A Guide to the Clear Creek Canyon Scenic Drive

Most guests driving to Imperial Peak from Denver end up on Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon at some point, whether they mean to sightsee or not — it's simply the most direct route once you leave I-70. It's worth treating as more than a connector road, though. The canyon runs alongside the creek for several miles, with rock walls close enough on both sides to block cell signal in stretches.

Getting Onto the Canyon Road

From Denver, take I-70 west to exit 244, then follow Highway 6 west. The canyon starts almost immediately and runs roughly 12 miles before you reach the Highway 119 junction that turns north into Black Hawk. Budget closer to 45 minutes than the bare "40-minute drive" figure if you plan on stopping.

River Access Points

Clear Creek runs a popular whitewater rafting and kayaking stretch through the canyon, and several pull-offs give walk-down access to the water. Spring runoff (typically May into June) brings the highest, fastest water and the busiest rafting traffic; by August the creek runs low enough for wading and casual fishing in the calmer stretches.

Climbing Pull-Offs

The canyon walls host a number of established rock climbing routes, and it's common to see climbers roped up on the cliff faces visible from the road, particularly on weekend mornings. There's no need to stop for a good look — most routes are visible from several of the wider pull-offs along the highway.

Weekday mornings are the quietest time to drive the canyon — weekend afternoons bring rafting shuttle traffic and slower-moving sightseers pulling in and out of the overlooks.

Timing the Drive

Morning light works best for photos, since the canyon runs roughly east-west and afternoon sun sits low and direct through much of it. In winter, shaded stretches of the canyon road can hold ice well after the rest of the Front Range has cleared — worth knowing if you're driving up for a weekend stay between December and March.

Coming Back Down

The same canyon works in reverse for the drive home, and it's worth the same attention on the way out as the way in — especially on a Sunday afternoon when returning ski and casino traffic both funnel through the same stretch of Highway 6.