After a nearly 21-month closure for construction, one of Colorado’s most acclaimed roads is reopening this summer.

Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in North America, climbing to a pinnacle of 14,130 feet. But as the saying goes: It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.

Here are six reasons why we can’t wait to get back on the road again.

1. Lovely lakes

Picturesque Echo Lake greets guests near the entrance kiosk at 10,600 feet. Many a Denverite and tourist come for this shimmering scene, backdropped by a teeming forest and Rocky Mountain majesty. A suggestion for the fit and adventurous: Chart a course from here to Chicago Lakes, deep in Mount Blue Sky Wilderness. Or simply continue up the road, up to Summit Lake, tucked in an alpine cirque decorated by wildflowers.

2. Amazing animals

Mountain goats are synonymous with Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway. They are the woolly, unofficial greeters on the mountain, quick to lick the salts off your vehicle — much to the concern of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and other officials who fear potential conflicts. But how can we not love to watch them from a distance? Same goes for the bighorn sheep and marmots that also call the mountain home.

3. Time-tested trees

By ancient, we mean really ancient — more than 1,000 years old, making them some of the oldest trees known in all the world. And they just so happen to be clustered at Mount Goliath Natural Area, found right off the road. Welcome to a living laboratory of bristlecone pine. Trails roam the gnarly, twisty forest that has stood the test of time and extreme, windy conditions above 11,500 feet. 

4. Cycling challenge

For hardcore road cyclists, Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway has been a longtime rite of passage. Hence, a longtime tradition: the Bob Cook Memorial Blue Sky Hill Climb, the 27-mile race to the top set to return July 25. But individuals can take on the road at any point during the summer, churning 6,700-plus feet up before the thrilling descent. Most embark early, aiming to avoid heavy traffic and afternoon weather risks.

5. Friendly fourteener

The upper parking lot actually sits below the summit. So you have to walk a little way to reach the top — meaning you can say you climbed a fourteener. Maybe just don’t say it around people who know the actual, hard-earned climb up Mount Blue Sky from Echo Lake. Or you don’t have to say anything at all. You can simply enjoy the stunning, panoramic view that spoils all who come by car, foot or bike.

6. Victorian village

Idaho Springs is the idyllic gateway to Mount Blue Sky. The old mining town retains its historic Victorian charm while adding some modern delights. Most modern: the first-year Mighty Argo Cable Car ferrying guests up to a scenic mountaintop for food, drinks, trails and entertainment. And then there are the old reliables found downtown on Miner Street: pizza at Beau Jo’s and beer at Tommyknocker Brewery.