You haven’t truly experienced a Colorado winter until you’ve pulled off a highway in January to take a photo, stepped confidently into what you thought was a nice, packed-down patch of snow and immediately plunged crotch-deep into a frozen abyss. One moment you’re standing in your winter driving moccasins, the next you’re submerged to the hips, legs encased in four feet of crusty ice layers, wondering how you’re going to explain this to your chiropractor.
But then you look up, and the mountains hit you with that snow-globe twinkle, and suddenly, it’s worth every frozen toe — and the 30-minute extraction that may or may not render your shearling footwear a sacrifice to the Norse god of snow, Ullr.
At the risk of postholing this winter, Colorado’s high-country highways offer some of the most arresting winter landscapes in the country, and many of them are accessible with a simple vehicle pull-off. Whether for a family photo, a quick self-portrait, or a brief session of primal screaming into the void, these roadside overlooks and mountain routes deliver the kind of views that make you forget you can’t feel your shins.
Boss of the byways
The view going south on Interstate 70 near Genesee Park on Jan. 4, 2024. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)Of course, not every snowy road is created equal. Some are smooth and scenic, others are a fast track to testing both your traction control and your relationship. That’s why it helps to know where to pull over, or, better yet, to have someone who actually knows what they’re talking about.
That someone is Lenore Bates, Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways program manager, who spends her days thinking about the drives the rest of us take for fun. Bates said most of Colorado’s official byways offer plenty of chances to soak in those snow-covered mountain views without chaining up or getting stuck.
“Most of our byways have access year-round,” Bates said. “One exception is an unpaved section of the Gold Belt Tour, which isn’t recommended during inclement weather.”
Among her favorites are the Collegiate Peaks Byway, where pull-offs like Zebulon Pike Historic Wayside and Collegiate Peaks Scenic Overlook offer panoramic views between Buena Vista and Salida, and the Highway of Legends, a winding stretch between Colorado’s La Veta and Cuchara with views of the Spanish Peaks that look like they were designed for postcards. On the Frontier Pathways Byway, the drive from Wetmore to Westcliffe rolls through snow-blanketed ranchlands that feel a world away, while the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway gives drivers glimpses of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker shining above Lily Lake near Estes Park.
“Don’t forget that visitors can stop by the communities and warm up with coffee, lunch, or other goodies during the winter,” Bates added. “Museums or galleries can also provide an indoor break.”
Before hitting the road, Bates recommends checking COTrip.org, which offers real-time road conditions, where users can add a Scenic Byways layer for easy planning.
“It also includes safety recommendations, vehicle prep lists, and traction law information,” she said. “And of course, buckle up.”
Melissa Carmon, of Fort Collins, takes a photograph of the changing fall foliage on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway near Nederland. (Longmont Times-Call file photo)Related Articles
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“It’s pretty much one of the eight wonders of the world for me,” said EmmaGrace Baugh, tourism coordinator for the Ouray Visitors Center. “You’re driving right along the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests she said, so in the fall, the spring, and, especially the winter, you get gorgeous views. But definitely everyone will need chains for the snow.”
Assuming you are chained up and ready to go, Baugh has some recommendations for places to stop along the route. About five minutes south of Ouray, the “Switzerland of America” lookout offers a right-hand pull-off with a perfect view of the town, and if you’re feeling brave, a family photo opportunity in actual falling snow. Farther along, you’ll find Bear Creek Falls frozen into a towering column of ice that you can peer down on from the overlook just past the first tunnel.
Around the 20-minute mark, Ironton townsite makes a great place to pull off, stretch your legs, or even cross-country ski through the old mining grounds (just make sure you’ve passed your avalanche safety course first). Nearby, the Idarado Mine sits right off the highway, framed by the peaks you’ve just driven through.
“The Million Dollar Highway views are worth a million dollars a mile,” Baugh said. “The quiet stillness of the snowcapped mountains brings a sense of warmth to our town. The alpenglow brushing the peaks feels like a warm kiss in the colder weather.”
Baugh recommends starting smaller for those who are unsure about tackling the full route.
“We definitely have a ton of smaller county roads if you’re not too sure about driving the Million Dollar Highway right away,” she said. “County Road 361 is a little wider, and, even though it’s dirt, it gives you the same kind of feeling — not quite as intense. Usually, what I recommend is to start with some backroads around Ridgway or here in Ouray, before driving Million Dollar Highway.”
And for those undeterred by heights, but perhaps prone to panic-squeezing the steering wheel, Baugh offered this bit of advice: “Drive slow. The biggest mistake people make is trying to stay in the middle of the road, which actually makes it more dangerous. And if you don’t feel comfortable looking over the edge, I definitely don’t recommend being the one driving.”
If you manage not to drive over the edge (Just kidding! You’ll be fine!), the payoff is rewarding.
“The best way I can describe it is like a sheet of snow draped over the mountains,” Baugh said. “In the evenings, you get this alpine glow, like the pinks and purples lighting up the peaks.”
You don’t need to drive a snowplow or own crampons to fall in love with a Colorado snow scene. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you where to stand — ideally a professional who’s spent years yelling “just a little to the left!” at people in the great outdoors.
Picture-perfect panoramas
Highway 133 runs between Grand Mesa National Forest and the Gunnison National Forest near Carbondale, Colorado. (Daily Camera file photo)Longmont-based photographer Emily Carter has lived in Colorado her whole life, which basically makes her fluent in intermittent weather and golden-hour timing — and the person you want in your passenger seat when the landscape suddenly calls for documentation.
When it comes to taking photos in Colorado, she has a soft spot in her heart for the mountains.
“I go to other places and I’m like, ‘Everywhere else is boring. I love my mountains,’” she said. “There are so many places in the mountains that all look so unique. I definitely think the mountains look prettier when they have snow on them — there’s just something a little extra magical.”
Her favorite easy-to-reach winter spots are Lily Lake near Estes Park, Cottonwood Pass outside of Buena Vista, and Lost Gulch Overlook in Boulder. Carter discovered the magic that is Cottonwood Pass during a road trip to Crested Butte one June when there was still snow on the mountain.
“You’re so high up that there’s still snow, even in summer,” she said. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel like I’m in another world, like I’m re-entering winter again.’”
A wedding party gathers in the snow at Lily Lake near Estes Park. (Emily Carter/Visit Estes Park)Carter said that, while cold, wet and kind of annoying, snow acts like a natural lighting prop when it comes to shooting photos. She said that it changes the properties of light.
“People always associate snow with the holiday season, so there’s something a little extra magical about it,” she said. “But it also adds contrast. If someone’s wearing white or ivory, the snow on the mountains almost makes it look like the mountains are dressed to match them. The whiteness of the snow tends to reflect light upward, which softens faces and sharpens colors, giving an ordinary overcast afternoon into a kind of cinematic glow.”
And while she spends most weekends photographing couples, families and elopements in the mountains, her advice for anyone chasing that perfect snowy shot is simple: Dress in layers, watch the weather and don’t underestimate a sunrise.
“As far as logistics, Colorado weather is unpredictable, so I always tell clients to wear layers,” she said. “We can throw a coat off for a few photos and put it right back on while walking to a new spot. Definitely check the weather beforehand, even the morning of, because it can change quickly, especially above 9,000 feet. It gets windy fast. To avoid crazy weather, I recommend morning sessions, which also have really pretty light. But if they want the best lighting, sunset is always stunning.”
Her final tip might also apply to road trips in general, and that’s to choose places that mean something to you.
“If the location has personal meaning, that’s even better,” she said. “There’s a little more sentimentality when you pick a spot that means something to you.”
So this winter, pick a good spot, pull over, take the photo and pretend you meant to sink half of your body in the snow. It’s all part of the experience.
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