The West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway has been described by a forest ranger as “the closest you can come to a wilderness experience in a passenger car.” The 204 miles of two-lane roads through rural western Colorado touches three designated Wilderness Areas and passes through thousands of acres of National Forest. The road skirts canyon rims, follows white water rivers, plunges into deep forests, and traverses desert and sagebrush plains.
The West Elk Loop provides immersion in the scenery, history and culture of Western Colorado. The Byway follows the narrow alignment of long gone railroad grades, the faint wagon tracks of the earliest explorers and the ancient pathways of Ute Indians. Recreational opportunities abound with skiing, hiking, backpacking, photography, cycling, rock climbing and wildlife viewing.
Tourism and Group Tour Contact Information:
Organization Name: West Elk Loop Scenic Byway
Contact Name (optional): Kelli Hepler
Email Address: kelli@deltacountycolorado.com
Phone: 970-471-9621
