Are you ready to break free from the house and see something new and exciting? If so, Colorado has the perfect drive for you, as roads vary in distance from short and sweet to long and winding. In terms of today’s drive, it is both unforgettable and record-breaking, as it is billed as being the highest paved road in not only Colorado but in the country:

Welcome to the Mount Evans Scenic Byway!
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
Located 60 miles west of Denver, the Mount Evans Scenic Byway is a 28-mile-long road that is noted not only for its incredible climb in elevation but for being the highest paved road in North America! 
Flickr/Barry Dale Gilfry
Beginning at the Idaho Springs Visitor Center, the Mount Evans Scenic Byway winds through the Mount Evans Wilderness to the top of the summit, where you can get out and stretch your legs. 
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
As if the drive's beauty was not reason enough to take it, the Mount Evans Scenic Byway also passes through 5 different climate zones, making for a truly Only in Colorado road.
Flickr/Shogun_X

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You never know who (or what) you will see on your Mount Evans journey!
Flickr/risingthermals
Please note: The ascent features an elevation gain of 9,000 feet. 
Ken Gallager/Wikimedia Commons
Due to the continuous altitude gain (AKA sporadic weather) and an ending elevation of 14,130 feet, Mount Evans is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Flickr/Wally Gobetz
To learn more about the Mount Evans Scenic Byway - including current area conditions - please visit the U.S. Forest Service's website.
Flickr/F Delventhal

Do you have a favorite place that you would like to see featured on Only in Colorado? Nominate it here! For even more of our favorite Centennial State drives, click on Everyone In Colorado Should Take This Underappreciated Scenic Drive.

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Featured Addresses
Mt. Evans Scenic Byway, Idaho Springs, CO 80452, USA