Stories of Colorado's Scenic and Historic Byways Now Available through Smartphones

May 25, 2012 - Statewide Transportation Plan - DENVER – Travelers now have another way to receive interpretive information about Colorado’s Scenic and Historic Byways.

Stories from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) now are available for all of the state’s 25 Scenic and Historic Byways in Tagwhat, a free mobile application for Google Android™ and iPhone/iPad™.  CDOT's channel in the application provides information about sites along each Byway, such as its history, additional interpretation about the route or location, recent site restorations and upcoming improvements.

A variety of information is provided about each route – such as ghost towns on the Alpine Loop and the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge on the Cache la Poudre – North Park Byway.  Other locations currently highlighted include: CDOT plans to provide

  • Silver Thread – North Clear Creek Falls near Creede
  • Trail of the Ancients – National Geographic map of this southwest Colorado Byway
  • West Elk Loop – restoration of the coke ovens outside Redstone
  • Unaweep Tabeguache – Hanging Flume near Uravan
  • Collegiate Peaks – Smelter Smokestack near Salida
  • Gold Belt Tour – School house restoration near Cripple Creek
  • Lariat Loop – New facilities at the Buffalo Herd Overlook
  • Pawnee Pioneer Trails – New facilities at Pawnee Butte trailhead, including equestrian amenities

“Our initial goal is to have at least five information sites about each byway,” says CDOT’s Scenic & Historic Byways Program Manager Lenore Bates.  “We already have more than 150 sites available and more to come.  Ultimately, we’d like to have up to 15 sites about all 25 byways or, at the very least, enhance the information that’s already available.”

CDOT purchased and licensed a Scenic Byways channel from Boulder-based Tagwhat for $400.  The Scenic and Historic Byway content is in a channel inside the Tagwhat app.  It is available for download, free of charge, for Google Android and iPhone/iPad.

"Tagwhat is thrilled to be working with Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways to bring the great stories of Colorado places to mobile users," said co-founder and CEO of Tagwhat, Dave Elchoness.  "Now residents and visitors will be able to more easily learn about the often invisible, but always awesome, historic and natural sites through the mobile as they pass them."

Colorado has the most nationally designated byways in the U.S.  More byway information is available at: www.ColoradoByways.org.