Based 35 miles outside of Denver, CO, Mt. Evans rests at an elevation of 14,264′. The Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000′ in approximately 28 miles, according to CDOT, and provides spectacular views of the land, mountain ranges, wildlife, and plantlife.

The road to the summit of Mt. Evans is a scary one – lots of cliff-hanger views a foot outside of the car. Our good friend Michael drove us to the top while we all laughed nervously and inched toward the middle of the car. Well, all of us except our Moguls (the little dog), and our good friend Sarah, who was visiting from Michigan and has driven Highway 1 in California.

Once arriving at the summit, the small hike to the top took about 15 minutes. The four of us were able to stand the 45-degree weather for about 10 minutes before we descended; also, a storm was about to roll in. Be sure when planning a trip to Mt. Evans you check the current weather status and be prepared for the possibility of snow, lightning, high winds, hail, and heavy rain year-round.

Just to be clear – we did not do the entire 14er hike that is available. We drove to the summit, as previously noted. Of course, we hope to do a 14er in the future, but understand that it takes a lot of energy, experience, and physical awesomeness. Things we will continue to work on.

Check out the pictures from our Mt. Evans ride and hike here, and more on DenverSpeax’s Facebook page. While you’re there, like us!