What is the elevation change along the byway?

Depending on your travel route, you may experience up to 5,000 feet in elevation change along the Gold Belt Byway, creating diverse ecosystems and dramatic landscape transitions within a single drive. At the lowest elevations near Florence and Cañon City at approximately 5,300 feet, you encounter semi-arid grasslands covered with perennial grasses and shrubs. As you climb through rugged rocky canyons supporting piñon pine and juniper woodlands, the landscape transforms with each thousand feet of elevation gained.

The high country surrounding Cripple Creek and Victor reaches elevations above 9,600 feet, where subalpine forests of Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and quaking aspen dominate the landscape. This significant elevation change means you should be prepared for changes in weather conditions, including temperature variations of 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit between the lowest and highest points. The elevation changes also create opportunities to observe many different plant and wildlife species adapted to specific elevation zones, from prairie dogs and roadrunners at lower elevations to elk, black bears, and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in the high country.