west elk loop scenic byway

这条路开车一直过去非常漂亮的。因为一路通过去就是当地很出名的雪山sopris，我5月份到的时候看着山上还有雪，然后慢慢融掉，估计10月中又准备下雪了。

The views were amazing, so many large elk in large herds!!! so many pics taken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The scenic West Elk Loop (hwy 133) out of Carbondale, CO leads to any number of adventures and prolific mountain scenery. There are many side trips available and I briefly discuss two of them. Enjoy these two side trips. Either one will reward you with a stimulating visual experience as long as you take the time to soak it all in. Don't take these trips if you are in a time crunch, you will enjoy them more when you have the time to spend. Bring water, some snacks, a camera and bincoculars.First, Kebler Pass in the Fall is especially beautiful when the Aspen are golden and the sky is crystal clear blue. Head westbound on County Road 12 just south of the Paonia Reservoir (38.952150, -107.343332) toward Crested Butte. It becomes a dirt road all the way to Crested Butte (about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the turn off at Hwy 133) and can be driven in a normal vehicle in dry conditions. That said... 4 wheel drive in Colorado always helps and can be a lifesaver. This drive should not be attempted in snow, or with snow or heavy rain in the forecast, by those who have little experience with remote dirt roads! During the late spring through mid-fall this drive is easy, has great scenery, and the town of Crested Butte lies at the end of the trip as a nice reward. The mountain views and scenery are among the best in Colorado. In fact, my profile photo was taken of Marcellina Mountain on Kebler Pass in October.One of my favorite side trips off the West Elk Loop is to drive the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. - a landscape with immense views and a river canyon that is among the steepest and most visually mesmerizing in the U.S. From Carbondale take Hwy 133 over McClure Pass to Paonia and then Hotchkiss. In Hotchkiss, take Hwy 92 toward Gunnison. There is no fuel available for approximately 100 miles so top your tank in Hotchkiss! The trip to Gunnison will take at least 2 hours and will include several stops along the way to take it all in. The experience provides one with a personal awakening regarding the smallness of self and the relative space that we occupy. The vistas above the canyon are immense; the Black Canyon steep, deep and narrow. It is a very unique combination of spatially imposing landscapes.There are campgrounds on both the north and south rims of the canyon which are located on dirt roads 11 to 15 miles off the paved road. Check availability and for winter closures times. It will take two + hours to travel from one end to the other on the north rim along a windy 2 lane paved road. Check it out on Google Earth for a better understanding of the nature of the drive.Note: Winter in Colorado is fun, but some roads and facilities are closed during the winter months. Check on access before you make the trip. Ask locals about conditions.

The West Elk Loop Scenic Byway is one of Colorado's 30 Byways, and obviously it isn't the Trail Ridge Road, Mt. Evans, Pike's Peak, or Independence Pass (four of the most famous of Colorado's Byways), but it is a great drive. There are small, quaint towns along the way, that make you want to pull off the highway to explore them, and then there is Marble, Colorado, a tiny hamlet seven miles off the highway that provided the marble for the Lincoln Memorial. Give it a try!

Stopped at the Coke Ovens, also took the detour to Marble (worth it). Did not make the entire loop for time.

The scenery on this drive is incredible and we spent a lot of time stopping to take in the scenery and take photos. There is so much to see and you are spoilt for choice as to somewhere to stop for a picnic.

We've done this drive the past couple of autumns and it's just unbelievable, especially the Kebler Pass section. That's also the part where you'll need to be extra alert for livestock; you shouldn't be driving too quickly anyway since it's a winding dirt road, but take the curves cautiously. Local ranches will herd their cows right along the middle of the road. If you have time, pick up a map of the area and do some hiking! There are great trails alongside the road, some short, some long.

We do this drive a couple if times a year when the leaves are changing and I always forget how beautiful it is. If you are in the roaring fork valley and have some time this drive is worth it.

Beautiful drive. From the charming, artsy, foody, friendly mountain town of Carbondale. Along the pure and pristine Crystal River, with Hays Creek Falls along the route. Stop in Redstone, an historic hamlet. Over magnificent McClure Pass, with its breathtaking alpine vistas, and trailhead for hiking. To Paonia, abundant with fruit orchards and organic farms. This is an annual drive for us!

A magnificent drive that takes you around curvy roads and hair pin turns. The view of the mountains is unmatched.

If you're not a backcountry hiker and limited to vehicular viewing, this is an excellent choice especially during Fall color season. Kebler Pass, while a dirt road, is in very good condition (until it snows and then it's closed)...Crested Butte and Black Canyon of the Gunnison great visits.

On the way heading to the Black Canyon Nat'l Park, my husband and I drove from Glenwood Springs to Montrose via West Elk Loop. Drove CO-133S to Carbondale(historical Victorian down town, gas station available), Redstone(made a quick visit to historical coke kilm remains and general store in very small down town, bathroom available), Marble(home to quarry that produces the world whitest marble, interesting to see marbles everywhere, had good BBQ for lunch), Paonia Reservor, and we took Rd12(well maintained dirt road, no problem for us to drive by Toyota Camry) to Lake Irwin(took a short rest cooling ourselves at the lake shore, people enjoying fishing and kayaking, bathroom available), Crested Butte(nice Victorian town, a lot of restaurants and shops, had yammy homemade ice creams, gas station available), and then, continued on CO-135S(paved road) to Almont and Gunnison, and stopped at several locations at Curecanti Nat'l Rec Area. Stunning mountain and water views all way through. Lots of aspen trees, would be beautiful in fall. Taking this route first worked well for us as there were many sightseeing spots to stop and we took a day to enjoy driving through this half loop. We took another half loop driving from Montrose to Glenwood Springs via Hotchkiss on the way coming back home. Not as many sightseeing spots nor eating places as another half loop, mainly farm lands and mining. Road side farmers' stands on the way, purchased fresh local corns, peaches and melons to take home. And they were so good!

Only got to see a small portion of this most scenic byway. Lovely scenery and views around every turn. Charming small towns like Redstone and Marble to explore along the way. On the portion I was on, the lovely Crystal River meandered along the way.

The West Elk Loop gets you off the beaten path where you can experience the west range without pretense. This is where families live, but please enjoy it too! The Crystal River is so beautiful and has dramatic falls, rocky areas and pools. In the spring you will see a couple of nice falls. The towns of Carbondale, Redstone and Marble are worth a look. The Redstone Inn is a wonderful example of the grandeur of the coal baron days. There are some wonderful campsites along the way if you'd like to stay a while and well-marked hiking trails. Do not expect to be in a rush. McClure Pass is steep and winding, but not very long. Take your time and enjoy the view.

The drive up Highway is beautiful but be ready for a lot of tourist traffic. If you do make this drive and want to look around, be sure and pull over for local taffic if you see a line developing behind you. This is a two lane and there are ample pullouts for you to use. Be especially careful during heavy rains as rock and mud slides are frequent and dangerous. This is a very windey, curvey, mountain road so be careful and watch out for wildlife especially around sunrise and sunset.