Top of the Rockies

State: Colorado
Length: 75.0 mi / 120.7 km
Time to Allow: 2.5 hours to drive or a couple of days to visit the byway

With altitudes seldom dipping below 9,000 feet, this byway earns its name. Visit historic mining railroad towns en route to historic Leadville, the highest incorporated community in the U.S. Old mining camps attest to the state's rich mining heritage. The route crosses the Continental Divide twice and traces the Arkansas River.

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  Ski with History on the Top of the Rockies

  Jan 3, 2012 in Get Fit! Get Active: Go Skiing!

  Ski the frosty trails of one of Colorado's oldest ski resorts, Ski Cooper, located just east of US-24 on the Top of the Rockies, a National Scenic Byway.

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  Take a World-class Hike on the Top of the Rockies

  Sep 30, 2010 in Get Outdoors! And Enjoy Nature

  As summer temperatures spike, escape the heat with a trip to the heart of the Rocky Mountains on the Top of the Rockies byway in Colorado. Many world-class trails lie just off the byway, bringing you closer to colorful wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, trickling springs, dense forests, and the majestic Rocky Mountains.

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  1-Day Trip: Independence Pass--A Journey through History's Most Scenic Working Landscape
  (Colorado)

  Surrounded by stunning scenery only visible at altitudes that rarely drop below 9,000 feet and climb up to 12,095 feet, Independence Pass...

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  2-Day Trip: Top of the Rockies Historical Tour
  (Colorado)

  This tour begins in the town of small mountain town of Dowd, and it weaves across the beautiful, rugged stretch of land that graces Colorado.

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