Interstate 70 East in Colorado (Scenic Route)

This is from Kevin Weed in August 2018 of a trip from Colorado to Ohio on I70. I have been on this freeway from Denver to Dayton, Ohio so I can comment on it. I have been on US50 in Nevada so I have been on what could have been I70. This is 111 photos of I70 in Colorado. From Eric: I have not been on this part of I70 though I would love to do this ride myself. It is hard to get from where I live to this section of I70. I hope to do US6 across Nevada soon. Also this section up to Denver was not originally planned to be I70 at all.

I-70 in Colorado really covers three very different natural environments
almost splitting the state into thirds vertically. The western slope where
Grand Junction is, is very much like Utah and Arizona in some respects as
it seems to be very dry and arid and their are a lot of buttes and mesas.
The middle third straddles the continental divide and is all rocky
mountains, and the eastern third is very much part of the great plains. The
stretch from Grand Junction to Denver is some of the most scenic highway
driving you can do.

The Eisenhower Tunnel as it's generally called though technically it is the
westbound bore that is named the Eisenhower Tunnel while the eastbound bore
is called the Johnson Tunnel.

Coming in at 11,158 feet of elevation it is the highest vehicular tunnel in
the US (at the time when it first opened it was the highest in the world).
It is also the longest tunnel in the interstate highway system. It is also
the highest point in the interstate highway system.

It is just over a mile and half long and runs under Loveland Pass and its
ski slopes (which US Route 6 runs through high above). From Eric: do not do Loveland Pass if you are afraid of heights at all. I have not driven it but I have heard it is scary.

Just coming out of the tunnel. From here it's all down hill into Denver. This is Mile 216 and JCT US6.

From the Eisenhower Tunnel into Denver you'll drop roughly 5,400 feet in a
distance of 77 miles. Your ears may pop.

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