Top of the Rockies

Story of the Byway

Top of the Rockies lives up to its name—surrounded by 14,000 foot peaks on all sides. From Aspen, this three-pronged byway extends through Independence Pass on the left fork, Tennessee Pass in the middle fork, and Fremont Pass on the right fork. Independence Pass starts at 9,200 feet and climbs to 12,095 feet at the summit, which is ringed with peaks of 13,000 feet including Mt. Champion, Geissler Mountain, Twining Peak, Grizzly Peak and Casco Peak. Tennessee Pass, with an elevation of 10,424 feet, was named after the native state of a group of early prospectors. And Fremont Pass, at 11,318 feet elevation, forms the continental divide on the border between Lake County and Summit County. In fact, this 82-mile route crosses the Continental Divide twice and winds with the Arkansas River, arriving near its source on the final pass.

Situated in the middle, Leadville is the highest incorporated community in the United States with two mountains—Elbert and Massive—towering nearby. In the 19th century, miners extracted extravagant amounts of minerals from these grounds. So abundant was the yield that it made one miner in particular, Horace Tabor, a titan of the silver industry. Leadville is home to the Healy House Museum, a home built in 1878 by mining engineer and city father August R. Meyer. The National Mining Hall of Fame is also in Leadville and dedicated to commemorating the work of miners and people who work with natural resources. Nearby communities of Redcliff, Minturn and Twin Lakes offer temporary respite from the mountainous drive. Three national forests also reside within the area—Pike National Forest, Arapaho National Forest and White River National Forest. The byway was designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in 1998 and given a 40-mile extension in 2009. This addition begins at Twin Lakes and extends over Independence Pass into Aspen.