Think Grand Mesa Is an Easy Drive? Colorado Drivers Know Better

Fall is one of the busiest times of the year in Western Colorado, and on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway. Leaf-peepers, fall campers, and ranchers with their livestock are all using Highway 65 over the World's Largest Flattop Mountain.

This means it is more important than ever to mind the speed limit. You never know what might be around the next corner as you climb above 10,000 feet, and the higher you get, the less room there is for error.

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A Recent Surprise On the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

On Friday, September 11, 2026, I visited Grand Mesa to scout out the fall color situation. The best way to know if the Aspens around Mesa Lakes are turning is to see them with your own eyes. Not only did I confirm the fall color change has started, but I witnessed one of the biggest roadside surprises yet on the byway. It was bulls on parade.

Colorado Livestock Use the Byway Too

What Makes Colorado's Grand Mesa Such a Tricky Drive? — TSM GJ W. Adams

Sometimes you see a cow or two wandering the roadside in lower sections of the byway in the Plateau Valley. I've never seen livestock walking the road up near the Crag. Maybe a few elk once in a while, but not cattle. Maybe others see this all the time. Longhorns can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands. This beauty clearly wandered off and followed the byway, while a few of its friends decided to follow.

Please Drive the Speed Limit on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

I kept my distance, but I had to pull over because I did not believe what I was seeing. While the smaller animals waited in the tree line, these two flanked each side of the highway for some mid-afternoon grazing.

It's easy to be distracted by the scenery, the fall colors, or the mountains in the distance. This is why it is so important not to speed on this byway. There is very little room to maneuver, and by the time you notice a giant animal inches from the road, you both could be rolling down the hillside. Protect Grand Mesa, and please drive safely.

LOOK: Colorado's Grand Mesa Is Turning Gold: See the Photos

It's official: the Grand Mesa has started turning gold. The following photos were taken on Friday, September 11. Fall color will continue to peak now through Powderhorn's fall color weekend on September 26 and 27.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

UP NEXT: Photos Show What Summer Did to the Colorado River

We kept an eye on the Colorado River in Grand Junction from May through September to see how an incredibly hot summer would affect water levels already stressed by poor snowpack and a lack of rainfall. Here's how the river looked from the southern bank at Eagle Rim as the summer unfolded.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams

MORE: Colorado’s First Freeze: When Will It Hit Your Backyard?

Fall can feel a long way off when Western Colorado is still dealing with summer heat, but the first frost has a way of sneaking up on us. The National Weather Service’s historical averages show just how different the timing can be from one community to the next.

Gallery Credit: Wesley Adams