Five drives we send visiting friends on — from a 20-minute Tenderfoot loop to a full day over Independence Pass. Each one shows you a different face of the valley.
The five
1. Tenderfoot Mountain Loop — 20 minutes, in-town, sunset panorama. Best Salida intro.
2. Monarch Pass — 30 minutes west, gondola at the top, Continental Divide views.
3. Cottonwood Pass — 90 minutes total, paved, big alpine basin views into Taylor Park.
4. Independence Pass — 4 hours round-trip, drops you over the spine into Aspen. Closes in winter.
5. The Royal Gorge — 90 minutes east, dramatic finale to the Arkansas canyon.