Colorado Fall Colors Drive: Grand Mesa Scenic Byway

Take this 63-mile long drive through the world's largest flattop mountain. Driving at over 10,000 feet high on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway feet for two hours will surely give you a nice view of Colorado's changing colors.

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Starting off your drive in Mesa, lets you see lots of change in scenery. You begin in a desert canyon and see everything from hills, to ponds, to lakes, meadows and beautiful aspens and alpines along the way.

The Grand Mesa Byway is one of Colorado's 26 Scenic and Historic Byways. The Ute Indian tribe lived in the Grand Mesa area and called it "Thunder Mountain.". This is because of how the mountain overlooks the valley thousands of feet below.

There's a lot of wildlife in this area. Lots of trout, elk, mountain lions, foxes, porcupines, and deer are on the Grand Mesa. Make sure you watch for wildlife! You might even see one of these guys like I did the last time I was on the Mesa.

This beautiful drive on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway is about two hours long. Start the drive right around Mesa and end it around Cedaredge. There's plenty of overlook and places to stop and take in that clean thin air and the breathtaking view.

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Sources: CODOT, Colorado Directory and Colorado

The Most Scenic Fall Color Drives in Colorado

We'll take you all over the state and through quaint little mountain towns on your Colorado fall color drive journey.

When Will Colorado See Fall Color Changes 2021

It's been a very hot and dry summer in Western Colorado. The good news is that this means the fall color change may arrive just a tad earlier than last year. Here's a look at when the colors will start to pop.