I'm a Colorado native and former Denver resident, but haven't lived there for many moons, hence the question...

A friend will be flying into DIA. I plan to meet her at the airport at noon on a Thursday and take her up to Estes for a few nights. We then plan to work our way over to Black Hawk for an afternoon or possibly an overnight, then return to the airport for a Sunday 10 am flight.

Question - what is the best route for this excursion, and by best, I mean 'most scenic'.

How much time is needed to drive from Black Hawk to DIA? Or, what's a good location for an overnight closer to the airport for that last night's stay?

Can the toll on eastbound 470 be paid as we go, and if so, what is the toll these days?

Thanks in advance.

The most scenic route to Estes Park, IMO, is the Peak to Park Highway from Nederland to Estes. First you need to get to Boulder, you can either take the tollways--E 470 from Pena Boulevard at the airport which becomes the Northwest tollway after it crosses I-25 to the highway 36 (Boulder Turnpike). Highway 36 becomes 28th St in Boulder. Turn right on Canyon Blvd which become Highway 119 and takes you up Boulder Canyon. In Nederland stay on Highway 119 north(this is the Peak to Peak Highway). In Allenspark (I think) it becomes Highway 7 into Estes Park.

Here are both tollways' websites http://www.northwestparkway.org/ http://www.e-470.com/

If you want to avoid the tollways, upon leaving DIA take I 70 west to I 270 which comes into the Boulder Turnpike (Hwy 36) at I 25 and follow the above instructions.

If you will be driving a rental car, check with the rental company about how they handle the tollway tolls and be aware most charge additional fees. If you are driving your own car, the tollways will send you a bill a month or so after the trip for the tolls (they read your license plate as you pass through the toll areas to get your address)

It would take about 1 1/2 hours to drive from Black Hawk to DIA on a Sunday morning. I suggest you take the Central City Parkway http://www.centralcityparkway.com/ from Central City (just up the hill from Blackhawk) to I 70 which goes to the airport instead to driving on Highway 6 down Clear Creek Canyon.

However, if you want to drive back to the metro area on Saturday, you might want to consider taking highway 6 to Golden and staying at the Table Mountain Inn. http://www.tablemountaininn.com/

Personally I would attack in a whole different manner. As suggested the route to Nederland is very scenic but it is a slow and tortuous route. And then not knowing your day or arrival time, it could be several hours getting to Estes. Something you may not want to do the first day.

One way or the other get to 36 through Lyons and into EP. The toll road billing is a problem since there is no way to pay directly. You can avoid the whole situation via I-70 and I-25. From EP to Black Hawk you would follow the peak to peak in the opposite direction suggested earlier.

From Black Hawk little if anything is gain by circling through Central City to the CC Parkway. It is slow five mile climb to CC from Black Hawk and then you have work you way to the back side of CC and the parkway. Since Black Hawk is right on 119, I would stay with 119 till it intersects with I-70. From there a straight shot across Denver to the airport. That early on a Sunday morning should have no problems for a quick trip. Even if you didn't overnight in Black Hawk any route into Denver and early Sunday morning would be quick.

Did they do away with the tollbooths on 470? It has been a couple years since I was in Denver, but I always just paid cash along the way.

Me too november_moon, but it appears the toll booths are gone. Inconvenient for visitors with rental cars.

I appreciate the responses, thank you all. I only mentioned 470 as I'll be driving up from the Springs and planned to go to DIA from E470. I'll have a rental car though, so will have to sort out the details.

Okay, I'm thinking DIA to Estes via I-70, I-25 and 36, getting us there as quickly as possible. Last time I drove to Estes through Boulder it was an absolute mess (about a year ago) lots of road construction, etc.

Then Estes to Black Hawk via the Peak to Peak, making for a leisurely scenic drive.

Then Black Hawk to DIA via 119 and I-70, allowing us to spend a night in Black Hawk and still get to DIA in about an hour (hopefully).

Appreciate the help - thanks.

About a year ago or more all the toll booths were closed but that is becoming fairly common around the country. You can get a transponder for free from the toll road authority. With the transponder they just bill your credit card on a monthly basis. Also, you get a discount toll fare for using the transponder. If you don't have a transponder they take a picture of your license plate as you pass through and send you a bill. For rental cars it is big problem because the rental company gets billed and then it passed along to you probably with an administrative fee. Some rental companies are charging an addition fee to cover tolls.

Depending on time of day, it is just as easy to take 1-25 to I-225, and then 1-70 to the airport and avoid the whole situation.

Melnq8, you're right this is very inconvenient for visitors to Colorado with rental cars. I'd avoid the toll road if you are in a rental car. Once the fees were added on by Avis, my parents were recently billed $25 for tolls that were less than $10. Martym gives a good link above for rental car toll info.

I don't understand why credit card machines aren't available as a way to pay the toll along the route? It seemed like a pretty simple process when I drove across the country earlier in the summer and hit numerous toll roads along the way. At unmanned booths, I just paid with an easy swipe of my credit card and was on my way. Out here I'm mailed bills for $2.50. It's ridiculous.

wtm - It does seem ridiculous doesn't it? Credit card machines would be so easy. Mailing out bills for small amounts seems like such a waste - of time, money, and paper. When all is said and done, I wonder if they even break even on tolls where they have to send out a bill. And then what happens when people don't pay the bill - a lot of people probably ignore something so small. It takes time and resources to collect on unpaid tolls.

My company has an office in Centennial, so taking 470 from the airport was really convinient - much easier than driving through Denver.

I just read all the fine print. Seems you need to pre-authorize $35 in pre-paid tolls when you get a transponder.
Then it's topped up when it drops below $10.

We have a similiar system here in Perth for bus and ferry service, which works great if you use public transport on a regular basis.

I used to love cruising on E470 to the airport, no other traffic in sight. Not this time...they've just made it too complicated for visitors who only need to use the tollway once or twice. So, it's the old route for me.

Follow-up -

We had a great trip. I ended up taking I-25 and I-70 to DIA, then 270 to 36 and on to Boulder where we took a Celestial Seasonings tour before heading up to Estes.

We spent a day in Rocky Mtn National Park - Trail Ridge had closed temporarily following snow the night of our arrival, and we missed it's reopening by only 20 minutes, but so it goes.

We took an (unplanned) tour of the Stanley Hotel and then drove to Black Hawk via the Peak to Peak, which was gorgeous. Plenty of fall colors, fantastic weather.

We then took 119 and I-70 to DIA, and I returned to Colorado Springs via 225 and I-25. Magic.

Back in Perth now and already missing my home state.

Thanks for all the help.