Colorado is home to 25 scenic and historic byways, 10 of which are nationally designated and known as “America’s Byways®.”  Summertime is the perfect time to hit the road with no particular destination in mind, just adventure on the horizon. While some of the byways can take anywhere from several hours to a few days to traverse, Colorado also offers a number of routes that can be explored in two hours or less of driving time.  Pick one of these scenic byways and you’ll have some amazing “wow” moments to share with friends and family.  For more information or to plan your drive, visit www.coloradobyways.org.  To pick up a detailed guide to all 25 of Colorado’s scenic and historic byways, stop by one of Colorado’s 10 Welcome Centers or visit Colorado.com. 

The Grand Mesa Byway is one of 10 “America’s Byways®” in Colorado.  The byway gradually climbs some 11,000 feet above sea level through picturesque canyons and evergreen forests. Standing atop Land's End Overlook – a great place for a photo – travelers can’t help but be in awe of Mother Nature.  There are amazing fishing spots and trails for hiking and mountain biking. In the winter, trails offer opportunities to snowshoe, ski or snowmobile. Wildlife watching is abundant and visitors might see everything from porcupines and red fox to coyotes. Allow two hours to traverse the 63 miles on this byway.

The Colorado River Headwaters Byway, another one of “America’s Byways®” in Colorado, drops 1,700 feet in elevation from end to end.  You’ll start at the breathtaking Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest natural lake, and travel along the Colorado River where you’ll see reservoirs, lush ranchlands and narrow canyons. Stop for a photo or watch Colorado wildlife on the miles of public land found along the byway.  Don’t forget to explore the Hot Sulphur Springs, one of the nation’s oldest natural hot springs. Allow a minimum of 90 minutes to complete this 69-mile loop.

The Highway of Legends offers panoramic vistas that have inspired legendary tales among American Indian, Spanish explorers and Anglo and Hispanic settlers for centuries. From the towering Sangre de Cristos and Spanish Peaks to the dark redrock along the Dakota Wall and the ominously named Devil's Stairsteps, the Highway of Legends allows travelers to stand on the shoulders of giants.  Allow two hours to complete the 82-mile byway.

The Flat Tops Trail passes through the heart of the original White River Plateau Timberland Reserve, which was designated in the late 19th century as the second unit of what would eventually become the National Forest system. The area's preservation efforts and multiple-use land management offers amazing scenery and wildlife viewing.  Yet this "working byway” is home to timber-producing woodlands, active mines and ranches. The area was a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt, who spent time here hunting elk. Make sure to schedule in a stop at the White River Museum in Meeker and learn about the Meeker Massacre of 1879.  Allow two hours to complete this 82-mile byway.

Guanalla Pass is a quick ride through Rocky Mountain ecosystems. Passing over the steep divide between the South Platte and Clear Creek watersheds, this byway, which is a former burro trail, passes through lush and moist lower elevations. Higher up, streams meander through meadows that are home to Colorado wildlife. The road passes through two of the state's best-preserved Victorian towns, Georgetown and Silver Plume, and is flanked by Mount Bierstadt and Mount Evans. Allow an hour for this quick 22-mile loop.

The Mount Evans Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in 28 miles before finally settling at an altitude of 14,264 feet. The summit allows visitors to see the “big picture” - the entire Front Range spreads out before you.  The Mount Evans Scenic Byway is one of the best places in Colorado to watch bighorn sheep.  A new extension was recently added from Echo Lake to Bergen Park via Clear Creek County Road 103 and Jefferson County Road 66.  Allow two hours for this 49-mile journey.

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Now is the time to book your summer mountain getaway.

Visit Colorado Springs for rodeo, car racing, hiking, biking, rafting & balloons

Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs.  Pikes Peak is one of Colorado’s magnificent “14ers” - local talk for a 14,000-foot mountain peak.  Katherine Lee Bates, author of “America the Beautiful” was inspired to pen the words to her famous poem during a trip to Pikes Peak with a group of colleagues.  They reached the top using prairie wagons, mules and finally on foot.  Bates later wrote in her journal, “When I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse."  For more than a century, visitors have reached the top of Pikes Peak without wagons or mules thanks to the Manitou and Pikes Peak Railway, the world's highest cog train, which transports passengers to the 14,110 foot summit of Pikes Peak.  www.cograilway.com

Coors Field, Denver.  Nothing is more American than spending a day at the ballpark, so head to Coors Field and root for the Colorado Rockies.  Enjoy the excitement of Major League Baseball while eating classic American treats including hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and ice-cold soda.  July 3 and 4 games include live fireworks displays following the game.  Rock Pile tickets start at just four dollars.  colorado.rockies.mlb.com

Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park.  Rocky Mountain National Park is a living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, with elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the tip of Longs Peak. Enjoy the splendor of one of America’s great national parks by camping, hiking, fishing and biking. Wildlife watchers won’t be disappointed either, animals such as elk, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, coyotes, eagles, hawks and more all inhabit the area. And in June and July, wildflowers splash the meadows and hillsides with bright and vivid colors. In the fall, foliage watchers marvel at the sea of golden aspens.  Autumn is also the elk rut (or mating season).  www.nps.gov/romo

Bent’s Old Fort National Site, La Junta.  Step back in time to the days when the American West was settled at Bent’s Old Fort. This National Historic Site features a reconstructed 1840s adobe fur trading post on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail.  At the site, traders, trappers, travelers and Plains Indian tribes once came together in peaceful terms for trade. Today, costume-clad concerts recreate the sights, sounds and smells of the past with guided tours, demonstrations and special events.  www.nps.gov/beol

Raft Colorado's best whitewater river, the Arkansas. Raft now!

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PRIMA Vail Valley - a summerlong celebration of culture and special events in the Vail Valley

Take the whole family hiking, biking and rafting.

Palisade Peach Festival (August 1417):

Head to Palisade for the 40th annual Peach Festival. Palisade peaches are the pride of Colorado, and sought after by people who drive hundreds of miles to taste the best that Palisade offers.  The Peach Festival celebrates this mouth-watering crop with more than 100 food stands, arts and crafts vendors, live music, a special children’s area and exciting culinary demonstrations and activities.   Participate in the Peach Fest 5 Miler Race; enter the peach recipe contest; see who has the top peach in the Big Peach Contest; and enjoy the ice cream social and street dancers.  While in town, don’t forget to check out Palisade’s great shops, artists, fruit stands, restaurants and wineries. www.palisadepeachfest.com

Come to Steamboat in the summer and experience our Hot Air Balloon Rodeo and Art in the Park July 12-13.

3-day festival with Italian food, wine, and the famous Zoppe' Circus.

Landscapes From the Age of Impressionism (Denver) June 13–September 7, 2008: This summer, a special exhibit of 40 paintings from the Brooklyn Museum will be showcased at the Denver Art Museum.  This exhibition spans the 1850s to the early 1900s and features works by French and American painters from Claude Monet and Gustave Courbet to John Singer Sargent and Childe Hassam.  It offers a striking survey of “plein-air” painting, a movement in the art community when artists became as concerned with capturing the light, air and atmosphere as they were with the landscape itself.  www.denverartmuseum.org

Cheyenne County Fair (Cheyenne Wells) July 29–August 2, 2008: The Cheyenne County Fair consists of events from livestock auctions, fashion reviews, Princess & Queen Contests, turtle races, a free barbecue, rodeo and parade. townofcheyennewells.com/upcomingevents.htm

Rocky Mountain Tea Festival (Boulder) August 2–3, 2008: This is a wonderful opportunity to learn in a hands-on environment from some of the leading tea experts in the field. Classes include workshops about tea basics, exotic teas, blending teas, tea leaf reading and more. www.boulderteahouse.com

Buena Vista Gold Rush Days (Buena Vista) August 9–10, 2008: This mining heritage celebration includes a Triple Crown burro race, crooning cowboys, dance-hall girls, gold panning, melodrama and musical performances. www.fourteenernet.com/goldrush/

Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival (Crested Butte) August 14–17, 2008:  The Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival is an educational opportunity for people to learn about the mushrooms in the Rocky Mountains in an informative, interesting way.  Participants learn through forays, cooking classes, lectures and workshops. www.cbmushfest.com

Basalt River Days (Basalt) August 15–16, 2008: This annual two-day festival celebrates the Basalt community and its Gold Medal rivers.  Well-known musicians, fabulous food and fine artists and craftsmen round out this terrific event. www.basaltriverdays.com/

Colorado State Fair (Pueblo) August 22–September 1, 2008:  Experience Colorado’s State Fair and enjoy live concerts from performers such as Colbie Caillat and Sugarland, including rodeos, arts and crafts exhibitions, carnival rides and food.  www.coloradostatefair.com

Mesa Verde Country® Wine & Art Festival (Cortez) August 23, 2008: Colorado artists and vintners gather in Cortez to taste outstanding wines and enjoy winemaker dinners at numerous area restaurants.  The event also showcases the artworks of various area artists.  www.mesaverdecountry.com

Telluride Film Festival (Telluride) August 29–September 1, 2008: Each Labor Day weekend, the tiny mountain village of Telluride triples in size with passionate film enthusiasts. With a secret program that isn’t revealed until everyone arrives, The Telluride Film Festival is more than just a picture show, it includes tributes to luminaries who’ve pushed the medium forward, discussions with film creators and historians and the opportunity to chat with visiting filmmakers. www.telluridefilmfestival.com

Colorado Balloon Classic (Colorado Springs) August 30–September 31, 2008: The Colorado Balloon Classic is the largest and the longest continuously running hot-air balloon festival in the Rocky Mountain Region, as well as the State of Colorado.  Watch mass ascensions with more than 100 balloons scheduled for Saturday, Sunday and Monday mornings with a Balloon Glo® scheduled for Saturday and Sunday evenings. Entertainment and concessions are provided at each event. www.balloonclassic.com

All events are weather permitting and subject to change. For a listing of additional Colorado events and travel information, log on to http://www.colorado.com/ or call 1-800-COLORADO. You can also order a free copy of the Official State Vacation Guide by calling 1-800-COLORADO or visiting http://www.colorado.com/.

Photo Credits:
Coors Field - Photo courtesy of the Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau