental Divide’s unobstructed exposure, turning the peaks inside Rocky Mountain National Park a brilliant shade of pink. Nearby Town: Estes Park
9. Painted Wall, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The Scene: Pinkish-white veins of rock infiltrate the otherwise dark cliff face of the tallest vertical wall in Colorado. Ascending 2,300 feet from the Gunnison River, the cliff face is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s signature vista. Nearby Towns: Gunnison, Montrose, Crawford, Hotchkiss
10. Pawnee Buttes
The Scene: Vibrant green shortgrass sways in the wind as far as the eye can see. The only interruption in the endless flat horizon is two 300-foot-high mesas, the Pawnee Buttes, visible from miles around. These “two sentinels of the plains,” as dubbed by author James Michener, are the only companions of the remote area’s pronghorns, coyotes, kit foxes, hawks and falcons. Nearby Towns: Sterling, Grover
11. Royal Gorge Bridge
The Scene: From the cars of the Royal Gorge Route Railroad – which traverses a 120-year-old route along the rushing whitewater of the Arkansas River – passengers gaze 1,200 feet up a sheer-walled canyon at North America’s highest suspension bridge, which spans the breathtaking gorge. Nearby Town: Cañon City
12. Steamboat Rock, Dinosaur National Monument
The Scene: Amid Dinosaur National Monument’s red- and purple-streaked sandstone mesas and canyons, a 1,000-foot-high, mile-long monolith emerges at the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. Through the summer, rafters swing around this curve on a rollercoaster ride built by Mother Nature. Nearby Towns: Dinosaur
13. Hanging Lake
The Scene: Appearing to cling to the edge of a mountainside, the almost supernaturally green Hanging Lake is surrounded by moss-covered rocks and a meandering trail. Wisps of water cascade quietly off a cliff into the lake’s still depths, adding to an already surreal atmosphere. Nearby Town: Glenwood Springs
14. Fish Creek Falls
The Scene: The falls are spectacular any time of year, but they are most breathtaking in the spring. When temperatures rise and the snowmelt reaches its peak and winds its way downhill, water whooshes over Fish Creek’s cliff, emitting a thunderous sound and a gentle spray that serves as a cool reward to those who’ve trekked in to see the water works. Nearby Town: Steamboat Springs
15. Grand Lake
The Scene: Each summer, the state’s largest natural lake serves as the embodiment of a bucolic, lazy day. Shore dwellers can while away an entire afternoon watching red, yellow and white sails catch the mountain wind and skitter across the sapphire-hued water, which has Rocky Mountain National Park as its backdrop. Nearby Towns: Grand Lake, Granby
16. Garden of the Gods
The Scene: Those who walk the trails that run around and between Garden of the Gods’ otherworldly red-rock figures search for geologic formations in the shapes of kissing camels, cathedral spires, praying hands and sleeping giants – and a few that seem to teeter in gravity’s grip. Nearby Towns: Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs
17. Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park
The Scene: Staircases, sunken niches, multistory towers and more than 150 rooms carved out of rock thousands of years ago by the area’s Ancestral Puebloans sit abandoned by their creators beneath a protective cliff inside the Mesa Verde National Park. Nearby Towns: Cortez, Dolores, Mancos
18. Mount Evans
The Scene: Atop the highest paved road in North America, crystalline lakes, granite walls and stands of ancient bristlecone pine paint a beautiful picture, but the real draw is the mountain goats and bighorn sheep that can often be found scampering around this alpine paradise. (Closed in winter.) Nearby Town: Idaho Springs
19. Bridal Veil Falls
The Scene: The well-preserved Victorian-era town of Telluride – nestled at the foot of a box canyon – is a beguiling sight all on its own. But 365 feet above, the white spray of the state’s tallest waterfall plummets to the canyon’s depths, adding the final touch to a charming scene. Nearby Town: Telluride
20. Book Cliffs Viewpoint, Colorado National Monument
The Scene: Amid the Colorado National Monument’s countless orange-and-brown cliffs and rock formations, these cliffs attract the lion’s share of attention, calling to mind the image of a mighty giant who would deposit his treasured volumes on the world’s largest bookshelf. Nearby Towns: Grand Junction, Fruita
21. Shrine Pass
The Scene: In summer, this route dips drivers into meadow after meadow blanketed with wildflowers. Yellow daisies, coral-colored Indian paintbrush, spikes of purple lupine and fuchsia fireweed spread out in a kaleidoscope of nature’s brightest pigments. Nearby Towns: Frisco, Vail, Red Cliff
22. Crystal Mill
The Scene: Perched atop a rocky crag next to a lively waterfall and surrounded by aspens, this dark-wood mill, idle since 1917, has a romantic, ghost-town feel that makes imaginations run wild picturing what life was like there 100 years ago. (Closed in winter.) Nearby Town: Marble
23. The Flatirons
The Scene: Five reddish-gray monuments, named by pioneers for their shape, jut up from the grassy foothills to stand guard over the city of Boulder below. They also mark a sort of finish line for the thousands of outdoor enthusiasts who make their way to their iconic flat faces each year. Nearby Town: Boulder
24. Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Scene: Climbing the highest paved through road in the nation, drivers have the unique ability to see all the way to Wyoming in the north, to Colorado’s vast plains and Longs Peak to the east, and to the headwaters of the Colorado River in the west. (Closed in winter.) Nearby Towns: Estes Park, Grand Lake
25. Wilson Peak
The Scene: Ask a child to draw a mountain, and they’re likely to produce something that resembles Wilson Peak. The peak dominates the landscape that surrounds it, and can be recognized as the one represented on every can of Coors. Nearby Town: Telluride
26. Kebler Pass
The Scene: In September and October, there are few better places to see Colorado’s fall color splendor. Boasting the largest aspen stand in the state, the pass is completely covered by the quaking trees. The winding route promises one last hurrah – a parade of color before winter descends on the region. Nearby Towns: Crested Butte, Gunnison
27. The Spanish Peaks
The Scene: A welcome sight for those entering Colorado from the flat and dusty south, the two majestic peaks’ most interesting feature is the 25-million-year-old volcanic dikes that emanate from their base like spokes from a wheel. Nearby Town: La Veta
28. Rabbit Ears Pass
The Scene: Another of the state’s extraordinary rock formations named for their shapes, Rabbit Ears served as a distinct landmark to settlers and trappers of yore. In winter, snowmobilers flock to the area’s extensive trails and dependably deep snow. Nearby Towns: Kremmling, Steamboat Springs
29. Longs Peak
The Scene: Rising up from the plains, Longs Peak demands to be noticed. The mount is known for its dramatic east face – The Diamond, which is depicted on the Colorado state quarter. The face presents an immense challenge for even the most technical climbers. Nearby Town: Estes Park
30. Picketwire Canyon
The Scene: The canyon is like a lush green crack in the middle of a flat, arid plain. During a summer-evening rainstorm, the 150-million-year-old brontosauruses footprints left in its bedrock fill with water. When the rain lifts, the prints become miniature lakes that reflect the image of the cloudy sky above. Nearby Town: La Junta
31. Chalk Cliffs
The Scene: These grayish white cliffs emerge from Mount Princeton and are unlike any other mountains in Colorado. Though they look like chalk, they’re actually made of granite, which changed colors when other minerals leached out of fractures. Legend has it that gold was hidden in the cliffs’ crevices by 17th-century Spaniards and is yet to be rediscovered. Nearby Towns: Buena Vista
32. Independence Pass Summit
The Scene: Known for its expansive views, more fourteeners (peaks that stand more than 14,000 feet above sea level) can be seen from this spot than any other place in the state, including three of the five tallest: La Plata Peak, Mount Massive and the tallest, Mount Elbert. (Closed in winter.) Nearby Towns: Aspen, Leadville
33. Chimney Rock National Monument
The Scene: These two skyward-reaching pinnacles were revered by the land’s ancient people, the Ancestral Puebloans, who built ceremonial structures around them. Every 18.6 years, when the winter solstice moonrise reaches its northernmost point, people gather to photograph the full moon as it rises perfectly between the monument’s rocks. Nearby Towns: Pagosa Springs, Durango
Local Favorites
34. Grand Mesa
The Scene: The largest flattop mesa in the world rises above of one of Colorado’s most fertile valleys, where pears, cherries and peaches hang low from the trees every summer. The land is peppered with hundreds of fishing lakes and ponds, as well as many trails frequented by dirt bikers and ATV riders. Explore Grand Mesa National Forest and Grand Mesa lakes. Nearby Towns: Grand Junction, Delta, Cedaredge, Hotchkiss, Paonia
35. Glenwood Canyon
The Scene: Sheer canyon walls stretch hundreds of feet above the whitecapped Colorado River. The 16-mile Glenwood Canyon bike trail runs alongside the river’s twists and turns. Picnic pull-offs serve as a front-row seat to the rapids below, and three noteworthy hiking trails are accessed from the path, the most popular being Hanging Lake. Nearby Town: Glenwood Springs
36. Red Feather Lakes
The Scene: This handful of lakes in the Roosevelt National Forest draws boaters and fishers to its many shores every summer. While it’s near the city of Fort Collins, the area is isolated enough to be popular with stargazers, and the surrounding Medicine Bow Mountains’ gentle slopes are perfect for casual hikers and mountain bikers. Nearby Towns: Fort Collins, Red Feather Lakes
37. East Portal Road, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
The Scene: When viewed from above, this steep road looks as if it was a spaghetti noodle carelessly flung onto the canyon floor right inside Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Those making their way along its hairpin turns and switchbacks drop 2,000 feet in elevation and get to see the canyon and park from a whole new angle. Nearby Town: Montrose
38. Brainard Lake
The Scene: Brainard Lake Recreation Area is one of the only places on the Front Range where those wanting to get outside can drive such a short distance for spectacular alpine scenery. Easy access and a network of trails built in the 1970s by the Colorado Mountain Club make it a paradise for hikers, cross-country skiers and showshoers. Nearby Towns: Boulder, Ward Brainard Lake may require timed-entry reservations. Plan ahead at Recreation.gov.
39. Browns Canyon National Monument
The Scene: One of the most beloved areas in Colorado for whitewater rafters, the Arkansas River cuts through this granite-walled canyon, where strong rapids followed by mellow pools allow paddlers to regain their bearings and take in views of unique rock formations and several Collegiate Range fourteeners. Read about Browns Canyon rafting. Nearby Towns: Buena Vista, Salida
40. Roxborough State Park
The Scene: Roxborough State Park’s trails wrap around red-rock formations that seem to rip unexpectedly through fields of prairie greenery. The contrast between the red of the rocks and a bright-blue cloudless sky sets up a Technicolor scene worthy of the “Wizard of Oz.” Nearby Town: Littleton
41. St. Mary’s Glacier
The Scene: From the 1920s to ’80s, this permanent snowfield was home to a tiny ski area. Today summer visitors who reach the top on foot, instead of by chair lift, pass by a sparkling lake and streams flowing from the melting snow, which makes for a refreshing July snowball fight. Nearby Towns: St. Mary’s Glacier, Idaho Springs
42. Golden Gate Canyon State Park
The Scene: Hiking the Golden Gate Canyon State Park’s winding trails between meadows scattered with blue harebells, scarlet paintbrushes and lavender columbine (Colorado’s state flower) is a journey straight into serenity. Spreading a blanket next to a gurgling stream and watching yellow butterflies flit from bud to bud sends visitors over the top. Nearby Towns: Golden, Black Hawk, Central City
43. Lake San Cristobal
The Scene: The second-largest natural lake in Colorado is a favorite with fishers and boaters, who delight in its quirky treeline. The decidedly unlovely sounding Slumgullion Earth Flow, an 800-year-old, epically slow landslide, continues to shift the ground up to 21 feet a year, resulting in fir trees that grow at bizarre angles. Nearby Town: Lake City
44. Eagles Nest Wilderness
The Scene: There are so many 12,000- and 13,000-foot-high peaks in the Eagles Nest Wilderness area that many of them haven’t even been given names. Rock climbers revel in the countless number of vertical faces and the relative isolation of the incredibly rugged area. Nearby Towns: Dillon, Frisco, Vail, Heeney, Avon, Wolcott, Bond, Kremmling
45. Cache la Poudre River
The Scene: Colorado’s only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River carves down Poudre Canyon through narrow sections flanked by natural rock cliffs. The triumph of paddling over a rapid named Devil’s Staircase is second only to the views and the chance to spot bighorn sheep and deer scampering along its rocky hills. Learn about Poudre River rafting. Nearby Town: Fort Collins
46. Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway
The Scene: Bighorn sheep, golden eagles and the occasional mountain goat can all be seen on the jaunt up this pass from Georgetown to Grant. At the summit, views stretch toward a craggy and eroded peak known as The Sawtooth, as well as Mount Bierstadt, a 14,060-foot peak that is one of the state’s most accessible fourteeners. (Pass often closed in winter.) Nearby Towns: Georgetown, Bailey, Grant
47. Chicago Basin Trail
The Scene: Backpackers love that the only way to start a serious adventure in this dramatic and remote alpine basin beneath the Needle Range in the Weminuche Wilderness is via the historic, steam-powered Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which drops off and picks up in what feels like exhilaratingly like the middle of nowhere. Nearby Towns: Durango, Silverton
48. Fryingpan River
The Scene: Arguably one of the best trout-fishing locations in the world, the Fryingpan’s Gold Medal waters offer encounters with rainbow trout whose monstrous size requires a cooler, not a creel. This stretch is loaded with trout, cutthroats and brookies that seem almost to beg to be plucked from the water by a well-placed cast. Nearby Towns: Aspen, Basalt
49. Arkansas Headwaters State Park
The Scene: This “park” is actually a 150-mile-long recreation area that starts in the mountains above Leadville and follows the Arkansas River to Colorado’s plains. The river features great fishing and camping and is one of the nation’s most popular locations for whitewater rafting, with everything from class-II rapids for beginners to the class-V variety craved by seasoned paddlers. Nearby Towns: Leadville, Buena Vista, Salida, Cañon City, Pueblo
50. Missouri Lakes Trail
The Scene: This Holy Cross Wilderness trail counts nearly 90 lakes, 90 species of wildflowers and four fourteeners among its chief attributes. Hikes, though strenuous, feel like a treasure hunt with one waterfall, cascade, gurgling stream and field of flowers after another. Nearby Town: Minturn
51. Ouzel Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Scene: On the path to Ouzel Falls inside Rocky Mountain National Park, in one of the greenest, must lush spots in the state, hikers come across several smaller falls and cascades that entreat them to keep moving to the mother lode. Breathtaking Ouzel drops more than 40 feet through a sliver in the dark rock wall surrounding it and flows into a chilly pool filled with boulders and fallen trees. Read about 10 other Colorado waterfalls. Nearby Town: Estes Park
52. Twin Lakes
The Scene: Two pristine lakes sit at the foot of Colorado’s highest fourteener, Mount Elbert (14,433 feet). Several log cabins from the area’s days as a rest stop between the mining districts of Leadville and Aspen add to the quaint and historic feeling of the nearby town of the same name. Nearby Town: Twin Lakes, Leadville
53. Mount Zirkel Wilderness
The Scene: With 170 miles of trails that vary in elevation by 5,000 feet, it might seem as though this area would lend itself to only the most experienced trekkers. But the wilderness isn’t quite as rugged it sounds – gradual, moderate rises in elevation make it a good first-time (albeit well-prepared) backpacking adventure, with almost guaranteed moose and elk sightings. Nearby Towns: Walden, Steamboat Springs
54. Lake Pueblo State Park
The Scene: Another one of a handful of lakes on Colorado’s eastern plains, Lake Pueblo State Park boasts 60 miles of shoreline, 4,500 surface acres of water to play on and clear views of the Greenhorn and Wet mountain ranges in one direction and Pikes Peak in the other. Nearby Town: Pueblo
55. Lake Dillon
The Scene: At a lofty elevation of 9,000 feet above sea level, dozens of sailboats skim gloriously across the lake’s deep blue waters between 27 miles of forested shores and a mountain backdrop, as smaller boats trace its many fingers and coves. Lake Dillon boat rentals can be made at the marina. Nearby Towns: Dillon, Frisco
56. Aiken Canyon Preserve
The Scene: Acquired by The Nature Conservancy to preserve one of the last examples of southern Rocky Mountain Front Range foothill ecosystems, the preserve’s hiking trails lead past red-rock formations, a variety of plants and the habitats of more than 100 species of birds that provide a natural soundtrack for every hike. Nearby Town: Colorado Springs
57. Rifle Falls State Park
The Scene: On a hot summer day, the mist that drifts from the exhilarating gush of water over 70-foot-high limestone cliffs and the dark caves below them in Rifle Falls State Park are a sublime natural air conditioner. Nearby Towns: Rifle, New Castle
58. Boreas Pass Road
The Scene: Once a Ute Indian trail, then a narrow-gauge railroad pass linking Denver and Leadville during the 1880s silver boom, Boreas Pass is now an outlet to hiking and biking trails known for their access to brilliant fall color. An abandoned section house, cabins and railroad relics are reminders of its railroad past. Nearby Towns: Como, Fairplay, Breckenridge
59. Castlewood Canyon State Park
The Scene: Best known as the home of a dam that burst and unleashed a 15-foot-high wave onto the city of Denver in 1933, today’s Castlewood Canyon State Park is decidedly more serene. It’s home to 60-foot-high canyon walls ideal for climbers of all skill levels, four eco-systems (grasslands, shrublands, forest and riparian), a historic homestead house, and, of course, the ruins of that ill-fated dam. Nearby Towns: Castle Rock, Franktown
60. Cottonwood Lake
The Scene: This is the quintessential lazy-day lake, perfect for setting up the fishing pole and falling asleep on the shore, skimming across the glassy surface and many inlets in a canoe or kayak, and searching for mountain goats scrambling atop nearby cliffs. Nearby Town: Buena Vista
61. Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge
The Scene: This federally designated wetland habitat is a major layover for the more than 20,000 migrating greater sandhill cranes who travel between New Mexico and Canada each year. Several hundred elk, mallards, Canada geese, avocets, ibis, egrets and herons call the refuge’s peaceful lakes and meadows home. Nearby Towns: Monte Vista, Alamosa
62. Boulder Canyon
The Scene: A drive up this canyon displays the classic outdoor scene Boulder has become synonymous with: mountain bikers whizzing down or cranking up the Boulder Creek path, kayakers deftly dipping and dodging swift rapids and climbers scaling bulbous boulders. Off the road, hikers search for Boulder Falls, the canyon’s famous waterfall, and dip their toes in the creek (closed until further notice). Nearby Town: Boulder
63. Zapata Falls
The Scene: As hikers approach Zapata Falls along a windy trail at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the way to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, it feels a bit like they’re chasing it – they can hear the roar of the 40-foot-tall gusher and feel its cooling effect long before they can actually see it. Nearby Towns: Blanca, Mosca, Hooper, Alamosa
64. Jackson Lake State Park
The Scene: There’s no better description for this Jackson Lake State Park than an oasis amid Colorado’s expansive eastern plains. Its warm, South Platte River-fed water and sandy bottom and beaches welcome swimmers and waterskiers looking to cool off each summer. In 2020, Jackson Lake was named an International Dark Sky Park, making it the first Colorado State Park to hold the coveted designation. Nearby Towns: Orchard, Wiggins, Log Lane Village, Fort Morgan
65. Wolf Creek Pass
The Scene: Running along Wolf Creek and the Continental Divide, this gradually winding mountain road’s sheer drop-offs are surely what inspired country singer C. W. McCall’s humorous 1975 song about two truckers speeding down one of its climbs. Those who drive its western side in a less daredevil fashion find an idyllic, mountain-framed green valley dotted with little lakes. Nearby Towns: South Fork, Pagosa Springs
66. Hermosa Creek Trail
The Scene: Durango is quickly becoming a haven for single-track mountain bikers, thanks in part to nearby, streamside trails like this one. Hilly routes bob riders down into shady, wildflower meadows and up for sunlit views of the sky-scraping La Plata Mountains. Nearby Town: Durango
Hidden Gems
67. Pearl Lake State Park
The Scene: Pearl Lake State Park a serene setting for low-impact outdoor adventure. Camping amid the trees along the water’s edge grants access to peaceful early-morning canoe rides, fly- and lure- cutthroat trout fishing and gentle hikes. In the cool morning air, a light fog hovers over the still waters. Nearby Towns: Steamboat Springs, Hayden, Craig, Walden, Kremmling
68. Wheeler Geologic Area
The Scene: The area’s frozen-in-time sandstone spires inside the Rio Grande National Forest were formed by volcanic explosions millions of years ago. They resemble coral beds found on ocean floors, which this far from the sea, gives them an otherworldly mystique. Nearby Town: Creede
69. Blue Lake, Rawah Wilderness Area
The Scene: The shady trek to Blue Lake is one of the Front Range’s most diverse wildflower hikes. More than 90 varieties – including white bog orchids, scarlet paintbrush, monkshood and glacier lilies – have been spotted along the impossibly colorful trail. Nearby Town: Fort Collins
70. Last Dollar Road
The Scene: This winding, one-lane dirt road leaves the pavement at the Dallas Divide and careens around the Mount Sneffles Wilderness before dropping into the San Miguel River valley, where lush ranchland, aspen groves alive with color, and spruce and pine forests make it a scene from a landscape painter’s dream. Nearby Towns: Ridgway, Telluride, Ouray
71. Conejos River Valley
The Scene: This valley is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets for fall-color viewing. Some of the oldest and tallest aspens in the state can be seen near La Manga Pass. On the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, riders can see parts of the area auto-travelers miss. Nearby Town: Antonito
72. Star Dune, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
The Scene: Scaling the tallest sand dune in North America (roughly 750 feet high) is a calf-burning endeavor. Because it’s not quite as accessible as the dunes in the park’s main dune field, the tracks to its undulating apex are fewer and farther between. Nearby Towns: Alamosa, Mosca
73. Lost Creek Wilderness
The Scene: Lost Creek’s red-rock formations aren’t as dramatic as those at better-known spots like Garden of the Gods and Red Rocks Park, but there are a whole lot more of them. Many of the area’s domes, knobs, spires and buttresses have eroded in such a way that creeks seem to disappear between their hidden crevices – hence the name. Nearby Towns: Deckers, Bailey, Grant
74. Blackface Mountain
The Scene: Atop this moderately difficult hike, the panoramic view that awaits is a curious collection of unusually shaped mountains named for their shape and color: Lizard Head, Pilot Knob, Golden Horn and Vermillion Peak. Nearby Towns: Telluride, Rico
75. Sangre de Cristo Wilderness
The Scene: It would be a shame to visit this area and not stay for the majestically colorful scene created by the setting sun. Colorado’s early Spanish explorers were so inspired by the way the peaks turned a vibrant, crimson color as the sun went down, they named them the “Blood of Christ” mountains. Nearby Towns: Salida, Poncha Springs, Alamosa, Westcliffe
76. Handies Peak
The Scene: Handies doesn’t gain much fame being the 40th tallest of Colorado’s 58 fourteeners. That it’s one of the easiest to climb is what puts its name on the lips of many mountaineers. Its (relatively) short, five-and-a-half-mile round-trip trek is why many choose it as their first to conquer. Nearby Towns: Lake City, Ouray, Silverton
77. Devil’s Causeway
The Scene: Colorado’s version of the Great Wall of China (though this one is nature made) is a narrow rock ridge that runs through the Flat Tops Wilderness. In some places, the trail slims down to only three feet wide and calling its dropoffs sheer is being generous. Nearby Towns: Yampa, Gypsum
78. Barr Lake State Park
The Scene: In the northeast reaches of Denver sits an area that has been drawing birds like a magnet for decades. Wildlife-viewing records from the area’s three habitats – open water, shoreline woodlands and grassland – date back more than 100 years, and the number of recorded species exceeds 300. Nearby Towns: Denver, Brighton
79. Kenosha Pass
The Scene: Known as one of the Colorado Trail’s easiest access points, the 10,000-foot-high pass is also a favorite for those hunting fall color. Aspen stands and views into the sprawling, green South Park Valley make it ideal for off-the-beaten-path photographers. Nearby Towns: Grant, South Park, Fairplay, Bailey
80. Old Monarch Pass
The Scene: Those who frequently traverse Monarch Pass along the Continental Divide between Gunnison and Salida probably don’t even notice the sign for Old Monarch Pass Road. Snowshoers and cross-country skiers like to keep it that way. The once-popular route, which was replaced by the shorter Hwy. 50, is now one of the best spots for traipsing through Colorado powder. Nearby Towns: Salida, Poncha Springs, Gunnison
81. Comanche National Grassland
The Scene: Defined by surging tides of land that look like a green-and-brown ocean frozen in mid-torrent, this is some of the country’s last remaining shortgrass prairie. A number of animals also call this grassy area of Colorado home. Keep an eye out for pronghorn, hawks and pheasants. Nearby Towns: Springfield, La Junta
82. Wetherill Mesa, Mesa Verde National Park
The Scene: Lower-profile than Mesa Verde’s famed Cliff Palace, Wetherill Mesa is home to the park’s second-largest Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling. A climb behind the Long House dwelling offers a rare look at a seep spring – a source of water emerging from the cliff that was used by its ancient residents. Nearby Towns: Mancos, Cortez, Durango
83. Gunnison Gorge Wilderness
The Scene: One of only nine national conservation areas in the U.S., the gorge area offers a haven for anglers drawn to the Gunnison River’s gold-medal trout-fishing waters. In the lower gorge, folding layers of pink, red and purple rock stretch from the river up the canyon walls. Nearby Towns: Montrose, Gunnison, Delta, Hotchkiss
84. Ute Mountain Tribal Park
The Scene: This park is only open to the public through a unique program in which Ute guides navigate visitors into the wilderness that abuts Mesa Verde National Park’s southern boundary. Thousands of years ago, Ancestral Puebloans built dwellings into the canyon walls, irrigated and farmed the land, and developed a highly sophisticated culture. Nearby Towns: Mancos, Cortez, Durango
85. Engineer Pass 4WD Road
The Scene: This rugged and narrow San Juan Mountain pass spirals 12,800 feet high and provides an unsurpassed vantage point for photographs of the serrated Uncompahgre and Wetterhorn peaks. Once a stagecoach route, it’s easy to spot structures that remain from the area’s hardy mining days. Nearby Towns: Lake City, Silverton, Ouray
86. Lone Eagle Peak
The Scene: This unique peak is recognizable by its steep, almost dizzying granite spire, which towers above Crater Lake. Even though it tops out at 11,900 feet – much shorter than Colorado’s many 14,000-foot peaks – it’s considered one of the state’s most technical climbs. Nearby Towns: Granby, Tabernash, Grand Lake, Winter Park
87. Wet Mountain Valley
The Scene: The valley nestled between the Sangre de Cristo and Wet Mountains is a bit of a journey back in time. Remnants of old homesteads, barns and one-room school houses are set amid some of the state’s lushest country, still dominated by farms and ranches. Nearby Towns: Westcliffe, Silver Cliff
88. Yampa River Canyon, Dinosaur National Monument
The Scene: Craggy hills, striated walls and remnants of creatures from a long-ago world comprise this canyon scene – as do yelps from whitewater rafters shooting the oxbowed river’s rapids. Nearby Towns: Dinosaur, Rangely
89. Snowmass Lake
The Scene: This lake is situated just below Snowmass Mountain (not to be confused with the ski area of the same title) and the massive snowfield from which it gets its name. The trail to the lake winds through thick aspen groves, beaver ponds and gurgling streams and is a favorite pre-climb camping site for hearty souls who plan to scale the steep peak. Nearby Towns: Aspen, Snowmass, Granite, Basalt
90. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
The Scene: It’s a bit surreal to focus a camera’s viewfinder on Denver’s skyline and have a bison walk into the shot. One of the largest urban refuges in the country is located just a few miles outside Denver. It’s home to more than 300 species, including mule deer, coyotes, bison, songbirds and bald eagles. Nearby Towns: Denver, Commerce City
91. Sky Pond and Lake of Glass, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Scene: Rocky Mountain National Park welcomes 3 million visitors each year and still manages to nurture cravings for solitude. One of the best places to find it is on the hike to two neighboring high-altitude lakes known for emerald green waters within a glacier-carved valley. Nearby Towns: Estes Park, Grand Lake
92. Skyline Drive
The Scene: This precipitous historic road was built by prison inmates in 1906 as a scenic byway for tourists in horse-drawn carriages. Today, the route has been paved for autos, but it still traces an extremely narrow 800-foot-high ridge, which can at times be a bit of an adventure for passengers’ stomachs. Pullouts are provided for those who want to savor the foothill views. Nearby Towns: Cañon City, Florence
93. North Inlet Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park
The Scene: This trail winds through the park below timberline alongside a rushing creek. Originally an American Indian route, it was reinvigorated by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1939. Today it’s on the National Register of Historic Places and a great route for elk and moose spotting. Nearby Towns: Estes Park, Grand Lake
94. Ice Lake Basin
The Scene: Fields of paintbrush, buttercups, columbines and other alpine wildflowers fill this beautiful basin, where those and other wildflowers blanket a land that’s also peppered with small lakes and waterfalls flowing over sandstone rock formations. Nearby Towns: Ouray, Silverton, Telluride
95. Devil’s Head Mountain
The Scene: Named for two rock spires that resemble the devils’ horns, the formation is the highest point in the Rampart Range. Near its summit is a well-known fire tower where, after a moderately difficult hike, visitors can climb the stairs to see panoramic views stretching from mountains to plains. Nearby Towns: Sedalia, Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs
96. Colorado State Forest State Park
The Scene: Located on either side of Cameron Pass, the park is in a 10,000-foot-high cleft between the Never Summer and Medicine Bow mountain ranges. Deep coniferous woods and willow-covered streams are the ideal habitat for many animals, one of the reasons it’s been named the moose capital of Colorado. Nearby Town: Walden
97. McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
The Scene: The nation’s second-largest concentration of gravity-defying red sandstone arches is found here. Hiking the area’s Rattlesnake Canyon, amid a sprinkling of wildflowers and blooming cacti, visitors will see nine of the most impressive ones. Nearby Towns: Grand Junction, Fruita
98. Snow Mesa
The Scene: Reminiscent of the steppes of Asia, this 12,000-foot-high alpine plateau boasts a 20-square-mile summit with unfettered views of the saw-toothed La Garita Range. Snowshoers and snowmobilers love the vast openness and seemingly endless fields of snow. Nearby Towns: Lake City, Creede
99. Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge
The Scene: Located in a remote mountain valley alongside the Green River just north of Dinosaur National Monument, the refuge is one of the best habitats in the state for spotting bald eagles each winter. Two hundred other species of birds can also be found here throughout the year amid the area’s cottonwood groves, meandering streams and marshlands. Nearby Town: Craig
