Loveland Pass lifts U.S. Highway 6 over the Continental Divide at 11,990 feet, a switchbacking high-alpine drive where tundra ridges, snowfields and a famous summit sign make one of the most photographed pullouts in Colorado.

Most travelers zip under the Divide through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels on I-70, but the old way over the top is the scenic one. Leave I-70 at Exit 216 westbound (or Exit 205 eastbound from Dillon) and U.S. 6 climbs hairpin turns at roughly a 6% grade past Loveland Ski Area to a broad saddle on the line between Clear Creek and Summit counties. The summit sign marks the split between Atlantic and Pacific drainages, and on a clear day you look across rolling alpine ridges in every direction before the road drops toward Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Lake Dillon.

The pass also does real work. Under Colorado rules, trucks hauling placarded hazardous materials, including fuel tankers, must use Loveland Pass instead of the tunnels whenever the pass is open, so expect slow-moving trucks on the grades. When storms or avalanche control close U.S. 6, CDOT escorts eligible hazmat loads through the tunnels at the top of the hour. Pair the drive with a day at Loveland Ski Area or Arapahoe Basin, a lakeside stop at Lake Dillon, or a historic lunch in Georgetown on the way back east.

Insider tip: At nearly 12,000 feet, weather turns fast and the air is thin, so bring layers even in summer and take short walks slowly. The summit is a popular springtime backcountry ski spot, but it is serious avalanche terrain; check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center forecast and carry rescue gear if you leave the parking area in snow season. Always check COtrip.org for closures before you go.

Loveland Pass stays open year-round as part of U.S. 6, but winter storms and avalanche mitigation can close it with little notice. Check live conditions and closures on COtrip.org before you drive, and remember that hazmat trucks are routed over the pass whenever it is open.