Byway Roads
Slow Scenic Drive
Phantom Canyon Road
Gold Belt Scenic & Historic Byway
This road is one of the most scenic and historic drives in Colorado. The route increases in elevation from 5,500 to 9,500 feet and offers the chance to see a wide range of plants and wildlife in their natural setting. The gravel road follows the route of the Florence & Cripple Creek Railroad built in 1894 as a connection from Florence to the goldfields of Cripple Creek and Victor. The unique bridges and tunnels offer a visual link to the area's historic past. The road condition and narrow bridges encourage people to slow down and view the scenery. Twelve stations...
Major Route for Stagecoaches & Freight Wagons
Shelf Road
Gold Belt Scenic & Historic Byway
Shelf Road offers one of Colorado's most thrilling and historic driving experiences, climbing from the high desert near Cañon City to the alpine meadows surrounding Cripple Creek. This 26-mile route gains over 3,000 feet in elevation as it winds through dramatic limestone canyons, past world-famous dinosaur fossil sites, and along the breathtaking cliff-hugging stretch that gives the road its name. Built in 1892 as a toll road to connect Cañon City merchants with the newly discovered goldfields of Cripple Creek, Shelf Road was an engineering marvel of its time. The most dramatic section—known simply as "The Shelf"—clings to sheer rock...
The Royal Gorge Bridge
High Park Road
Gold Belt Scenic & Historic Byway
High Park Road and Colorado Highway 9 were originally trails that connected the ranches and farms of the mountain parklands west of Cripple Creek to Cañon City. The Currant Creek Trail followed the route of present day Colorado Highway 9. Well-traveled by American Indians moving between the Arkansas River and South Park, this trail became an important route for the mountain men, explorers and eventually, people and freight headed for the mining camps of Leadville and South Park. To settlers, the grassy meadows of High Park seemed ideal for raising cattle and horses; however, ranching and farming proved challenging occupations...
Center of Politics, Finance, and Entertainment
Teller County Road One
Gold Belt Scenic & Historic Byway
At an elevation of 9,396 feet, Cripple Creek was the center of politics, finance, and entertainment for the Mining District. Cripple Creek boasted two opera houses, 75 saloons, eight newspapers and a stock exchange by the late 1900s. Today, limited stakes gaming has revitalized Cripple Creek's economy. You can experience a taste of the past by descending into the Mollie Kathleen Mine, visiting the Homestead Parlor House or riding the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad. Enjoy casinos, shops and restaurants, as well as a melodrama in the historic Butte Opera House. The Cripple Creek District Museum tells the...
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Two Tunnels Through Solid Rock
Phantom Canyon Road passes through two hand-cut stone tunnels that were meticulously chiseled through dense mountain rock by railroad workers in 1894. These narrow one-way tunnels were built to accommodate the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad and remain in use by vehicles today.
Ancient Lake Florissant
About 34 million years ago, volcanic mudflows dammed a stream and created ancient Lake Florissant, which stretched 1.5 kilometers wide and 20 kilometers long. The lake existed for an estimated 2,500 to 5,000 years, accumulating the sediments that preserved thousands of fossils.