Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway
Visitor Services

Virtually all of the byway communities provide automobile and recreational vehicle repair and towing. There are four picnic grounds either directly accessible or very near the byway.

Service	Description	Service	Description
	Fees Campgrounds and picnic areas may have use fees.		Bicycle/Pedestrian Facilities This area is a mountain biker's paradise with many roads and trails to choose from. Tour biking is a popular activity, and the... [more]
	Camping There are four U.S. Forest Service campgrounds either directly accessible or very near the byway.		Food All of the byway communities offer restaurants to the public, ranging from elegant dining in Pueblo to local favorite country cafés.
	Gasoline Gasoline is available.		Lodging Pueblo, Colorado City, and Westcliffe provide travel lodging. Pueblo has an abundance of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts with considerable capacity and 24-hour service.
	Retail The byway communities boast an array of shops, such as antique stores in Pueblo and the charming and flourishing artisan shops in Westcliffe.

NOTE: The America's Byways® website is federally funded and cannot promote commercial businesses. This data may not be complete or up to date. The National Scenic Byways Program is not responsible for the quality of your travel experience. See the right column on the Byway Overview page for local contact information.

Special Considerations

State Highways:

State Highways 96 and 165 are maintained year-round by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). There are no seasonal restrictions. CDOT plows both highways during and after all snowstorms. It is very rare for any section of the road to be closed for a significant time due to snow accumulation. Visitors travel the byway year-round, thus necessitating a high level of maintenance. Aside from brief but sometimes intense thunderstorms, adverse weather affecting traffic during the summer is very rare. During the winter, visitors drive the byway to view the snow-draped Sangre De Cristos or to ski. They rarely encounter any problems.

County Roads:

Many of the Frontier Pathways loop tours are on county gravel roads. All significant county roads are plowed quickly after storms, although plowing along these roads may take a little longer than the state highways.

U.S. Forest Roads & Trails:

There are many U.S. Forest Service access roads that connect with or are near the byway. Most forest roads are maintained in the summer but are not plowed in the winter. U.S. Forest Service trails are open year-round. Many people enjoy hiking the trails in the summer and cross-country skiing on the same trails in the winter. The only accessibility limitations to these trails occur when county roads are not yet plowed or when easy access to a trail is via a closed Forest Service road.

Please be aware:

• Wildfires are an ever-present danger in the dry summer months. Please follow all posted signs regarding campfires, and do not throw cigarettes out the car window.
• Abandoned mines are extremely dangerous -- look, take pictures, but do not explore.
• If you are driving a large RV and find you are relishing the scenery more slowly than those in your rear view mirror, please be courteous, pull over, and let them pass.
• Please respect property owners' rights; don't trespass and don't litter.
• This byway traverses high mountain passes; be prepared for all types of weather. High altitudes bring increased sun exposure and reduced oxygen, so wear sunscreen and sunglasses and don't overexert yourself.
• There are rare winter closures due to snowfall.

Seasons

Best Time to Drive

The best time to drive depends on whether you enjoy snow-covered peaks and pines of winter or the greenery and flowers of spring and summer.

High Season

Summer is Colorado's busiest tourist season, but winter also brings a lot a ski-season traffic.

Road Conditions

To find up to date information about the road conditions along Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway, please visit the FHWA listing of web sites for more information.

Colorado