We did it!! We’ve been to Colorado 3 times since 2015 and each time the Mount Evans byway has been “closed for construction”. Well, they finally opened it in May of this year! You have to have reservations to drive it, which I made online awhile back. So, we were ready to go! Our reservation was for 10:00 am, so we left about 7:30 ( since we were driving through Denver, ugh)
I had packed a picnic, loaded “the girls” and we hit the road!
I’ll give you some background from the USDA.gov:
“The Mount Evans Scenic Byway climbs over 7,000 feet in its 28-mile length, reaching an altitude of 14,130' feet. Idaho Springs serves as the starting point to the byway, which is the highest paved road in North America! This drive offers visitors scenic views of the Continental Divide, mountain goat and bighorn sheep herds, marmots, birds and apline wildflowers, and the Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine trees. The Mount Evans Recreation Area offers easy access to Colorado’s inspiring high mountain environment. Take a short walk to the top of your first 14er! Overlook spectacular views of distant mountain peaks, alpine lakes and glacier valleys! Walk amongst the oldest living organisms on earth! A drive to the top of Mount Evans will take your breath away, in more ways than one! “
All I can say is, if this byway has been under construction for 10 years, they obviously weren’t working on the road! Check out these pics :
(I take a pic of the navigation screen to see the “starting temp”) We still had a couple of thousand feet to climb and about 10 more miles to go!
We made it to the top! I think Colorado loves their “Rocky” buildings. This was at the top:
I don’t know if there was a gift shop or not because I didn’t get out. (I did see bathrooms on the side, but none of it looked “easily accessible” with my bum foot.)
The best part of it all is the little bit of wildlife we saw. Since I’m confused about the difference between “Big horn sheep” and “Mountain goats” I Googled to get some images, because I think we saw both. Here’s Google images:
Here’s mine:
The road was awful! The Alaska Highway was an easier drive! I guess they have more “frost heaves” in Colorado’ LOL! And, since I didn’t get into a gift shop I checked Amazon and they have Mount Evans “merch”, so I’ll be ordering some.
We got back down and home and crashed. It was a long drive. (Poor Sadie got sick and puked on her blanket and car bed)
Once again, Mr Charley proved he can drive his “BAT” (bad a$$ truck) anywhere! He maneuvered those hairpin turns like a pro!
Thanks, Mr Charley for letting me hang with you! Todays drive really was “an adventure”
Have a good one everybody.
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