The Underrated Colorado Drive That Takes You Past Two Spectacular Canyons And Historic Towns

With the rolling Great Plains dominating the eastern half of the state and the mighty Rocky Mountains casting their vast shadow in the west, it should hardly come as a surprise that Colorado is a classic option for road trippers looking for something special in the U.S. There's the ultimate summer journey from Little Medano Creek to Steamboat Lake and the essential scenic route through the mountain towns of the San Juan Skyway. Then there's the jaw-dropping drive that links up Eldorado Canyon State Park and Coal Creek Canyon just outside of Boulder.

It can take over 2 hours to complete from start to finish, whisking you south along the Front Range of the Rockies before diverting westwards into the mountains. You'll make pitstops at state parks laden with honey-hued cliffs and climbing walls, pass through mining boomtowns turned ski resorts, and spy out gushing waterfalls just off the highway. There are opportunities to extend your day with optional hikes and extra historic points of interest should you wish.

The beginning point — and the ending point for that matter — on this spectacular drive is the charming town of Boulder. It shouldn't be too hard to get there to fire the starting gun on your canyon and Rocky Mountain odyssey. Boulder is a mere 35-minute drive from the state capital down in Denver, which is where you'll also find the major aviation hub of Denver International Airport, complete with plenty of car hire options.

You don't have to get by with just a single canyon on the Eldorado Canyon State Park and Coal Creek Canyon Scenic Drive. Just as the name implies, this cruising route includes a duo of them.

The first — located around 20 minutes into the drive — is deep inside what's surely one of Colorado's best state parks. The locals call it "Eldo" and it's long been famed for its sheer sandstone walls, which are now a veritable mecca for rock climbers. There's plenty to get stuck into even if you're not pulling on the harness and climbing shoes, though. If you're taking it easy, simply park and mosey down to the picnic spots along South Boulder Creek. Or, wax down the boots and tackle the 2.9-mile Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, which starts with some thigh-busting switchbacks to offer up sweeping views of the Continental Divide.

Later, you'll need to retrace your steps out of Eldo and get back onto the 93. That lets you link up with Colorado State Highway 72, which is actually the road that runs right through canyon number two: Coal Creek Canyon. This leg of the drive should take around 30 minutes and it's pure mountains from start to finish, beginning with steep Coal Creek Peak, one of the first in the Front Range of the Rockies. Eventually, you'll hook up with the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, a much longer drive that goes all the way to Estes Park in a montage of mountains haloed in aspen forest.

Mother Nature isn't the only enthralling aspect of the Eldorado Canyon State Park and Coal Creek Canyon Scenic Drive. As you head west into the foothills of the Rockies, you'll also pass through old mining country. There are abandoned mining settlements next to hearty frontier towns that boomed into life when tungsten and gold were discovered in the surrounding peaks in the 1850s.

The most notable is the quirky mountain town of Nederland. It's often listed as one of the best mountain towns in the Centennial State for its mix of off-beat festivals and good access to the great outdoors. On your drive-through pitstop, you should have time for a quick drop into the Nederland Mining Museum, where you'll gaze at glittering minerals and see tools used by the miners in the 1800s. After that, hop between the independent booksellers and delis to get a taste of local life.

Pushing on, you'll start your return to Boulder via Colorado State Highway 119. A remote ghost town called Tungsten makes its home on the south side of the highway there if you want even more history, while Boulder Falls beckons further down the line. They're a particularly handsome cascade with plumes of water splattering over the rocks below a steep-sided gorge. Talk about the perfect finale!