Colorado Scenic Byways - 9781883498696

This two volume set was inspired by those blue highways and a quintessentially American love: the open road. Americans had begun taking to the road such as it was long before the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1925 designated the first numbered cross-country routes. After the interstate highway program was authorized in 1955 as a way to move troops and material around quickly, Americans became obsessed with speed. And forgot the soul of the open road: the freedom to wander, the chance to stop and sniff a wildflower, ramble beside a creek, shape a snowball from a late-summer snowbank, gawk at a long-abandoned mining town, buy a fresh peach from a farm stand, or simply discover a new vista. The Scenic Byway system was born out of a desire to identify roads offering just those kinds of opportunities. It harks back to national routes designated in the 1930s such as the Great River Road tracing the course of the Mississippi and the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains. States and federal government agencies began designating scenic and Highways historic byways in the 1980s. Colorado identified its first byways in 1989; now the state has 25 official Scenic and Historic Byways, chosen for their outstanding archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and of course, scenic qualities. Ten have also been selected for the National Scenic Byways Program, begun in 1991. This volume is a love poem that evokes the spirit and heart of the diverse landscapes and cultures sketched by Colorado s Scenic Byways. These classic routes are grouped by geographic region Plains, Foothills, High Peaks, Mountain Valleys and Plateaus, and portrayed in stunning photographs and lyrical and informative essays. The companion volume, Colorado Scenic Byways: Atlas and Road Guide, explores each route in more detail, including maps and altitude profiles, essential facts on length, road type, services, unique and fun sights and events along the way, and insider tips from the photographer and writer.