Sightseeing in Colorado

Garden of the Gods is incredible. It is in Colorado Springs. You can see some of it at http://www.hellocoloradosprings.com/parks/...gods/garden.htm . Pikes Peak is also very beautiful.

 

Hint for Pike's Peak: Take the Train. The view is just as good, and you don't have to risk falling off the side.

Nate

 

Estes Park, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and basically any place above 9000 feet. Train lovers take the Durango/Silverton narrow gauge. Gunnison is still on my to-do list. Filling a week would not be difficult at all.

 

Red Rocks, west of Denver on I-70. It's free as long as there isn't a concert.

The train is cool to the top 'o Pikes Peak, but drive yer Prius up there and buy the sticker that says ya made it and take pictures to post here! You'll be a hero with that...

 

How much time do you have? Are you looking to do some hiking or just visit spots in the car? Black Canyon of the Gunnison hasn't been specifically mentioned yet. Colorado National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument (on the border with Utah). Rock Mountain National Park (Estes Park is the closest town). SOOOOOOO many places. So little time.

 

If you do go to Rocky Mountain National Park, take Old Fall River Road up, take the main road down.

Nate

 

There are some good suggestions here, but everyone I work with always comes to me with questions about where to go, hike, ski, see Aspen color etc. I have lived in Colorado since 1980 and moved here because I love the state. I don't know where in the state you will be, and it is too big to cover in one week in my opinion. But here are my top suggestions by "category" and grouped into two general locations. Things in bold are my top recommendations overall.

North central part of the mountians:

If you want a scenic drive: 1) Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Hard to top. 2) Highway 82 east of Aspen to Twin lakes 3) Starting in Silverthorne on I-70. North on CO9 to Kremmling, North on US40, West on CO134 to Toponas, north on CO131 to Steamboat Springs. The CO134 section is the best.

If you want to drive up really high, above treeline into the Tundra on twisty awe inspiring roads: 1) Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Hard to top in this category also. 2) Mount Evans Road outside Idaho Springs. This one gets bold also because it is probably the second best road of its type in the Continental US.

If you want to go on a moderate hike in beautiful setting:
1) The Maroon Bells outside of Aspen. Crowded in the summer and you can only get there by bus. Probably the most beautiful single spot in all of Colorado. 2) Brainard lake area in the Indian Peaks near Ward, west of Boulder 3)Glacier Gorge in Rocky Mtn. NP 4) various raodside hikes in Rocky Mtn NP.

If you want to stay in a really nice Mountain town with some things to do 1) Breckenridge 2) Steamboat Springs 3)Aspen

If you like "rustic", less touristy old mining towns. 1) This part of the state is not very good for this. Better places in the south. 2) Idaho springs 3)Leadville

If you like good restaurants, shopping and interesting things along those lines in a very nice setting. 1) Boulder 2) Aspen

South central/ southwest, same categories:

If you want a scenic drive: 1) UW550 from Durango to Ouray 2) CO 149 from near Gunnison South through Lake City and Creede. 3) CO133 REdstone to Paonia, with a side trip to Marble.

If you want to drive up really high, above treeline into the Tundra on twisty awe inspiring roads: 1) UW550 from Durango to Ouray

If you want to go on a moderate hike in beautiful setting: 1) Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride 2) Box canyon in Ouray 3) Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (hikes here are actually quite strenuous, but spectacular.

If you want to stay in a really nice Mountain town with some things to do 1) Telluride 2) Crested Butte these are my two favorite towns in Colorado, but Telluride is very glitzy ina funky, mining town sort of way. 3)Durango

If you like "rustic", less touristy old mining towns. 1) Ouray 2) Creede 3)Silverton

If you like good restaurants, shopping and interesting things along those lines in a very nice setting. 1) Telluride 2) Durango

Other to attractions that don't fit the above:

Mesa Verde National Monument (Park?) - fantastic Anasazi Indian ruins. One of the states top attractions, but not the typical "Colorado" sort of thing.

Great Sandunes National Monument - a very odd an unexpected place in a pretty setting. However, I don't recommended unless you really like hiking on sandunes (which is surprisingly interesting).

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have. I would also be glad to suggest specific places to stay, restaurants to try, etc. if you are interested. I am not a travel guide, but I should have been. B)

 

One other important suggestion if you are not familiar with the mountians. It is almost ALWAYS clear and beautiful in the morning during the time of year you will be here. It is frequently stormy in the afternoon. Plan to do outdoor activities and drive in high places in the morning. Plan to travel from place to place, or go shopping in the afternoon.

 

NO NO NO....regenerating down the hill would be GREAT!!!!! :lol:

 

Don't miss Mesa Verde! Allow at least one FULL day, or parts of two. From there, as suggested, take the road from Durango north thru Silverton and Ouray, with a brief side trip to Telluride if there's time. At Montrose, head east thru the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Take at least one shorter hike there (stop at Visitor's Center, get map, talk to Ranger.)

Don't go as far north and west as Grand Junction unless you're going to see Colorado National Monument, which is "worth" half a day.

Drive to the top of Mt. Evans---out of the way (not part of a loop), unfortunately, but worth it on the way back north toward Denver and/or Rocky Mt. Nat'l. park. It's the highest paved road in the world, and a bit scary in places (where there are no guard rails). It's something you'll want to do just to say you did it. The air's thin at the top (and there's even a snack bar), but oxygen is spaced around for anyone who gets faint-feeling.

Give yourself at least 2 days (3 to allow yourself brief hikes/long walks) in RMNP.

Don't go to Steamboat Spgs. unless you can go all the way to Dinosaur Nat'l Monument, too---worth a day itself, but isolated.

 

If you do decide to do some hiking up in the mountains try to minimize your time above treeline in the afternoon. The storms that often come across and generate a lot of lightening and you don't wanna be out in the open as one passes overhead.

 

My general opinion of your itinerary - too much driving. Driving in the mountains can be slow, and takes a lot longer per mile that you may expect. There won't be (virtually) any interstate type highways on your way. You might want to try using one of the map websites (like Mapquest) to get mileages and driving times from point to point on your trip.

My recommendatioins based on your route:

The Rocky Mountain NP to Breckenridge part sounds good, although may warrant more time. Gunnison is a boring place (sorry to anyone who likes it), high but not in the mountians, and the mountain drive getting there isn't the prettiest IMO. The area around Aspen is MUCH prettier, and the drive over Independence Pass from near Leadville to Aspen spectacular.

As for hiking:

Rocky mountian NP is good (Glacier gorge very pretty)
Maroon Bells near Aspen is the single most scenic spot in Colorado IMO, and there is a lot of good hiking in that area for all levels.
The Indian Peaks Brainard Lake area (on the way to Estes Park from Denver) is probably the second prettiest place to do a short and relatively easy hike. The scenery is total world class 5 minutes form the car, and its close to Denver.

I agree with those that say Mesa Verde is a great place, but it is a LONG way from every other place you mentioned. You are going to add a lot of driving time to go there and back, so check your driving times before you commit to that. Its a great place, but one thing I've learned from travelling is that you can't see everything. Iit is better to enjoy what you do see and miss a few things, than try to cram everything in and not enjoy it.

I'll be glad to help you any way I can. My hobby is planning vacations: mine or anyone else who asks. :lol:

 

In an effort to minimize confusion (of the who should I believe sort), I second all of these recommendations (both the do's and the don'ts). BUT, consider your driving time. My only objection to ghostofjk suggestions as stated I stated above is Mesa Verde is really far from everything else you have mentioned. I do agree with the Mt. Evans road part, and it isn't far from Breckenridge or Denver.

 

I concur with most people's suggestions as far as what Colorado has to offer. I lived in Fort Collins for 12 years and put thousands of miles on the family car trying to see all the sites and barely made a dent. A few ideas to help you maximize your enjoyment:

Disclaimer: I am a nature lover and hiker/outdoors person, so my opinion of what is "worthwhile" may not coincide with yours. But if I were planning the trip, I would focus on what can ONLY be done in Colorado, which for me would be RMNP and Mesa Verde. I would lump rafting in with skiing as activities which, while a lot of fun and of high quality in Colorado, can be enjoyed equally well in many other states.

You state the vacation is late spring or early summer. Be aware that at high altitudes snow happens. Trail Ridge Road in RMNP typically struggles to be open by Memorial Day and can be closed at any time due to snow fall. When hiking at any altitude, be prepared for wind, rain and cold. When hiking above 10,000 feet, add sleet, hail, snow and bitter cold to the preparations. And, as already stated, treat lightning storms with respect. The good news is that while they are frequent, they rarely last very long. If you come prepared for the worst, you'll be able to enjoy the variety which is Colorado weather rather than be victimized by it.

Also make sure you have good, current road maps to work with and check the map key. Colorado has (or at least had when I lived there) numbered state highways that were unpaved. All the state highway designation meant was that the state maintained the road. On the other hand, driving those two lane state highways over some of the less popular (aka higher, more rugged, less populated, more remote) mountain passes is worth the pain if you have the time.

If you can, give yourself enough time while driving between major attractions to stop at some of the minor attractions along the way. There are many that are worth a few hours delay along the way to stop and look around but are not worth making a special trip to see. Out west, our guideline was that National Parks were "must visits", National Monuments were "as long as we're within an hour or two of the site" its worth the detour, and any other starred AAA attractions were considered if they were on the way and struck our fancy.

An alternative approach you might want to consider, particularly if you are not a fan of marathon drives, is to limit your vacation to Rocky Mountain National Park and spend all your time there. You'll still do a lot of driving (RMNP is a BIG park). But you'll have time to get in shape so you can get away from the road and back into nature and a day or two of bad weather won't prevent you from seeing everything.

The weather forcast, unless it is for "sunny and warm with a chance for afternoon/evening thunderstorms" is at best a wild guess. The only "usual" weather in or near the mountains is "unusual weather for this time of year."

If you are arriving from sea-level, give yourself some time to adjust to altitude before heading for higher altitudes. Altitude sickness won't kill you, but it can sure can put a damper on your fun.

Carry a lot of water with you and drink it. Be aware of the hazards of hiking in the area (hypothermia, giardia, RM fever, rabies, plague, etc) and take appropriate precautions (dress in layers, don't feed the wildlife, etc) so that you can enjoy yourself and everything good the area has to offer.

Take the time to hike in from the trail heads. RMNP is a completely different place once you get off the pavement, which typically requires about 1/4 mile of walking. If you are into wildlife, you'll see more in the first two hours after dawn then you will the rest of the day. And you won't be elbow to elbow with tourists whose idea of nature is a Disneyland ride.

If the buses are running at RMNP, take advantage of them to do one way hikes from higher to lower elevations. You'll see a lot more with a lot less effort. For example, the hike to Bierstadt Lake is a killer from the lower trailhead, but if you hike down from Bear Lake and continue down to the trail head, it is pleasant day hike. Check with the rangers when you arrive to get recommendations which match your interests and abilities, and current conditions. If you're new to the Rocky Mountains, a ranger guided hike can be really good (and if I recall correctly, you won't have a choice at Mesa Verde if you want to see the "good stuff").

If you are more into driving than walking, there are also many incredible drives, but you will want to get up to date recommendations. Old Fall River Road in RMNP is fun. Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved road in the world that is not a dead end. Mount Evans is the highest paved road in the world. Pike's Peak allows you to say "been there, done that" but is otherwise a tourist trap. Ditto for Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, but unlike Pike's Peak, if you're in the area it is worth the detour to drive through. If it is open, Rampart Range Road out of Garden of the Gods has some great views on your way up into the mountains, but was an unmaintained 4WD path when I drove down it 20 years ago. If you do find yourself in Colorado Springs, you may also want to take a tour of the Air Force Academy, the cadet chapel is unreal although personally I would not waste time on Colorado Springs if my time was limited (but keep in mind my disclaimer above).

One other thing I have not seen mentioned is the challenge of getting accomodations at RMNP and Mesa Verde. Accomodations inside the parks are very limited, even if you are camping. Rockie looks like it is surrounded by touristy towns, but if you stay outside the parks, you're going to be spending an hour or more each way commuting in and out of the park. Even inside Rockie, things are far apart and you can spend an hour or more getting from your campsite to the trailhead you want to use, and getting from the east (Estes Park) side of the park to the west (Grandview) side of the park is a half day drive, even assuming you can resist stopping along the way to absorb the incredible scenery.

Just to end on a positive note, enjoy your stay. Colorado is an incredible state and no matter what you do and how you go about it, you will have an incredible time. The biggest danger of Colorado is its addictiveness. I made a similar trip to Colorado with my wife while we were still in grad school and wound up moving there five years later! Don't forget to post when you get back on what you actually did and the highlights of your trip.

 

Every word excellent advice. Wish I'd said it.

 

Wow! I live here and learned alot from all you folks! Great advice from people who have obviously been around the state much more than I. You will fall in love with Colorado, but beware! We have only a select few spots left for new residents! Enjoy!

 

Hi guys,

I was going to visit Denver area next week. We get in Thursday afternoon and leave on Sunday morning.
So we just have two full days. Are there any must see areas that we must visit. We will rent a car so we can drive around a bit. My daughter is three and my wife loves seeing the outdoors..nice views and picture taking.

Any help would be appreciated.

Amit

 

So you have two full days or less?

I'd go to the city park (forget the name) above Boulder (winding road up a mountain). On a clear day you can see...Kansas! It's woodsy and pretty up there.

Or you could go for it and drive up Mt. Evans, if the road's open. When you're at the top, you're eyeball-to-eyeball with several other 13K-14K ft. mountaintops.

If there are really interesting things to see in Denver itself, I don't know what they are.