5 Winter Road Trips in Colorado
Most of Colorado's famous drives close in winter. Independence Pass closes. Kebler Pass closes. Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park closes. The state has more mountain passes than any other, and snow shuts down most of them by November.
But some roads stay open. Plowed, maintained, and worth driving when the mountains are white and the crowds are gone. These are the five best winter road trips in Colorado.
1. Denver to Glenwood Springs via I-70
Distance: 160 miles one way
Drive time: 2.5 to 3 hours without stops
Road condition: Interstate. Plowed and salted. Chains or snow tires recommended but not required.
This is the most traveled mountain corridor in Colorado. I-70 through the Eisenhower Tunnel, past Vail, and down into the Glenwood Canyon is dramatic in every season. In winter, the canyon walls rise above you while the Colorado River runs dark and cold below.
The stop: Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. The largest hot springs pool in the world. A block-long pool at 104 degrees and a smaller therapy pool at 108. Open year-round, including holidays. Adult day pass is $32. The experience of soaking in hot water while snow falls on your head is exactly what you think it is.
Iron Mountain Hot Springs, a newer option on the river, has 16 smaller pools at varying temperatures. Adult admission is $38. More intimate than the big pool. Reservations recommended on weekends.
Glenwood Springs has enough restaurants and hotels to make it an overnight. The Hotel Denver sits above the Amtrak station and starts around $150 per night in winter.
2. Denver to Steamboat Springs via Highway 40
Distance: 165 miles one way
Drive time: 3 to 3.5 hours
Road condition: Highway. Well-maintained. Rabbit Ears Pass at 9,426 feet can be icy. Snow tires strongly recommended.
Highway 40 crosses the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass without a tunnel. The road climbs through ranch country, over the pass, and drops into the Yampa Valley. In winter, the snow-covered hay fields and barns on the approach to Steamboat look like a postcard from a different century.
The stop: Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Seven miles north of Steamboat on a dirt road that turns to ice in winter. You need four-wheel drive or the shuttle. The shuttle runs from downtown Steamboat and costs $15 round trip. The hot springs are $25 per adult.
Strawberry Park is the best natural hot springs experience in Colorado. Rock-lined pools in a forested canyon. No concrete. No locker rooms. Just hot water and cold air and trees. After dark it is adults only and clothing optional.
Stay in Steamboat for the night. Ski the next day if you want. The town works in winter whether you ski or not. Old Town Hot Springs is the in-town alternative if you do not want the dirt road drive to Strawberry Park. Admission is $18.
3. Colorado Springs to Canon City and the Royal Gorge
Distance: 50 miles one way
Drive time: 1 hour
Road condition: Highway 115 and Highway 50. Low elevation. Rarely icy.
A short winter drive that stays below 6,500 feet, which means snow is unusual and the roads are reliably clear. Highway 50 follows the Arkansas River through open country and into the mouth of the Royal Gorge.
The stop: Royal Gorge Bridge and Park. A suspension bridge 956 feet above the Arkansas River. Open year-round. Winter hours are shorter and the crowds are thin. Adult admission is $28. Standing on the bridge with snow on the canyon walls and no one else around is a different experience from the summer version.
On the way back, stop at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. You do not need to stay there. The lobby is open and the Golden Bee pub serves fish and chips and yard-long beers in a room that was shipped piece by piece from a 19th-century English pub. Pints are $9. It is a good reason to end the drive in Colorado Springs.
4. Durango to Pagosa Springs via Highway 160
Distance: 60 miles one way
Drive time: 1 hour
Road condition: Highway 160 over Wolf Creek Pass at 10,857 feet. Well-plowed but can close briefly during heavy storms. Check CDOT before departing.
Wolf Creek Pass receives more snow than almost anywhere in Colorado. The highway is maintained but it earns respect. Drive it during the day and check conditions first.
The stop: The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs. Twenty-five hot springs pools along the San Juan River, ranging from 83 to 114 degrees. The deepest geothermal hot spring in the world feeds them. Day passes are $45 for adults. The pools are tiered above the river and the views south toward the San Juans are wide open.
Pagosa Springs is a small town that takes its hot springs seriously. The town's name comes from the Ute word meaning "healing waters." You can feel the geothermal heat through the sidewalks in places.
Durango makes a good base. Stay at the Strater Hotel, a Victorian landmark on Main Avenue. Winter rates start around $130.
5. Denver to Buena Vista via Highway 285
Distance: 120 miles one way
Drive time: 2 to 2.5 hours
Road condition: Highway 285 is well-maintained. Kenosha Pass at 10,001 feet is the high point and can be icy.
Highway 285 is the road to the Arkansas River Valley. It climbs out of the Front Range, crosses South Park, a wide grassland basin at 9,000 feet, and drops into the valley near Buena Vista. In winter, South Park is a white expanse with the Mosquito Range to the west and the mountains of the Collegiate Peaks to the south.
The stop: Cottonwood Hot Springs. Six miles west of Buena Vista up Cottonwood Pass Road. Natural rock pools at 100 to 110 degrees. Rustic lodge with rooms starting around $120. Day soaking is $25 per person. Clothing optional after dark.
Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort is the more developed alternative, 8 miles south of Buena Vista. Large pools with views of the Collegiate Peaks. Day pass is $35.
Buena Vista itself has grown into a good small town. Eddyline Brewery does solid food and beer. The Lariat does coffee and breakfast. The town sits at 7,965 feet in a wide valley with fourteeners on three sides.
Winter Driving Tips
Carry chains or have snow tires. Colorado's Traction Law requires adequate traction on I-70 and other mountain highways from September through May. The fine for not complying is $130.
Check CDOT road conditions at cotrip.org before every mountain drive. Passes close. Avalanche control shuts down lanes. Conditions change in an hour.
Fill your gas tank before you leave the city. Gas stations thin out between mountain towns.
Drive in daylight when you can. Mountain roads after dark in winter require more focus than most people expect.
Pack extra layers, food, and water in your car. If you get stuck, you want to be comfortable for a few hours.
Colorado in winter rewards the people who show up prepared. The roads are open. The hot springs are hot. The mountains are quieter. It is the best time of year to see the state without the crowds.