The Gold Belt Tour byway near Cañon City is part pavement, part old wagon and rail grade

The Gold Belt Tour National Scenic Byway connects the Cañon City and Florence area with the old gold camp of Cripple Creek. It is a loop of roughly 131 miles that retraces how people and ore once moved through these hills. Three legs make up the route, and they follow a historic narrow-gauge railroad bed, an old stage road, and a county road.

That history is the catch for a new driver. Some legs are paved and gentle, but Shelf Road and Phantom Canyon are narrow gravel back roads built on grades from the 1800s. They climb, twist, and pass through tight spots where meeting an oncoming vehicle takes care. After rain or snowmelt they can be rough or slick, and they are not the place for a quick shortcut in a low car.

Plan the unpaved legs in daylight, in good weather, with a full tank and a real map, since cell service drops in the canyons. The byway is run for sightseeing and history, not speed, so give yourself far more time than the mileage suggests.

For current road status, which legs are open, and what each section is like, check the Bureau of Land Management’s Gold Belt page and the Colorado Department of Transportation’s byway listing before you go.