Part 2: Onward to Lake City
Come on along as we continue driving the Silver Thread Scenic Byway (CO-149). Our journey now takes us high in the mountains searching for gorgeous views and colors as we drive over mountain passes and stop at overlooks. I’m not sure there is a better place to find autumn splendor than the northcentral San Juan Mountains. Let’s go!
Part I: Southern Half of the Byway
Is there any doubt that visiting the Colorado mountains in autumn is a must-do adventure? The Silver Thread Scenic Byway is a 117-mile trip from South Fork through the central San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado to Blue Mesa Reservoir. It is Colorado highway CO-149, a designated Colorado Scenic Byway and National Forest Byway. In 2021 it was named a National Scenic Byway, making it one of 13 America’s Byways® designated in Colorado. Visiting the mountains for what’s lovingly called leaf peeping, Colorado’s best chances for peak color is sometime between early-September to mid-October. We have our fingers crossed that we see good colors these first few days of October. Off we go!
We stayed in Twin Lakes last August hiking to the historic Inter-Laken resort. Although summer is beautiful, visiting Twin Lakes in autumn is not to be missed! The colorful aspen on the mountainsides, the golden willows and grasses along the lake, the snowfall on the mountaintops–what a view!
When local folks say they haven’t seen such gorgeous autumn colors in 30 years, you know you picked a good day to take an autumn road trip into the mountains! Come along on this glorious trip to see Nature’s annual end-of-summer spectacle.
