Buena Vista

After Fairplay competitors will head south on Highway 285 to Highway 24 and the town of Buena Vista. Founded in 1879, Buena Vista means "beautiful view" and is considered one of the main gateways to recreation in the 1,109,782 acre San Isabel National Forest and the 148-mile long Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area.

The first Sprint line in Stage 1 is located in Buena Vista at the intersection of Highway 24 and Main Street. This location will provide the most exciting viewing access from Buena Vista for the Colorado Stage. 

From Buena Vista, racers will head north on Highway 24 at the foot of the Collegiate Peaks towards the town of Leadville. The Collegiate Peaks area includes much of the Sawatch Range and has the highest average elevation of any wilderness area in the United States. Several of the area's 14,000-foot peaks are named for famous universities and colleges, including Mt. Harvard, Mt. Oxford, Mt. Yale, Mt. Princeton, and Mt. Columbia. In all, more than ten fourteeners are visible from Buena Vista and the surrounding area.