Scenic Drive: Flat Tops Scenic Byway to Trappers Lake

A zoomed view from Dunckley Pass looking deep into the valley

The Flat Tops Scenic Byway will make you GASP in the fall. It is by far the most scenic drive in Colorado I have driven thus far. While other roads let you glimpse Aspens, this road lets you wallow up to your neck in Aspens. After a couple of hours driving, you will run out of explicatives and just start grunting, moaning, and hyperventilating. And that is just the start. This was an all day drive. My destination was Trappers Lake. I had so many photos it was hard to decide on which ones to post. Unfortunately, I was shooting with the sun high in the sky, which is not the best.

This is the route I took...

• From Yampa go north on County Road 17, which becomes County Road 19.
• Turn left onto County Road/State Highway 132, which becomes County Road 8
• From County Road 8 turn south onto County Road 8a/Trappers Lake Road/Colorado Hwy 155

All of these roads are clearly marked on the Colorado Gazetteer but may not be listed on a typical AAA map.

A broader view of Dunckley Pass showing the peaks in the distance

Ho hum, more pretty Aspens

The day started out cloudy and stormy

We are not even to the pass yet and the color is everywhere

I liked hillsides where you can see the white trunks of the trees

Looking west from a vista point. This road leads to Meeker. I would cross it going towards Trappers Lake

At twilight we came across this herd of Sheep being watched over by several sheep dogs. The Meeker area is a large Sheep raising area.