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SCENIC BYWAY

Elk Mountains Scenic Highway

65.9 miles: 1 hours, 19 minutes

Colorado is rich with breathtaking natural scenery, and SR 133, the Elk Mountains Scenic Byway, is no exception. You’ll see lofty granite peaks, clear blue lakes, alpine meadows filled with summer wildflowers and groves of aspen trees that turn a brilliant yellow in fall. Note: The rugged terrain will be a challenge for those not used to mountain driving.

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From Carbondale SR 133 winds circuitously through the Elk Mountains. Jagged rocks soar above stands of pine and aspen. Past the resort town of Redstone the byway climbs a steep 8 percent grade over McClure Pass; at an elevation of nearly 8,800 feet the vista is breathtaking. Bountiful peach and apple orchards, nurtured by high-tech irrigation, surround Hotchkiss.

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