A place dominated by tall rocky mountains jutting into the sky, mighty rivers gushing into deep canyons, serene lakes, and a vivid landscape of forests, plateaus, rolling land, and high plains, that's Colorado for you!! 💚 It might initially look overwhelming to plan a perfect road trip here since there is so much to see and do, but I will tell you about some of the most amazing places to visit in Colorado so you don't miss out on the best.
1. Rocky Mountain National Park
A bucket-list destination for many outdoor lovers, Rocky Mountain National Park is a spectacular natural playground that shouldn't be missed on any trip to Colorado. To get to the park, fly into Denver(the well-known Mile High City) and then drive for about 2 hours up the mountains to the National Park.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular attractions in Colorado, drawing 4.5 million annual visitors to its 415 square miles of mountain beauty. The wilderness includes 355 miles of hiking trails, 147 lakes, 77 mountains taller than 12,000 feet, and the opportunity to see elk, bighorn sheep, and moose. Most Rocky Mountain National Park hiking trails start around 7,800 feet (2,377 m) high, which is quite an elevation if you are not properly acclimatized. So, it is better to acclimatize after arriving in the Rockies before taking up all of these hikes.
As much as we would have loved to explore the Rockies to the maximum, we only had a day to ourselves. Some of the must do in The Rockies are-
Bear Lake
Bear Lake hiking area offers several hiking trails suited for any skill level. You can do a leisure walk circumnavigating the lake. The trail is only 0.7 miles, offering the chance to see deer and gorgeous views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. We did get gorgeous views of the lake with the backdrop of the mountains and snow-laden path, but we had to be very cautious since the path was way too slippery. It was well worth it.
Emerald Lake
It is 3.1 miles (5 km) of hike with 700 feet (213 m) elevation gain. The hike features Alpine Lake, outstanding Views, and wildflowers. It's a nice hike but can be a bit difficult in winter conditions if you don't have the proper shoes.
Jewel Lake
It is less known, but it is a lovely, moderate 7.4 miles (12 km) hike with 1400 feet (426 m) of elevation gain. Take a 0.4-mile detour to Lake Haiyaha for an added bonus.
Tip: Get to the Bear Lake Parking area as early as possible in the morning to avoid long waiting lines. We had to wait almost 25-30 minutes to get to the parking. You can also park and ride and use the free shuttle in the peak season(it operates only in the summers).
Trail Ridge Road
This 48-mile-long road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, with a maximum elevation of 12,183 ft – well above the treeline! It has multiple scenic spots where you can stop, park safely, and enjoy the view, and the drive itself is spectacular with sweeping views. This was something I wanted to do, but unfortunately, the road was closed on the day we arrived due to bad weather conditions. But this is the one thing you should definitely be doing in the Rocky Mountains.
TIP- If you have one day at hand, I would recommend taking one of the hikes and the Trail Ridge Road. But anyway, it doesn't matter if you explore the park for a day or two or for five days; the Rockies won't fail to amaze and reward you with some of the most stunning vistas.
2. Loveland Pass
Loveland Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 11,990 feet (3,655 m) above sea level in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The pass is located on the Continental Divide in the Front Range west of Denver on U.S. Highway 6. For the uninitiated, a continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent. The drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other feeds into a different ocean or sea. The road to the Loveland Pass-Continental divide is twisty and considered treacherous during the winter months, but it's very beautiful. Driving up to the summit of Loveland Pass is quite an experience.
The first time we did it, we were in so much awe, so we drove to the summit again a second time!!😍 It is a fairly steep climb with hairpin turns and amazing views down into the valley of I-70 below. It can be a little scary, though, since most views are not blocked by a guard rail, and it is easy to imagine yourself whizzing down the mountain.
There are many hikes you can do from the summit. We took on the West Ridge Trail in Loveland Pass!!😍 It is a 3-mile round-trip trail with super gorgeous views of the mountains. The initial part of the trail overlooks the highway to Loveland Pass, and it's so breathtaking to look at it from that perspective. The first half a mile or so of the trail is definitely heart-pounding both because of the incline + elevation (you start at ~12,000 feet)!! And it was particularly a bit difficult because of the deep snow that had already covered everything, including the trail!! But as we were getting close to the top, it felt more and more right to have taken this trail even in almost 2 ft deep snow. I felt truly alive in those moments!!😊 Loveland was definitely one of our favorites in Colorado. If you are planning on visiting CO, do not miss Loveland and definitely not this trail!! 😍
After the trail, our stomachs were screaming for food, and we needed a quick bite before making our way to the next destination!! Looking for some good food, we stumbled upon this great restaurant, "Chimayo Mexican Grill" which was also on our way to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison(our next stop). It is a quick-service, casual restaurant serving coastal Mexican food, but hands down, theirs was the best we had in Colorado. It has also been named one of "The best 11 Colorado restaurants outside of Denver" on Thrillist, and now we know why. If you are anywhere close to Chimayo, make sure to stop here and try any of their many delicious offerings.
3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison
When I first saw pictures of the Black Canyon, it looked overwhelming, but standing there and looking at the deep and dramatic canyon makes you feel the pulse of time. Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and roughest peaks in North America. The canyon's name owes itself to the fact that parts of the gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day. Carved through solid granite over millions of years, the dark canyon walls plunge an awe-inspiring 2,700 feet to the Gunnison River below!!
There are two entrances for the park, one from the west (South Rim) in Montrose and another accessing the east side (North Rim) from Crawford. Interestingly, there is no bridge connecting the sides, and you must drive all the way around on a gravel road, 2 to 3 hours, to access the opposite half. The North rim is more raw and secluded, far, far away from the highway, and only a few people visit this side of the rim. We visited the South rim of the park and explored the canyon by stopping along the many vantage points along the scenic rim route. The South Rim Drive is 7 miles, starting from Tomichi Point to High Point, and has 12 overlooks. Most are reached by walking a short trail. Allow 2-3 hours to view several overlooks. If you are short on time, you should consider stopping at Gunnison Point, Chasm View, Painted Wall, and Sunset View.
One of our favorite stops was the Painted Walls. It is the tallest vertical cliff in Colorado, with a height of 2,250 ft. It's really massive and deep, and the features on the canyon wall seem unreal. It is so chilling to stand there and think how these cliffs and canyons have been carved over millions and millions of years. Next, we drove to the Gunnison River by taking the East Portal Road. This provides access to Curecanti National Recreation Area, where camping, picnicking, and fishing are available. Now, this road is extremely steep (16% grades) with hairpin curves, and it felt a bit scary at times driving along with all those rocky cliffs. But it was quite an experience, plus lovely views. Vehicles with an overall length(including trailer) greater than 22 feet are prohibited on the East Portal Road.
Tip- East Portal Road is closed in winter.
4. Hartman Rocks, Gunnison
After soaking in great views of the Black Canyon, it was now time to get ready for what was going to be the most exciting destination of our trip- Hartman Rocks in Gunnison. Located just on the outskirts of the city, Hartman Rocks is one of Gunnison’s greatest gems. It’s a paradise of desert mountain biking, hiking, motorcycling, rock climbing, horseback riding, trail running, and Nordic skiing. With miles of beautiful trails and roads of varying difficulty, Hartman is one of western Colorado’s best-kept secrets.
Why most exciting, you wonder?? Because we were going to stay in an RV camper for the first time in life!!😍😍 Yes, it was our first, and what better than this gem of a place for an RV experience? We wouldn't have considered stopping at Hartman Rocks if it was not for the RV, but I was so wrong; this place definitely deserves a stop on your Colorado trip. I was quite sure while planning that we needed to experience some camper stay on our Colorado trip, and I finally found an excellent option. With a quaint retro feel, our little camper was the perfect tiny home for our visit to Gunnison. Parked right next to the base area of Hartman Rocks (a massive outdoor recreation area), we got a view that is unbeatable in the valley while also being only a few minutes from town. It was so incredible that being only 20 min away from all the shops and restaurants, we were in such wilderness.
Our stay was quite adventurous since it was cold(-10 degrees Celsius). I must tell you we initially reconsidered our camper stay, but I am so glad we decided to stay!! The camper was quite warm, and we just cuddled up like a baby in our respective cozy bunker beds!! And then imagine waking up to spectacular views and sipping up the first-morning coffee while viewing Gunnison Basin on one side and the snow-capped San Juan Mountains on the other. Since there was almost zero traffic and neighbors in the area, we got a sense of “peace” like we had never experienced before. The only thing I wished at that moment was to wake up each day of my life in that very place.❤
I would highly recommend Hartman Rocks for glamping or at least spending a day hiking its gorgeous trails. We booked the camper on Airbnb. If you're a first-time Airbnb user, click here to get a 44$ credit to your Airbnb Account. You can book the RV camper here.
5. Garden of the Gods
Our next stop was Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, a natural landmark and popular park with stunning geological formations, rock climbing, and nature trails. When I first saw its pictures online, I knew we had to visit it before leaving Colorado. The Garden of the Gods is one of Colorado's most amazing natural attractions, which comprises giant red rock formations that were created during a geological upheaval millions of years ago.
Before starting to explore the park, we stopped at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. We usually don't spend time at visitor centers, but this one is quite interesting, and I would highly recommend you to stop here!! Here, the complex 300 million of geological history, ecology, and cultural history of the park comes to life through dynamic interactive museum exhibits. A 12-minute video (shown every 20 minutes) inside the Visitor Center explains the park and about the red rock formations. Both the park and the visitor center are free and open to the public. You can also use the summer shuttle service, which runs from the end of May till August, if you want to avoid waiting in the parking lots, which fill quickly, especially in the peak summer months. Also, try going in the morning as early as possible.
The reason most visitors go out of their way to stop at the Garden of the Gods is obvious when you first see it: the geology. The reddish-orange, towering rock formations surrounded by snow-capped mountain vistas and lush green vegetation make the experience in the park surreal. The rock formations are aptly named, like the Balanced Rock, Siamese Twins, Kissing Camels, and Cathedral Spires, to name a few, and the privilege of meandering among them is very special. Garden of the Gods also accommodates a host of activities, from biking and hiking to horseback riding and rock climbing.
Hiking
One of the most popular ways to experience the Garden of the Gods is on your own two feet. The Garden of the Gods offers 15 miles of trails winding throughout the formations. There are various hiking options, including super easy options on paved walkways suitable for families. Pick up a free map at the visitor center info desk. Take your time, and take in the scenery. You want to set aside at least a half-day for exploring. Some of the great hiking trails that we did include:
Gateway/Perkins Central Garden Trail: It's a fairly easy, 1.75-mile loop with barely any elevation gain in the heart of the park at the base of the highest rock formations. It was fun to see some of the rock formations, like "Cathedral Spires" and the "Sentinel Spire" rock formations, up close and be able to touch something that was millions of years old!
Ridge Trail: It's a moderate 0.5-mile round-trip. This path gives you the feeling of being up among the rocks.
Siamese Twins Trail: It's again an easy 0.5-mile round trip with very little elevation. There is a unique view of the Pikes Peak through the natural window of the twin rocks.
Balanced Rock: This is the park's iconic attraction and the most famous rock formation of the park. Balanced Rock, rising 35 feet above its pedestal base, weighs about 700 tons(oooh, that's a lot) and defies the laws of physics as it balances on a sloped ledge of sandstone!! Geologists call it a formation that was not transported and deposited in place but instead was eroded from surrounding bedrock. Like other precariously balancing rocks, it is an incredible natural wonder that appears to be ready to topple over the road at any moment. Make sure to visit before that happens.🙂
Bretag/Palmer Trails: It's a moderate 2.05 miles(one way) with less than a 250 ft. rise. This trail covers rolling, rocky terrain and has spectacular views.
6. Denver
It was now time to end our amazing road trip, but it wouldn't have been complete without exploring a little bit of the mile-high city first. There is not much to see in the city itself, especially if you are not a city person like us, so we kept it for our last day in Colorado!! What we wanted to explore was Denver's street art, murals, and graffiti; a different side of the city.😍
Where to find the street art in Denver, you ask?
Now, there are two ways you can do it: either book a graffiti tour or wander through the endless streets of RiNo and get lost in its beautiful art!! RiNo(River North Art District) is the creative neighborhood just north of Denver’s downtown district where you will find every kind of art(murals, graffiti walls), from architecture to design, fashion to sculpture, and whatnot!! It is also home to a number of unique and exciting bars, late-night food trucks, and microbreweries that offer one-of-a-kind flavors and environments.
Tip- Explore RiNo in the early morning hours when the streets are quieter, and there are hardly any people on the road!! If you are going in the morning, you can also easily find empty parking spaces on the streets, which is a big plus.
No prize for guessing! We opted to explore it on our own!!🙂 The street art, colorful murals, and graffiti are all open for anyone to view and enjoy. Some we found in narrow alleyways, others under bridges and in abandoned lots. Just go get lost and immerse yourself in the incredible art. But please use common sense and don’t go traipsing into unfamiliar areas alone or at night.
Discover more hidden gems in the Southwest and the US by visiting, Offthebeatentravel, Sasha's amazing website.
You can watch a short video of our Colorado trip here-
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