bcity

We will be traveling I 70 across Colorado, any sites one should not miss?

bob_brown

You mean like in leaving I 70 and seeking out something, or a place where you can pull over at a rest area and see something?

I don't recall much visible from the highway. It seeks the low ground.

You will go through a tunnel, but that is not very high on my list of sights.

dwooddon

That's a long stretch of highway and the mountainious portion from Denver to Grand Junction is very scenic. Just west of Denver a few miles, Buffalo Bill's grave and museum is just 4-5 miles off the freeway at Lookout Mountain. Idaho Springs, Empire, Georgetown, and Silverthorne are all on I-70 east of the tunnels. All are old mining towns and worth a visit, Georgetown especially.
West of the tunnels, Glenwood Springs is a nice visit. It has a bunch of hot springs and is also the location of the death and burial of Doc Holliday of OK Corral fame.

Vail is a tourist oriented town dedicated to sking and winter sports in the winter and just generally relaxation in other seasons. Some people find it too artificial (Swiss Alps in the Rockies) but I'm not one of them.

dwooddon

I have to respectfully disagree with Bob. The stretch of I-70 from the Kansas Border to Golden, just west of Denver is best gotten through as quickly as possible but from Golden to Grand Junction, I rate it as one of the ten most scenic highways in the lower-48. There is another grand vista around almost every curve. Several that are exceptionally impressive is the 100+ mile view of the continental divide (peak after peak after peak) from the Chief Hosa area west of Denver (best seen west bound. East bound, the views are mostly over the shoulder).

Glendwood Canyon is not quite as impressive now as it was before the freeway was built throough it but it is still very nice.

The road parallels the Colorado River for many miles in the western half of the state and, at the right times with the right light, it can be breath-taking.

Grassshopper

I70 between Golden and Grand Junction is beautiful. Are you looking for places to stop overnight or just for short breaks?

I think natural breaking places are Georgetown (you can ride the train), Lake Dillon (picnic by the lake), Vail, Hanging Lake (for a short hike), and Glenwood Springs.

Glenwood Canyon is really breakthtaking.

wtm003

Grassshopper beat me to it, but I would also suggest Hanging Lake for a hike. It is one of our favorite hikes!

www.hikingincolorado.org/hang.html

fmpden

I don't think Bob lives in Colorado, has not driven I-70, or his memory is very faulty. You could take a week crossing Colorado In additional to all of the other recs we have a small wine industry being developed around Paliscade. The Glenwood Canyon is the pretties section, Georgetown and the Georgetown Rail Loop if you have the time. Have lunch at the Buffalo Bar in Idaho Springs or lunch in Frisco. Lots of options.

bcity

Thanks for the numerous suggestions, I will do some research on those sites. We don't mind venturing off the interstate if it is worth our time . We will be heading home after already being on the road for 2 weeks plus. We have never been to Colorado at all so I knew if there was anything to see someone on this forum would know. Thanks I may be getting back to ask some more questions.

utahtea

Colorado National Monument. If you don't want to drive the whole park,then go in and out at Fruita.

I-70 from Fremont Junction, Utah to Denver, Colordo is the most scenic Interstate driving!

Utahtea

Gretchen

I will second and third the beauty of driving 70 from Denver west! If you like outlet shopping stop in Silverthorne. Sorry to inject that in the beauty.
The Glenwood Canyon portion of the road is definitely worth a stop to walk along the river and see the exhibition of how that road was built. Amazing.
Lots of nice little places to stop--Edwards has turned into a pleasant easy stop (as opposed to finding your way around Vail, for example) if it is time for lunch.
Oh, and don't be fooled into thinking that once you are at Denver, Kansas can't be far--it is!! And is definitely the high plains!!

Norden1

You did not state when you would be traveling, but if summer check out the highest road in the USA at over 14000 ft. Mt Evans just south of Idaho Springs. Google it for more info

bcity

Thanks, for the replies, I have copied your suggestions, but we will be traveling homeward which is east, hopefully the scenery will be great also. I will check out Mt Evans and we might want to stop at an outlet. We will be making this part of our journey the week of Memorial Day. Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.

fmpden

WHAT PART OF MEMORIAL DAYWEEK???? East bound on I-70 by mid-afternoon could approach grid lock. from Frisco in and maybe as far back as Vail. Not a good time to travel that area. A side trip to Mr. Evens will add three or four to your travels. It is a good experience but it is slow and curvy.

bcity

I'm not sure what day of Memorial week, because we plan to stop in Moab, Utah on Thursday and spend the night, maybe more than one night. Probably start across Colorado sometime of that weekend. I 70 gridlock to where? We may skip Mt Evans if traffic through that area is horrible. I know Memorial weekend is a bad time to travel. Maybe we will just stay in Utah through the weekend. We have no timeable to get home, both of us are retired.

fmpden

The traffic problems will start in the foothills and extend back to Eisenhower tunnel and probably to Frisco. Just too much volume from the front range folks returning home. In my earlier email meant to say that Evens would add at least three or four hours to your trip.

the_scarecrow_in_oz

fmpden is wise to advise that Memorial Day (Monday) will probably be troublesome on eastbound I-70 from Frisco, up to the Eisenhower tunnel and down to Idaho Springs simply because of the volume of local travelers returning from the mountains to their homes in the Denver area.

It's a scenario played out almost every Sunday during the ski season. Starting at about about two or three o'clock in the afternoon on those days, traffic starts to build and the 2 lane interstate can't handle the volume heading east until the road expands to 3 lanes just east of Idaho Springs. It can slow to a single digit crawl or even completely inexplicably stop for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Usually by 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening the traffic begins to thin out and return to normal.

If you just simply avoid I-70 eastbound from Frisco to Idaho Springs between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on normal Sundays (and holiday Mondays) you should be fine. Sundays that fall on a holiday weekend are generally not a problem as people wait until Monday to head home.

bcity

Thanks for the advice, we will make our way across Colorado before Monday, since we have booked only one night in Moab. We want to make some stops in Colorado, but we will do that on Friday & Saturday and Continue eastward on Sunday.

theheadysmiths

Four easy-to-get-to places we enjoy are:

Visitor's Center at Georgetown. Free coffee and tea there also.

Eat in Silver Plume. About a mile off I-70. Town law requires dirt streets. A couple of eclectic eating places. Favorite was the Sopp & Trusket Bakery. I know it was sold about a year ago. We will check before we stop in 2 weeks...sitting at the table in front of bakery and watching the hummingbirds takes you away to another time & place...

Renting a bicycle in Glenwood Springs and biking the canyon is wonderful. Easy to adjust time and distance to your time and ability... About 3 bike shops in Glenwood Springs rent bicycles by the hour or the day...
Take plenty of water with you.

Behind the large hot springs swimming pool in Glenwood Springs is a vapor cave we find worthwhile. No worry about sunburn but a body renewal. If time and $ allow you can also schedule a massage...

fmpden

Theheadysmiths, as the saying goes -- I think you are a day late and a dollar short. bcity is already home.

furledleader

But they're great suggestions none-the-less.