It connects the gold mining districts to each other and to the Arkansas Valley. Not just the yellow metal, but gold aspens in the fall, casino winnings, and high-altitude adventure. Be sure to give yourself at least 8 hours to see everything. We drove a stretch of this National Scenic Byway, the portion from Florissant, where we visited the Florissant Fossil beds National Monument, over State Highway 9 toward Cañon City. Phantom Canyon Road follows the grade of the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad (1894 to 1912), the first railroad to reach Cripple Creek's gold camps. Located in southern Colorado, the byway connects roads through a variety of scenery ranging from canyons to mountains. The Gold Belt Byway is a National Scenic Byway and Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byway located entirely within the US state of Colorado. The Gold Belt National Scenic Byway connects five communities—Cañon City, Florence, Florissant, Cripple Creek, and the Victor Mining District, which was the site of the world’s largest gold rush. The Shelf and Phantom Canyon Roads cut along unpaved routes through winding canyons. Phone: 719-689-2461 Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway - Steel Bridge along Gold Belt Tour - NARA - 7718676.jpg 1,148 × 766; 846 KB Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway - The Dinosaur Depot Museum in Cañon City - NARA - 7718649.jpg 2,290 × 3,525; 1.32 MB With what a handful of them found in Cripple Creek, Victor and the surrounding hills, these two towns ended up being Colorado’s biggest gold payload. Colorado’s Gold Belt Tour is on the west side of Pikes Peak, an hour from Colorado Springs or Pueblo, and two hours from Denver. Retrieved July 4, 2013. 107 Followers, 9 Following, 7 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Gold Belt Scenic Byway (@goldbeltbyway) This Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway encompasses three north-south roads that connect the historic mountain mining towns of Cripple Creek and Victor with the Arkansas Valley communities of Cañon City and Florence. a day / 132 miles / 4 hours 24 minutes. It retraces the supply routes between the Front Range’s biggest gold camps. It was a pretty leisurely and deserted drive, mostly through farmland and BLM land surrounded by mountains. The Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway retraces the historic travel routes for the World’s Greatest Gold Camp, Cripple Creek. Settlers of this area that now encompasses Colorado's Gold Belt Tour Scenic Byway had written “Pikes Peak or Bust” on the side of their wagons — a sign of their optimism for gold and the desperation they felt after crossing America’s frontier. Gold Belt Tour Scenic Byway Partnership Plan Preface The Gold Belt Tour Back Country Byway (Gold Belt Byway) was created in response to the 1986 President's Commission on Americans Outdoors which revealed the ever-growing popularity of scenic driving as an American pastime. The A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six intrinsic qualities archeological Colorado Activities Center. Royal Gorge Bridge : The first place you'll want to stop is the Royal Gorge Bridge. The Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway celebrates the region's rich human history and outstanding natural features. As it flows out of Florissant on Teller Road 1, it quickly breaks off into three unique branches as it passes by Mount Pisgah: The Gold Belt Tour follows historic railroad and stagecoach routes leading to North America's greatest gold camp, three world-class fossil sites, and numerous historic sites. The route into Florence (south of US 50) Also located along the byway are the Garden Park Fossil Area, the Florissant Fossil … Overview. The Teller One Road follows a third stagecoach and wagon Settlers of the area that now encompasses Colorado's Gold Belt Tour byway had written “Pikes Peak or Bust” on the side of their wagons — a sign of their optimism for gold and the desperation they felt after crossing America’s frontier. Watch for detail in the upcoming months. Gold Belt Tour Back Country Byway. There’s gold in those mountains, and you can find it. The Shelf Road was the first connecting the gold camps to the Front Range. Gold Belt Scenic Byway Take a step back into Colorado’s gold rush days along the Gold Belt Scenic Byway . In 2000 the Gold Belt Tour was declared a National Scenic Byway. Colorado Scenic Byways - Colorado Towns & Places. As you travel the Gold Belt Scenic Byway, consider following this itinerary. Gold Belt Scenic Byway is a very exciting journey through Colorado’s former mining country. Enjoy the beautiful drive that connects Cripple Creek to Canon City. 1. Drive the Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway and follow the historic travel routes to the Cripple Creek Mining District, one of the world's wealthiest gold mining districts. The Gold Belt Tour is a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway and a National Scenic Byway. The Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway stretches from Florissant on the north to Cañon City and Florence on the south. The Gold Belt Byway is a National Scenic Byway and Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byway located entirely within the US state of Colorado.The byway received its name because it runs through Colorado's gold country. The Gold Belt Tour Scenic Byway is a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway and a National Scenic Byway. The Shelf Road was the first connecting the gold camps to the Front Range. The Gold Belt Tour Scenic Byway is a beautiful road trip through the backcountry of the Front Range of east-central Colorado. Skip to Main Content. You can reach it easily … It offers breathtaking scenery that you won't find anywhere else. As the State plans for a celebration of the formation of the byway program we will work on celebrating being one of the first 5 designated. It connects the gold mining districts to each other and to the Arkansas Valley. Colorado has a rich history of mining. 2. This will take you approximately an hour of driving. Soon after, Phantom Canyon was completed. The Gold Belt Byway is a National Scenic Byway and Bureau of Land Management Back Country Byway located entirely within the US state of Colorado.The byway received its name because it runs through Colorado's gold country. Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway. The Gold Belt Tour is a jaw-dropping 131-mile drive through Colorado’s former mining country. 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