In Colorado, the turning of the seasons from summer to fall is a treasured display of Mother Nature’s magnificence. Hiking among the golden aspens is an amazing experience, yet to cover even more distance and get out and see the mountains turn every shade of yellow and orange you can imagine, hop in the car. Some of these drives that have earned the coveted “scenic byway” designation, so you’ve got a backstage pass to the best fall leaf peeping in Colorado. And all are easily accessible from our luxury vacation rental homes in Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, or Steamboat.
The pass explodes with color in the fall and it’s one of the more iconic spots for leaf peeping near Steamboat Springs. The pass was named by the earliest trappers because of a rock formation that looks like rabbit ears. It’s always been a historic marker for Steamboat's Yampa Valley. If you want to stretch your legs you can hike up to them to take a closer look.
Head out of Steamboat Springs on Elk River Road / Highway 129 and toward Clark. Shortly past the Clark Store, take a right and drive up Seedhouse Road for a beautiful display of foliage. Or keep heading straight up the road toward Steamboat Lake and Hahn's Peak for more colors for your eyes to feast on.
Accessible from both Breckenridge and the Vail Valley through the historic town of Leadville, Independence Pass is an incredible drive to see fall colors and aspens at their peak. Not for the faint of heart, this pass has single lane areas and winds along the side of the mountain with places to stop along the way. To make a loop out of the drive, keep going into the town of Aspen. Continue on to see Maroon Bells before heading back through Glenwood Springs.
Boreas Pass is one of Colorado's top scenic drives and one of the best places to see fall colors. An easy route with stunning views, Boreas Pass used to be the only way in and out of Breckenridge in the railroad days. You'll get views of so many surrounding peaks, including Ten Mile Range,, Quandary Peak, Red Mountain, and Bald Mountain. All as you ascend to the Continental Divide.
The Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway starts at Copper Mountain and travels over Fremont Pass to Leadville where travelers can take one route to Granite or loop over Tennessee Pass through Camp Hale, Red Cliff and Minturn and back through Vail. A gorgeous drive, travelers will be rewarded with golden aspens all along the route and wide-open spaces with expansive views of Colorado's famous 14ers, including Mt Elbert, Colorado's tallest peak.
Plug Piney River Ranch into your GPS and head out from Vail. You won't even notice the bumpy ride on the dirt road you'll be so in awe of the spectacular colors. And it gets even better once you arrive at the ranch, with incredible views of the surrounding peaks and a stunning lake. Stretch your legs after the drive with a hike up the Upper Piney Lake Trail to the waterfall.
Then park your car at one of our luxury vacation rental homes and continue to enjoy the scenery and the fall colors from the deck!
