The ‘Hold Your Breath’ Drives Every Colorado Driver Knows All Too Well

Colorado was basically built for road trips.

You can point your car in almost any direction and end up somewhere postcard-worthy.

Snow-capped peaks, winding rivers, tiny mountain towns, it’s all right there.

But let’s not pretend every scenic drive is a chill Sunday cruise.

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What Makes Colorado's Roads So Dangerous?

Some of Colorado’s most jaw-dropping highways also double as “hold your breath and hope for the best” experiences. We’re talking narrow strips of pavement glued to the side of a mountain.

No shoulder. No guardrail worth bragging about. Just you, your steering wheel, and a drop-off that feels like it goes straight to the center of the earth.

And then there are the blind curves. The kind where you slow down, hug the line, and pray you’re not about to meet a lifted F-350 taking the corner like it’s NASCAR.

Toss in sudden weather changes, rockslides, and out-of-state RV drivers who thought this would be “a relaxing mountain getaway,” and yeah… things get interesting fast.

Read More: The Second-Longest Highway in the US Cuts Through Colorado

It's Not the Road Builder's Fault

Colorado’s roads aren’t dangerous because they’re poorly built. They’re dangerous because this state refuses to flatten itself out for anyone.

The mountains were here first. We just carved roads through them and said, “Good luck.”

Still, if you’re willing to trade white knuckles for ridiculous views, these drives deliver. The kind of scenery that makes you forget you were just gripping the wheel like your life depended on it because, well, it kind of did.

So be honest. How many of Colorado’s most dangerous roads have you actually tackled?