Call it the great separator, or the thing that unifies us as Coloradans.

That’s the Continental Divide, or the Great Divide, so named for the mighty formation that separates our North American watersheds between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

In Colorado, we know it as the rugged wall between the Front Range and the Western Slope. We know the Continental Divide not so much as a barrier, but as an enticing invitation to scenic excursions.

The Continental Divide Trail lends perspective: This state houses some 650 miles of the route running more than 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada. This state also houses some of the best views along the entire divide — its highest point meets Grays Peak — and some of its great history lessons and engineering feats.

‘A sacred place:’ Exploring the Grottos off Colorado’s Independence Pass

Technology followed in the footsteps of hunter-gatherers to carve tunnels, tracks and roads over the mountains. Miners carved their own paths, along terrain now dominated by ski areas.

Yes, to travel the Continental Divide is to travel through time — and to make memories.

While the routes are many, here’s a look at some of the most prominent in Colorado:

Berthoud Pass

U.S. 40 between Clear Creek and Grand counties; topping near 11,300 feet

FYI: The pass gets its name from Edward Berthoud, who surveyed a railroad route in 1861. And while his road is best known by Denverites traveling to the likes of Winter Park, it was another route in the vicinity that gained equally historic acclaim: Moffat Tunnel was marked the Western Hemisphere’s longest railroad tunnel when it finished through the mountains in 1928.

Stretch the legs: Berthoud Pass is synonymous with backcountry skiing and snowboarding. In summer, one might park at the old ski area parking lot and hike above treeline to Mount Flora.

Boreas Pass

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Stumps remain today from the trees used to built the railroad camp on the summit of almost 11,500-foot Boreas Pass near Breckenridge, Colo. (T…

Between Breckenridge and Como; topping near 11,500 feet

FYI: South of Breckenridge, the pavement ascends to the dirt that was the bed of a railroad unlike any America has ever seen. Boreas Pass became known as the nation’s highest narrow gauge starting in 1882. The name hints at the extremes those railroaders endured: Boreas is the Greek god of the north wind.

Stretch the legs: The road maintains several relics from the old days, including the company settlement at the summit. Around the cabins, note the stumps of trees that were cut to build the railroad.

Cottonwood Pass

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On Cottonwood Pass, the road is paved for the entire drive from Buena Vista to Gunnison.

Between Buena Vista and Almont; topping near 12,130 feet

FYI: A newly, fully paved road combined with the 2020 pandemic and led to an observation of the man we met running Taylor Park Marina: “I’d guess this place hasn’t seen this many people since the turn of the century in the mining days.” Where there is now bustle at Taylor Reservoir, there was once a bustle of prospectors across the Sawatch Range. They left ghost towns called Tincup — popular for off-roaders — and St. Elmo beyond.

Stretch the legs: Taylor Reservoir and the adjoined river are go-to fisheries. Also along the pass is Denny Creek Trail rising to fourteener Mount Yale.

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Independence Pass

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Visitors explore the ghost town of Independence, 16 miles east of Aspen on Highway 82, on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Independence was the first…

Colorado 82 between Twin Lakes and Aspen; topping near 12,100 feet

FYI: It was first known as Hunter Pass, a nod perhaps to the land’s deep history as hunting grounds. The pass now shares the name of a town supposedly built from a silver discovery on July 4, 1879. Following booms in Leadville, mining spread to this side of the Continental Divide, paving the way to the Roaring Fork Valley’s development.

Stretch the legs: The old townsite of Independence is a few miles from the summit, with well-preserved cabins beside the river. Drivers pull off for more sightseeing around Lincoln Creek, the Grottos, and the Braille and Discovery trails.

Loveland Pass

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Shrubs show bits of yellow and orange, hinting at fall on Loveland Pass on Sept. 20, 2022.

U.S. 6 between Clear Creek and Summit counties; topping near 11,990 feet

FYI: Loveland is Colorado’s highest mountain pass that does not close for winter. Of course it does not, for the ski industry it serves. Initially, the idea was to serve the mines of Leadville with a wagon road from Denver. William A.H. Loveland, president of the Colorado Central Railroad, saw that route opened in 1869 — about a century ahead of the Eisenhower Tunnel that forever changed travel in the Rockies.

Stretch the legs: Driving up from Loveland Ski Area, one reaches Grizzly Peak Trail — a challenging hike — followed by the short trek to Pass Lake. Plenty more attractions ahead at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and Keystone Resort.

Monarch Pass

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Turning aspens frame the Madonna Mine on Monarch Pass in Colorado Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

U.S. 50 between Salida and Gunnison; topping near 11,310 feet

FYI: Starting in the late 1800s, this part of the Continental Divide saw a couple of wagon routes high out of the Arkansas River Valley. The alignment we know today was established in 1939 — almost under the name Vail Pass, for the state’s chief highway engineer, Charles Vail. Locals protested for the long-honored butterfly.

Stretch the legs: While continuing scenic tram rides, new owners in recent years have revamped the visitor center and restaurant to be Monarch at the Crest. This is also the base for Monarch Crest Trail, one of Colorado’s most epic mountain bike rides.

Rabbit Ears Pass

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The end of Rabbit Ears trail is seen from the road of Rabbit Ears Pass on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. Gazette file

U.S. 40 between Steamboat Springs and Grand County; topping near 9,425 feet

FYI: In northwest Colorado, a peak with rabbit-like ears has watched development below over untold time. Beginning in 1911, it watched men build a road that would be one of America’s next significant transcontinental connections. In more recent decades, Rabbit Ears Peak has watched a recreation boom.

Stretch the legs: In winter, snowmobilers stage at the East Summit parking area and cross-country skiers and snowshoers at the West Summit. The trail possibilities expand in summer. But it’s in autumn that the aspen-loaded pass shines most.

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Trail Ridge Road

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Vehicles drive along the 12,183-foot Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park Tuesday, July 26, 2023. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

U.S. 34 between Estes Park and Grand Lake; topping near 12,180 feet

FYI: Rocky Mountain National Park opened Trail Ridge Road to much fanfare in 1932. The celebration continues among tourists today, many of them witnessing the alpine world for the first time. Of the 48 miles between the park’s gateways, the “Highway to the Sky” roams above timberline for 11 miles.

Stretch the legs: Take your pick of trailheads and overlooks on either side of the road below the Alpine Visitor Center. A couple of our favorites on the road’s east side: Hidden Valley and Alluvial Fan. And on the west side toward Grand Lake: Lake Irene and Coyote Valley trailhead.

Wolf Creek Pass

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Hikers explore Treasure Falls on the westside of Wolf Creek Pass near Pagosa Springs, Colo., Monday, June 22, 2020. The 105-foot waterfall is …

U.S. 160 between South Fork and Pagosa Springs; topping near 10,860 feet

FYI: Wolf Creek Pass construction finished in 1916. It’s a wonder how motorists of the day managed the road’s tight, steep curves. Even for today’s motorists, the road is notorious, especially in winter. Truckers are careful to join drivers heading to Wolf Creek Ski Area, which claims more natural snowfall on average than any other ski area in Colorado.

Stretch the legs: At the top of the pass, a forest road stretches about 1 1/2 miles to the Lobo overlook — well worth the detour. Also recommended: Treasure Falls. From the small parking lot off the road, it’s a short hike to the 100-foot cascade.