Lariat Loop Scenic Byway
Lariat Loop Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway in Colorado. Within Colorado it covers roughly 50 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Lariat Loop Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
This compact loop in the foothills just west of Denver links Golden, Morrison, and Lookout Mountain. It climbs the historic Lariat Trail switchbacks to Lookout Mountain, where Buffalo Bill Cody is buried with a sweeping view of the plains, and passes Red Rocks Park, the natural sandstone amphitheater famous for concerts. It's an easy taste of the mountains within reach of the city.
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre
- Buffalo Bill's grave
- Lookout Mountain
- Golden & Morrison
- Lariat Trail switchbacks
Designated for its historic qualities
Plan a drive on Lariat Loop Scenic Byway → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store
Places to stop along Lariat Loop Scenic Byway
Colorado Railroad Museum
A Golden museum with more than a hundred locomotives and cars on 15 acres, and train rides on select weekends.
WebsiteBuffalo Bill Museum and Grave
William F. Cody's hilltop grave on Lookout Mountain, reached by the switchbacks of the Lariat Trail, with a museum and a view over the plains.
WebsiteRed Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
A concert venue set between towering red sandstone monoliths, open for hiking and stair workouts when no show is on.
WebsiteDinosaur Ridge
A hogback where some of the first Stegosaurus and Apatosaurus bones were found in 1877, with a trail past exposed bones and hundreds of footprints.
Website
Where to Stay along Lariat Loop Scenic Byway
No campgrounds are listed close to Lariat Loop Scenic Byway yet, but there are rooms near the route.
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What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.