In The NoCo

Staying close to home for your summer vacation? Take a spin on these Colorado highways

By In The NoCo,

Published July 16, 2026 at 5:35 AM MDT

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A view of Mt. Princeton, seen along the Collegiate Peaks byway. A two lane highway curves through a field with houses, and a ridge of mountains rise in the background — A view of Mt. Princeton, seen along the Collegiate Peaks byway

Summer is a great time to see Colorado by car.

And this summer in particular, with high fuel prices pushing up airfares, more Coloradans may decide to keep their summer vacation plans a little more local.

Many Colorado highways provide stunning alpine views, scenic forests, wildflowers and waterfalls, and a connection to the state’s historic communities and culture.

Today on In The NoCo, we present a few interesting drives for your summer to-do list.

Lenore Bates, manager of the state’s Colorado Byways program, joined Erin O’Toole to share some recommendations for where to take a drive this summer.

This summer, Colorado Byways released free, downloadable audio tours for 10 of the state’s historic drives – including some we mentioned in the episode, like the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway or the Top of the Rockies Byway.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s news program and podcast In The NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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Brad Turner

Brad Turner is an executive producer in KUNC's newsroom. He manages the podcast team that makes In The NoCo, which also airs weekdays in Morning Edition and All Things Considered. His work as a podcaster and journalist has appeared on NPR's Weekend Edition, NPR Music, the PBS Newshour, Colorado Public Radio, MTV Online, the Denver Post, Boulder's Daily Camera, and the Longmont Times-Call.

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