Winter Road Trips

Moderate

Emerald Lake Trail

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

About 3.2 miles round trip from Bear Lake2–3 hoursAbout 650 feet

Best: July through September

The Bear Lake corridor’s most popular lake chain. Expect company, alpine scenery, and a trail that gets icier as you climb in shoulder season.

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Coastal Drives

Pacific Coast Highway

California

4–7 days for a sane paceAbout 650–800 miles depending on start and end points

Pacific headlands, agricultural valleys, beach townsModerate. Slow, winding coastal driving with frequent stops.

California’s Highway 1 between the Bay Area and Southern California is a sequence of headlands, agricultural benches, and beach towns. Plan for slow average speeds and landslide-related closures.

Stops: Pacifica and Devil’s Slide · Santa Cruz and Monterey Peninsula · Big Sur coast (when Highway 1 is open) · San Luis Obispo / Morro Bay

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Scenic Byways

Blue Ridge Parkway

Virginia / North Carolina

3–6 days469 miles end to end, plus town side trips

Eastern forest ridges, balds, and mountain townsLow speed, high attention. 45 mph design, fog, cyclists, and wildlife.

A 469-mile crest road between Shenandoah and the Smokies. You will not ‘do’ it in a day. Fog, leaf season traffic, and seasonal closures shape the plan.

Stops: Shenandoah / Rockfish Gap · Peaks of Otter · Mabry Mill · Linville Falls / Grandfather area

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