Best Scenic Drives in Colorado: Why the Lariat Loop Should Be at the Top of Your Road Trip List

Colorado is home to some of America's most breathtaking roads, from Trail Ridge Road to the Million Dollar Highway. Yet one scenic drive often flies under the radar despite offering towering mountain views, fascinating history, dinosaur discoveries, charming mountain towns, and one of the world's most famous outdoor concert venues—all within a single day.

If you're searching for the best scenic drives in Colorado, the Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway deserves a place at the very top of your itinerary.

Stretching roughly 40 miles through the foothills west of Denver, the Lariat Loop combines spectacular scenery with stories of the Wild West, engineering marvels, prehistoric fossils, and Colorado's earliest mountain communities. Better yet, it's close enough to Denver that you can experience it in a relaxing day trip while still feeling like you've escaped deep into the Rockies. This guide is based on the featured locations and historical narratives from the Lariat Loop Driving Tour.

Why the Lariat Loop Is One of the Best Scenic Drives in Colorado

Unlike many Colorado mountain roads that focus solely on scenery, the Lariat Loop blends nature, history, geology, and culture into one unforgettable journey.

The route begins in historic Golden, climbs the famous Lookout Mountain, winds through Evergreen and Bear Creek Canyon, passes forests, lakes, wildlife habitats, and historic parks, before finishing near Red Rocks Park and Dinosaur Ridge.

Although you could complete the drive in about two hours, that would mean missing what makes this byway truly special. The real adventure comes from stopping at overlooks, hiking short trails, exploring museums, and discovering the stories hidden behind every curve.

Start Your Adventure in Historic Golden

Your journey begins in Golden, a town whose roots stretch back to the 1859 Colorado Gold Rush. Once the territorial capital, Golden later became famous as the home of the massive Coors Brewery and the Colorado School of Mines. Today, it serves as the perfect gateway to the Front Range.

Before climbing into the foothills, spend a little time exploring downtown or watching kayakers navigate Clear Creek Whitewater Park, an inspiring example of environmental restoration. The creek was once heavily polluted by decades of mining runoff before becoming one of Colorado's premier recreation areas.

Climb the Legendary Lariat Trail

One of the drive's highlights arrives almost immediately.

The Lariat Trail twists dramatically up the eastern face of Lookout Mountain through 56 hand-built switchbacks, gaining nearly 2,000 feet in elevation.

Completed in 1913 under road builder Charles "Cement Bill" Williams, this remarkable engineering achievement transformed steep mountain terrain into one of Colorado's most enjoyable scenic roads. Each curve reveals increasingly impressive views across Golden, the Great Plains, and the distant Front Range.

Several overlooks along the climb provide excellent opportunities for photography, especially during sunrise or late afternoon when the light paints the foothills in warm golden tones.

Visit Buffalo Bill's Final Resting Place

Few places along Colorado's scenic byways combine history and scenery as beautifully as Lookout Mountain.

Here you'll find the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, dedicated to William F. Cody, whose Wild West shows introduced millions of people around the world to America's frontier heritage.

Inside the museum are authentic costumes, firearms, posters, and exhibits chronicling his remarkable transformation from buffalo hunter and Pony Express rider into one of history's first global celebrities. Outside, his gravesite overlooks the Great Plains—exactly where he requested to spend eternity.

The nearby scenic overlook offers one of the finest panoramic views along the entire route.

Evergreen: Colorado's Mountain Escape

Continuing west, the road descends toward Evergreen, one of Colorado's most charming mountain communities.

In the early 1900s, wealthy Denver families escaped the city's growing coal smoke by building elegant summer homes among Evergreen's towering pine forests. Many of these rustic mountain estates blended seamlessly into the landscape, preserving mature trees while showcasing beautiful stone architecture.

Today, Evergreen offers cozy cafés, local shops, scenic parks, and the peaceful atmosphere that continues attracting visitors more than a century later.

Nearby Evergreen Lake, created by the historic Evergreen Dam, provides opportunities for kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, ice skating, and leisurely lakeside walks.

Experience the Beauty of Bear Creek Canyon

Ask longtime Colorado residents about their favorite section of the Lariat Loop, and many will point to Bear Creek Canyon.

The narrow highway follows the rushing creek between towering granite walls, creating one of the most scenic canyon drives near Denver.

Frequent pullouts invite travelers to stop, listen to rushing water, and admire dramatic cliffs that seem to rise straight from the roadway.

Along the canyon you'll also encounter several excellent hiking opportunities, including Lair O' the Bear Park, a lush riverside preserve famous for wildlife, birdwatching, and shaded walking trails. The area even preserves remnants of an ambitious early twentieth-century apple orchard planted by an optimistic homesteader hoping to establish commercial fruit production in the mountains.

Wildlife Around Every Corner

One reason the Lariat Loop ranks among the best scenic drives in Colorado is its outstanding wildlife viewing.

Visitors frequently encounter:

• Mule deer

• Elk

• Red foxes

• Hawks

• Bald eagles

• Wild turkeys

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Nearby Genesee Park also protects one of Colorado's most famous bison herds, descended from Yellowstone animals introduced in the early twentieth century to help preserve the species. Watching these massive animals graze against mountain backdrops is an unforgettable Colorado experience.

Always remember to observe wildlife from a safe distance.

Red Rocks: Nature's Greatest Concert Hall

No Lariat Loop adventure feels complete without visiting Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

Long before musicians performed here, towering sandstone monoliths formed naturally through millions of years of geological uplift.

Today, Red Rocks hosts world-famous concerts while remaining one of the world's most spectacular outdoor venues. Even without attending a show, visitors can hike surrounding trails, admire massive formations like Creation Rock, and enjoy panoramic mountain views.

Walk Among Dinosaurs

The final stop takes travelers back more than 150 million years.

Dinosaur Ridge is one of North America's most important fossil sites.

In 1877, local schoolteacher Arthur Lakes discovered some of the world's first scientifically recognized Stegosaurus fossils here, launching the legendary "Bone Wars" between rival paleontologists competing to uncover new dinosaur species.

Today visitors can walk alongside actual dinosaur bones embedded in rock, examine hundreds of preserved footprints, and explore exhibits explaining Colorado's prehistoric past.

Few scenic drives anywhere combine mountain scenery with world-class paleontology quite like this.

Tips for Driving the Lariat Loop

To make the most of your trip:

• Allow a full day instead of rushing.

• Start early to avoid weekend traffic.

• Bring water and snacks.

• Wear comfortable walking shoes.

• Stop frequently at overlooks.

• Watch carefully for wildlife.

• Check mountain weather before departing.

• Visit in autumn for spectacular golden aspens or summer for lush green forests.

Discover Colorado One Story at a Time

The Lariat Loop isn't simply one of the best scenic drives in Colorado because of its mountain views. It's exceptional because every stop reveals another chapter of Colorado's remarkable story—from Gold Rush pioneers and Buffalo Bill to dinosaur discoveries, engineering triumphs, mountain communities, and natural wonders.

Rather than simply driving past these landmarks, imagine hearing the fascinating stories behind them exactly as you arrive.

With the WalknTours GPS-guided Lariat Loop Driving Tour, narration automatically plays as you approach each stop, transforming a beautiful drive into an immersive journey through Colorado's history, geology, wildlife, and legends. The experience lets you travel at your own pace while uncovering stories that many visitors never hear.

Download the Lariat Loop Driving Tour

Colorado offers countless scenic highways, but few deliver as much variety in such a short distance as the Lariat Loop. Whether you're fascinated by dinosaurs, Wild West history, mountain engineering, wildlife, or simply breathtaking scenery, this iconic byway has something for every traveler.

Ready to experience one of the best scenic drives in Colorado? Download the WalknTours Lariat Loop Self-Guided Driving Tour and explore Colorado's mountains, canyons, historic towns, and legendary landmarks at your own pace. Every mile reveals another unforgettable story waiting just beyond the next curve.