We spent our sixth day out west making a day trip over to Mount Evans. When we first started planning our trip, we knew there were several things we definitely wanted to do, like Rushmore, the Rocky Mountain National Park, etc. But I was eager to add to our list, so I did a quick Google search for things to do in Denver. One of the top attractions on multiple lists was the drive up to Mount Evans. And I have to say the trip did not disappoint.

(If you want to see more detailed pics, Sunny has posted a blog with great pictures from our day trip to Mount Evans.)

As one of Colorado’s “fourteeners”, Mount Evans is the highest summit of the Chicago Peaks. But what makes this such a unique trip is that the Mount Evans Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in the US. The views were pretty incredible, but driving was also quite terrifying! There were a few moments where I just had to focus on the lines on the road and not think about the fact that there were thousand-foot drop-offs just inches away!

The Bybee boys at Mount Evans

The boys and I climbed up the final hundred feet or so to snap this picture at the tip top of the mountain. Of course, as soon as we made it to the top, a cloud rolled in and blocked our view. But you can still see a bit of the adjacent mountain in the background of this picture. It really is hard to put into words how incredible and terrifying this experience was! And I would totally do it again!

My takeaway from the drive to Mount Evans was amazement at the majesty of creation. In a world that preaches a relentless message of human priority and self-importance, it’s nice to be reminded that we’re awfully small in the grand scheme of things. Seriously.