The approach to Black Hawk via Colorado Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon is one of the most dramatic drives in the Front Range. The road follows the creek bed through sheer granite walls for about 15 kilometres from Golden, climbing steeply and winding through tunnels blasted from the rock in the early 20th century. The canyon walls rise hundreds of metres on either side, and in spring the creek runs white with snowmelt.
Rock climbers use the lower canyon walls year-round, and the creek itself is stocked for fishing. The drive is worthwhile in either direction, but the approach from Golden gives the better sense of the terrain — you arrive at the casino strip somewhat abruptly, having wound through wilderness for twenty minutes.