Scenic byways invite travelers to slow down, take in the scenery and walk through historic downtowns to truly get a feel for the land and culture, and now, it’s easy to drive electric vehicles throughout Colorado. Statewide initiatives are helping fund chargers along scenic and historic byways, as well as within rural communities and urban clusters. So far, about 125 chargers statewide have been installed through the initiative, which covers about 80% of initial costs.

It’s all part of Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, released in January 2021, to reduce emissions from 2005 levels by 26% by 2025, 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. So far, 14 of the state’s 26 scenic byways have been “electrified,” meaning they offer a mix of DC fast-charging dual ports and level 2 (slower) chargers within at least 100 miles of each other — though most stretches between stations are much shorter. Plans include electrifying the remaining 13 byways.

The significantly lower cost and reduced power requirements of level 2 chargers make them perfect for overnight stays in hotels, while faster chargers that typically take 20 to 30 minutes allow at least enough time to survey the local vibe at a coffee shop.

“We have pretty ambitious plans to enable statewide travel with EVs,” says Matt Mines, senior program manager at Colorado Energy Office, one of the four main partners of the initiative, which also includes the Colorado Tourism Office, Department of Transportation and Colorado Scenic & Historic Byways Commission. “Colorado is unique in that we have a very specific initiative pursuing this. It enables statewide travel to recreate that gives travelers joy with a much cleaner energy source.”

While every state offers scenic byways, Colorado, along with Oregon, are charging ahead nationwide.

“Colorado is a leader of promoting tourismoptimized routes that have been electrified,” says Andrew Grossman, director of destination development for the Colorado Tourism Office. “The major advantage of the concept is you don’t have to compromise where you’re going in Colorado.”

Travelers can plan trips with plugshare. com, which provides addresses and detailed information about the type of charger and cost at specific locations. Coloradobyways.com offers detailed information and links about things to do along each byway.

For example, you might stop at the Delta 25kW EV DCFC on Main Street in Paonia, a town where slowing down takes an artistic slant. Stroll through shops, galleries, restaurants and the community arts center, many of which are located in turn-of-the-century buildings. Or, stay a little longer for the Mountain Harvest Festival in September, Colorado Hard Cider Fest in October or Paonia Holiday Art Fair, the latter of which celebrates over 50 artists and agricultural vendors in December. On your way in or out of town, check out the Crawford-Hotchkiss Historical Museum, which also offers a charging station. There, you can step back in time into a fully-furnished, 1900s log cabin. Then, imagine life in simpler days through the museum’s worldclass Indian artifacts, old-time photos and a living room diorama. Rotating displays include vintage business equipment, clothing, antique medical supplies and even unidentified mystery objects.

Hop over to adjacent Colorado Highway 65 and picnic near picturesque Pioneer Town in Cedaredge at the Dick McGuire Memorial Pergola or on the grounds of the quaint Chapel of the Cross, or walk to the town’s nearby restaurants, shops, art galleries, city park or creekside and historic walking trail. The scenic byway traverses the Grand Mesa National Forest, with 300 lakes and reservoirs and forested trails through the mountains for hiking or snowmobiling.

The charm of Colorado’s scenic byways is that they connect the dots between historic sites and hundreds of thousands of acres of stunning vistas spanning red-rock canyons, meadows and majestic peaks.

Top of the Rockies byway elevates travelers to the tallest peaks in the state — Mount Elbert and Massive — as well as historic Leadville, one of the highest incorporated cities in the United States. Stop at the landmark Minturn Saloon before heading up to Leadville via Tennessee Pass, where you’ll find the monument to Camp Hale’s 10th Mountain Division soldiers, along with the ruins — and informative signs — on the training grounds themselves. Leadville’s historic walking tour reignites the days of the silver boom, which led to the town’s Victorian mansions, Tabor Opera House and Delaware Hotel. Learn more about the characters and lifestyles of the good ole days at the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, originally built in 1900 as the town’s high school. And, don’t miss Annunciation Church, where the Unsinkable Molly Brown was married in 1886. If fall leaf-peeping by train is more your thing, book a ride on the Leadville Railroad. Of course, snow-capped 14ers dominate the landscape, so you can connect with nature through the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, which stretches from Tennessee Pass to Turquoise Lake and around to Twin Lakes to Interlaken.

One of the more remote byways is the state’s northern Flat Tops Trail, which skirts the Flat Top Wilderness and climbs over Colorado’s least-traveled passes. Its 82 miles stretches from Yampa to Meeker. Montgomery’s General Store, established in Yampa in 1890, still uses a hand-crank cash register and adding machines; Crossan’s M&A Market has stood on First and Main streets for over a century. The byway ushers travelers through subalpine forests, alpine tundra and cliffs and opens up one of the best birding regions. In Meeker — an official Colorado Main Street community and National Historic District — experience a late-1800s officer’s quarters at the White River Museum. Then, look for evidence of Theodore Roosevelt and other notables who visited the Meeker Hotel & Café.

“The infrastructure is in place to travel these byways confidently. There are plenty of stops along the way to slow down and enjoy yourself; that’s the intention of a byway — to enjoy it. It’s not like highway travel where you’re going from point A to point B,” Mines says. “EVs provide tremendous air quality benefits. You’re significantly reducing your emissions and traveling in an environmentally friendly way.”

So, pick a byway — any electrified byway — and start exploring Colorado’s off-the-beatenpath gems.

Originally published in the Fall 2023 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Charge Up, Colorado: EV Road Trip Guide