DEN · United States
Trail Ridge Road, Independence Pass and Mount Blue Sky are all a morning away, and the whole San Juan loop is within a day.
Great roads in range
5
First road from the terminal
Mount Blue Sky Road, about 1 hr 31 min
Best months
Late June to early October
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Drive times are estimates from the terminal to the start of each road, padded for mountain routing. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 15 May 2026
Ranked
01 · Colorado
The highest continuous paved road in America, tundra above the treeline the whole way.
About 1 hr 55 min from the airport · 47.8 mi · Rating 9.3 / 10
Closed from mid October to late May
02 · Colorado
156 corners to 4302 metres on the hill climb road every driver knows by name.
About 2 hr 16 min from the airport · 19.3 mi · Rating 9.2 / 10
Summit closes in bad weather, brake checks on descent
03 · Colorado
No guardrails, thin air and switchbacks to the highest paved road in North America.
About 1 hr 31 min from the airport · 28 mi · Rating 9.1 / 10
Open only from late May to early September
04 · Colorado
Narrow shelf tarmac to 3687 metres, tight, exposed and completely absorbing.
About 4 hr 7 min from the airport · 31.7 mi · Rating 9.3 / 10
Closed from early November to late May
05 · Colorado
A mining road cut into the San Juan cliffs with sheer drops and no barrier.
About 6 hr 51 min from the airport · 24.9 mi · Rating 9.5 / 10
Snow, avalanche and no guardrails in winter
Practical
Large fleets and good SUV pricing. Remember the altitude, both for the car and for you.
Late June to early October. Prices and availability move sharply either side of those months, so lock the car in before the flights if you want anything more interesting than a diesel hatchback.