What To See Along Colorado’s Longest Highway, US 160

Have you ever wondered which highway is the longest one in the state of Colorado? While you might assume I-70, the longest road is actually U.S. Highway 160. Stretching almost 500 miles across southern Colorado, the highway is the longest east–west road in the state, and it's also one of the most scenic.

This road trip, traveling from the Four Corners in the high desert to the rugged Sangre de Cristo mountains, ties together some of the most dramatic parts of Colorado. Here are ten great places to stop along the way.

Landscapes Along the Way

U.S. Route 160 stretches from the Four Corners in southwestern Colorado to the Kansas state line, or about 497 miles. The highway rises to 10,857 feet above Wolf Creek Pass and drops down to below 5,000 feet on the eastern plains near the Comanche National Grasslands.

History, Heights & Highlights

U.S. 160 was added to the highway system in 1926 and has been realigned and expanded several times, and expanded past the Four Corners into Arizona in 1970. A portion of the highway is part of the “Highway of Legends” (CO-12/US-160) between Walsenburg, La Veta, Trinidad, and Aguilar. It was made a National Scenic Byway just a few years ago in 2021. Keep scrolling to check out more of Colorado's historic highways below.

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