Welcome to the Mount Evans Recreation Area on the Arapaho National Forest. As you begin your adventure to the top of the highest paved road in North America, you will drive the remnants of an even grander vision. Originally, the Mount Evans road was to go over the west side of the mountain to Grant, CO and connect with Highway 285. It was to be the middle section of the Peak to Peak Highway from Longs Peak to Pikes Peak. Linking these three 14,000-foot peaks by roadway proved unfeasible at the time. The 28-mile segment from Idaho Springs (7,540 feet) to just below the summit (14,130 feet) is what remains of this ambitious project.
Since opening in 1931, the Mount Evans road has afforded easy access to another world where humans are only visitors. Typically, to reach breathtaking high mountain environments you have to spend all day hiking, carrying food and water on your back over many miles. The convenience of taking a motor vehicle allows people of all physical abilities to experience the alpine tundra.
