Highway 14 through North Park is a named scenic byway

The paved route most people use to reach Walden is more than just a highway. The Colorado Department of Transportation names the stretch of Highway 14 from the Poudre Canyon, over Cameron Pass, and into North Park the Cache la Poudre - North Park Scenic Byway. Knowing that helps you find maps, pullouts, and history for the drive.

The byway follows the Cache la Poudre River for part of the way, a river carrying a federal Wild and Scenic designation. It then climbs to Cameron Pass, around 10,276 feet, before dropping into the wide, open basin of North Park. CDOT describes this as wildlife country, with elk, deer, pronghorn, moose, beaver, and migrating waterfowl.

A scenic byway is a description, not a promise of an easy drive. This one crosses a high pass where weather and road conditions can change fast, and the same care you would take on any mountain crossing applies. Watch for wildlife near the road, especially at dawn and dusk.

For the byway map, points of interest, and current conditions, see the official byway page at codot.gov.