Southern Rockies Road Trips

Leave the city behind on this scenic drive into the heart of Colorado ski country. You’ll have incredible views of the Rockies’ rugged peaks as you pass through former mining towns, cross the Continental Divide and make your way to the skiing meccas of Steamboat Springs, Vail and Breckenridge. Be advised that elevations reach as high as 11,300 feet on this trip.

SR 9 showcases some of southwestern Utah’s most impressive natural features, from the Virgin River to the fiery-hued cliffs of Zion National Park. A fee is charged to drive through the national park, so while you’re there, stop in at the visitor center or go on a short hike. There also are roadside pull-off areas where you can take in the dramatic landscapes.

The access road for Dead Horse Point State Park, SR 313 affords an awesome trip through red rock canyon country. The park—named for a legend about a corralled band of wild mustangs left to die in the valley—rises high above the Colorado River. It offers campgrounds, trails and overlooks from which to admire the area’s sculpted pinnacles, buttes and cliffs.

From water vistas of the Steinaker Reservoir in the south to the vibrant presence of the red rock canyon near the northern terminus, nature loads this byway with scenic geological history. There’s 1-billion-year-old (yes, with a “B”) exposed rock of Uintas, desert, wildlife and even habitats once used by dinosaurs. Explore more at the Red Canyon Overlook and Visitor Center or the Flaming Gorge Dam; both are slightly off of US 191/SR 44.

After hugging the Arkansas River on its way through rugged Bighorn Sheep Canyon, the Arkansas River Scenic Highway (SR 50) leaves the river behind as it flows into Royal Gorge, whose walls soar 1,000 feet over churning rapids. Before rejoining the river in Cañon City, the route parallels Skyline Drive—a scenic one-lane road atop a narrow ridge above the town.

Enjoy spectacular Rocky Mountain Range vistas along Russell Tutt Scenic Highway. Journey past rocky outcroppings up the mountain and stop to climb the roughly 8,000-foot, stone tower memorial to Will Rogers to appreciate expansive views of the state. Evergreens are scattered on the mountains; the city below is ablaze in fall when aspens, maples and oaks change colors.

You will definitely want your camera handy to capture the diverse geography and landscape of the Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway. With its dense forests, mountain vistas, and rocky outcrops and ridges, there are plenty of places to stop and take in the scenery. Some of the route consists of two-lane back roads that wind through the mountains with switchbacks that require attentive driving.

Just south of Heber City, the Provo Canyon Scenic Byway runs alongside picturesque Deer Creek State Park, where windsurfers, boaters and anglers enjoy the fantastic blue waters of Deer Creek Reservoir. As the roadway continues southward, it parallels the Provo River, a favorite of fly-fishermen, and winds through Provo Canyon, home to Bridal Veil Falls.

At the southern end of two-lane SR 261, lies the Valley of the Gods. The rocks stand guard over massive canyons and impressive formations, appearing to be gods looking down on their creations. These fascinating earth structures inspire imaginative names and beautiful artwork. Enjoy the stillness of the desert for the remainder of this scenic, yet isolated, byway.

Big Cottonwood Canyon, on SR 190, with its giant cliffs trimmed with maples and aspen trees, is a dream come true for photographers and nature lovers. Created by both glacier and steam erosion, towering mountains provide majestic scenery throughout the byway, where rare plant species and wildflowers can be found along with mountain goats, moose, bears and elk.