Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway
Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway is a State Scenic Byway in Colorado. Within Colorado it covers roughly 60 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Colorado's oldest scenic byway runs about 55 miles along the Front Range foothills between Estes Park and Black Hawk, on State Routes 7, 72, and 119. The route stays high against the eastern wall of the Continental Divide, with near-constant views toward the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It passes the mountain town of Nederland and is a classic autumn aspen drive close to Denver and Boulder.
- Continental Divide views
- Indian Peaks Wilderness
- Nederland
- Estes Park
- aspen color
Plan a drive on Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store
Places to stop along Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
Rocky Mountain National Park's main east entrance and a Frank Lloyd Wright-school building from 1967, a short drive from the byway's Estes Park end.
WebsiteLily Mountain Trail
A quieter 3.8-mile round-trip climb just south of Estes Park to a rocky summit looking across at Longs Peak.
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Lakes and 13,000-foot peaks reached from the Brainard Lake area west of Ward, where summer access now requires a timed-entry reservation.
WebsiteGilpin History Museum
Exhibits on Central City's 1859 gold rush, set in an 1870 stone schoolhouse above the old mining town.
WebsiteGolden Gate Canyon State Park
More than 35 miles of trails through aspen and meadows, with Panorama Point looking out on a hundred miles of the Continental Divide.
Website
Where to Stay along Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway
15 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway.
Campsite, lodging, RV rental and membership links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.