Topic
Cars and driving
Registration and plates, emissions, mountain-pass and winter-driving rules, and the things that change when you drive and register a vehicle in Colorado.
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From around Colorado
293 sourced notes in this topic
Cars and driving
Getting to Silverton in winter means watching Red Mountain Pass
US 550 over Red Mountain Pass north of Silverton can close for snow and avalanche control, so winter travel here depends on checking the road first.
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The Million Dollar Highway is a real mountain road, not a scenic shortcut
US 550 over Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton is a steep, narrow mountain highway that can close in winter, so it deserves planning rather than a casual drive.
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I-70 through Glenwood Canyon can close, and there is no quick way around
Interstate 70 runs through Glenwood Canyon in Garfield County, where rockfall, mudslides, and flood risk can close the highway, and the detour is long.
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The San Juan Skyway is the 236-mile loop that starts at Telluride's doorstep
The San Juan Skyway is a 236-mile loop through the San Juan Mountains that the U.S. named an All-American Road in 1996, and Telluride sits right on it.
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Winter driving on I-70 through Clear Creek County has rules
Interstate 70 climbs through Clear Creek County toward the Eisenhower Tunnel, and in winter the state can require vehicles to meet a traction law.
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Getting in and out of Lake City means crossing high passes
Highway 149, the Silver Thread byway, is Lake City's main paved link and it crosses high mountain passes that demand care in winter.
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Independence Pass closes for the winter, so plan around it
State Highway 82 over Independence Pass, the high route between Twin Lakes and Aspen, closes seasonally for winter, so the drive that works in summer may not work in the snow.
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Ouray's high passes turn a Jeep into a way over the mountains
Ouray bills itself as the Jeep Capital of America, and rugged seasonal four-wheel-drive routes like Imogene Pass and Black Bear Pass climb over the San Juans toward Telluride.
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Black Canyon's two rims do not connect by road
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has a South Rim and a North Rim, but no bridge or road links them, so driving from one to the other is a long trip on outside roads.
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From Durango, the San Juan Skyway loops a whole mountain range
Durango anchors one end of the San Juan Skyway, a 232-mile loop through the San Juans that the federal government has named an All-American Road.
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Independence Pass closes every winter, so Aspen has one main way in
Highway 82 over Independence Pass is closed each winter, which changes how you reach Aspen and Pitkin County for much of the year.
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Lizard Head Pass is the year-round road south of Telluride, weather and all
Highway 145 over Lizard Head Pass is the main route south of Telluride and stays open year-round, but winter weather and avalanche control can close it for short stretches.
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The Alpine Loop is a scenic byway you mostly drive in four-wheel drive
The Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway links Ouray, Silverton, and Lake City over Engineer and Cinnamon passes, and the high sections need a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.
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Black Bear, Imogene, and Last Dollar are seasonal 4WD roads, not shortcuts
Telluride's famous backcountry routes — Black Bear Pass, Imogene Pass, and Last Dollar Road — are rough, high, seasonal roads that open only after snowmelt and demand the right vehicle and skill.
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Why there are two ways over the divide here
At the western edge of Clear Creek County, traffic can cross the Continental Divide either through the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel on I-70 or over the older Loveland Pass on US 6.
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A Weld private vehicle sale starts a title clock
After a private vehicle sale, the buyer has a limited window to register it or present the title to Weld County Motor Vehicle.
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Cameron Pass on Highway 14 is the winter gateway into North Park
The main paved route between Fort Collins and Walden climbs over Cameron Pass on Highway 14, a high crossing where winter weather can turn a drive serious.
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Driving Larimer County's canyons: the one weather tip worth knowing
The drive up Big Thompson Canyon west of Loveland is one of Larimer County's prettiest. One thing worth knowing before you go: in a flash flood, leave the car and climb to higher ground.
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From South Fork, US 160 climbs toward Wolf Creek Pass
South Fork sits where US 160 leaves the valley and begins the climb toward Wolf Creek Pass, a high mountain corridor with real winter driving conditions.
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Getting in and out of Park County means driving mountain passes
Major routes into Park County climb over high passes like Kenosha and Hoosier, where winter weather, traction and chain laws, and temporary closures are part of normal travel.
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In Weld County, the seller keeps the plates after a vehicle sale
In Colorado the seller keeps the plates; remove them before the buyer drives off or their tickets can trace back to you.
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New to El Paso County? Put vehicle registration on the short list
New El Paso County residents have 30 days to move a license and 90 days to register a vehicle, handled at the county office.
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North of Durango, US 550 climbs the San Juans over Coal Bank and Molas
The drive north from Durango on US 550 is a famous San Juan Skyway stretch over high passes; in winter CDOT may close it during storms, so checking conditions first is routine.
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Some Gunnison County passes close for the whole winter
Several high routes around Gunnison County, including Kebler and Cottonwood passes, close seasonally for winter, so summer shortcuts are not year-round roads.
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