The first hints of gold are starting to shimmer in the Colorado Rockies, signaling the arrival of one of the most magical times of year. Fall in Colorado means crisp mornings, bluebird skies, and mountainsides ablaze with yellow, orange, and red.
With summer’s heat behind us and snow still on the horizon, autumn is one of the best times to explore. One of our favorite ways to do just that is with a scenic drive—windows down, camera ready, and plenty of pull-offs to soak up the views. Use this interactive fall color map from Explore Fall to help time your trip and then check out a few of our favorite drives for leaf peeping in Colorado - all easily accessible from our luxury vacation rental homes in Breckenridge.
Boreas Pass is one of Colorado's top scenic drives and one of the best places to see fall colors. An easy route with stunning views, Boreas Pass used to be the only way in and out of Breckenridge in the railroad days. You'll get views of so many surrounding peaks, including Ten Mile Range,, Quandary Peak, Red Mountain, and Bald Mountain. All as you ascend to the Continental Divide.
Instead of returning to Breckenridge via the same route, another option is to make a loop. Continue east on Boreas Pass Road, taking in the vistas toward the eastern plains. It is different from the west side with low mountains and open park-like valleys. The elevation drops as you wind your way to the valley floor to the small town of Como and on to the quaint town of Alma, before climbing over Hoosier Pass and back in to Breckenridge.
Sitting at 11,542 feet elevation this drive offers a great opportunity to experience changing leaves and a windy mountain road with incredible views. This high mountain pass sits on the Continental Divide that winds from Breckenridge to Fairplay. Take Highway 9 from Breckenridge through Blue River and onto Hoosier Pass. Be sure to stop and get a photo at the Continental Divide sign before to Breckenridge and see all the splendor again!
Swan Mountain Road runs along Lake Dillon and is surrounded by forest and aspens. Pull off in the parking lot at the top and walk to the Sapphire Point to take in a beautiful bird’s eye view of the lake and surrounding peaks. Continue the loop on the Dam Road into Frisco and then back to Breckenridge. The Dam Road, though short, comes alive with aspens in the fall and there are plenty of spots to pull over and take in the spectacular views.
The Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway starts at Copper Mountain and travels over Fremont Pass to Leadville where travelers can take one route to Granite or loop over Tennessee Pass through Camp Hale, Red Cliff and Minturn and back through Vail. A gorgeous drive, travelers will be rewarded with golden aspens all along the route and wide-open spaces with expansive views of Colorado's famous 14ers, including Mt Elbert, Colorado's tallest peak.
Then park your car at one of our luxury vacation rental homes and continue to enjoy the scenery and the fall colors from the deck!
