Leadville to Walden-which route?

Driving from Leadville to Walden and looking at three routes. Looking for the most scenic of these three.

Option1 Red Cliff, Yampa, Steamboat, Walden

Option2 Frisco, Kremmling, Walden

Option3 the round about way of Red Cliff, Yampa, Craig, Baggs, Encampment, Walden.

Which would have the best scenery and landscape photo locations along the way?

Thank you. RW

Route 1 is more scenic than route 2 in terms of a greater variety of valleys, towns, etc, though Route 1 doesn't have any big mountain landscapes, like Route 2 does (Gore Range,Rabbit Ears Pass). Route 2 provides the shortest route with the fastest traffic, but it does have the aforementioned mountain scenics. Route 3 is really going out of the way for a only a modest increase in scenery. The drive from Craig, to Baggs, to Encampment, to Walden is low on the mountain scenery but high in sagebrush type scenery. Why not do Route 2 if a morning drive in one direction and route 1 if an afternoon drive on the return trip, or vice versa.

One thing to consider if you choose route 1, everything but the scrub oak in Steamboat is brown. Probably the hardest hit beetle kill area I have see. The road from through Granby & Rand to Walden would also be an option other than #2. With all the fresh snow they should all be an enjoyable drive.

If you want to get some past prime farm land landscapes and sagebrush #3 would be the way to go.