Naturally Perfect. Beyond the interstate and bustle of the Front Range, there is a road of natural beauty and off-beat surprises.
Explorers once traveled over the Wet Mountains and into Custer County via a trail marking the intersection of several different territories. That trail is now the Frontier Pathways Scenic & Historic Byway, two highways passing historic sites and paying homage to the region’s long and varied past.
The 103-mile Frontier Pathways Byway runs from Westcliffe to Pueblo, with a second branch to Colorado City. Snowcapped mountains, jagged canyons, carpeted meadows and aspen-covered hillsides make this one of the most stunning drives in Colorado.
Popular stops between Westcliffe and Pueblo along CO 96 include Jackson Hill, an old stage stop where travelers exchanged tired horses for well-rested animals, and Lake Pueblo State Park, a year-round spot for recreation. Bishop Castle, a quirky structure built by one man, and Lake Isabel, a favored vacation destination, draw visitors off CO 165 between Westcliffe and Colorado City.
Tapped by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as a National Scenic Byway in 1998, Frontier Pathways Scenic & Historic Byway is one of 13 in Colorado to receive the designation.
