‘Tis the season for hopping in the car and taking a scenic drive around one of Colorado’s many gorgeous roads! With so many of these drives to choose from, where does one begin, and how does one decide? If you ask us, we recommend taking the incredible Trail Ridge Road, which just opened for the season:

Following the North Fork of the Colorado River north through the Kawuneeche Valley, Trail Ridge Road is arguably one of the most beautiful roads in the western United States.
Flickr/Kent Kanouse
Billed as being the highest paved road in the state (and the highest paved road in Colorado that crosses the continental divide), Trail Ridge Road winds through some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Colorado, including jaw-dropping peaks and valleys. 
Wikimedia Commons/Rationalobserver
Keep your eyes peeled as you drive because you never know just what you will see!
Flickr/Bryce Bradford

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In addition to the landscape itself, Trail Ridge also connects 2 of Colorado's most picturesque mountain towns (Grand Lake and Estes Park), which makes for the perfect opportunity to get out and stretch, shop, and eat.
Flickr/Kent Kanouse
Please note: For the 2021 season, timed permits will be required to enter the Bear Lake Road Corridor and Rocky Mountain National Park. For more information, please see the press release from the National Park Service.
Dariusz Kowalczyk/Wikimedia Commons
Trail Ridge Road is open from late May through late October (weather and snowfall pending), with a suggested drive time of 2 to 3 hours.
Flickr/Cathy McCray
To learn more about Trail Ridge Road and its current conditions, please call the Trail Ridge Road Status Line at (970) 586-1222.
Flickr/trevorklatko

Do you have a favorite place that you would like to see featured on Only in Colorado? Remember to nominate it here! For even more of our favorite Centennial State drives, check out The Bachelor Loop Has More Abandoned Towns Than Any Other Colorado Road.

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Trail Ridge Road Summit, Estes Park, CO 80517, USA