Traveling to Colorado is an experience that awakens imagination and inspires the soul with its spectacular scenery and natural beauty. The state is nothing short of breath-taking, with a diversity ranging from majestic Rocky Mountains to rolling hills, beautiful Alpine lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and the high desert of the Colorado Plateau.
It is an unbeatable destination that will make you rethink your future travel plans; that’s why we bring you a list of the best plans to enjoy when traveling to Colorado, with the main activities to see and do in one of the most spectacular destinations in the United States.
The best plans to enjoy when traveling to Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the United States.
High mountain peaks, alpine lakes and meadows, forests and abundant wildlife show nature at its best. The park has more than 100 peaks over 10,000 feet, including Longs Peak, the highest in the park, at 14,259 feet.
The park has an extensive hiking trail system ranging from trails less than half a mile to full-day and multi-day hikes. If you are lucky, you may see moose, bighorn sheep, deer, and other creatures.
Get to know Vail and nearby mountain towns
The Vail ski town is one of the best places to visit when traveling to Colorado in winter, but it is also a pleasant place to enjoy at any time of the year. When it comes to skiing, this is one of the best ski resorts in Colorado, with seemingly endless runs for all levels of skiers.
Vail doesn’t always fit everyone’s budget, especially if you want to stay overnight during peak season. In the surrounding area there are a number of small towns and villages that are less known, but more affordable and are also worth a visit.
Frisco is a charming mountain town and one of the best places to visit in the area. The city has all kinds of quirky cafes, shops and restaurants, and a true mountain atmosphere.
Just down the road, it is Breckenridge small town and ski area, at an elevation of 9,600 feet. This city has a very casual and fun downtown and is perfect if you plan on skiing in Breckenridge or looking for a bit of nightlife.
Tour Mesa Verde National Park
Regardless of whether you’ve seen cliff dwellings before, Mesa Verde and the amount of access to the actual ruins that the park allows for visitors will blow your mind.
The centrepiece of the park, Cliff Palace, is one of the most impressive dwellings in the entire Southwest, with spectacular surroundings and incredibly preserved ruins. Ranger-led tours, held regularly during peak summer season, allow you to climb stairs to the heart of the dwelling.
Visit Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak, in the Pike National Forest, is one of the famous mountains that soar over 14,000 feet. The snow-covered peak is easily recognizable from the nearby town of Colorado Springs.
This is one of the most visited mountains in the world, second only to Mount Fuji. Unlike many mountain peaks that are inaccessible to the average person, you can drive to the top of Pikes Peak on the Pikes Peak Highway. The travel time is approximately one hour and thirty minutes.
Tour the Garden of Gods
Also near Colorado Springs, it is the Garden of Gods. This registered National Natural Landmark is home to a unique landscape of jagged stone towers and fins that jut out 300 feet from the ground. Surrounding the fins, giant boulders and rock piles dot the landscape and distant mountains, completing the scene.
The park is a popular area for rock climbing, but other activities in the park include road biking on designated bike lanes, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Jeep tours of the foothills and the Garden of Gods are also very popular.
Visit Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness
Near Aspen city, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness showcases some of the most spectacular scenery in the Colorado Rocky Mountains and offers the opportunity to get out of your car and into nature.
Recreational activities are what attract most people to Maroon Bells. The hike here is amazing, with all kinds of day hikes and backpacking areas. Mountain bike trails cover hundreds of miles. Fishing in lakes, ponds, rivers and streams is popular in summer. In winter, people come here to ski, with snowshoes and snowmobiles, making it a year-round outdoor playground.
Go to Aspen when traveling to Colorado
Although more commonly associated with skiing, Aspen is a year-round destination that skiers and non-skiers can enjoy. Restaurants and shops line the streets, many of which face the ski slopes on the outskirts of town.
The city has no shortage of luxury hotels and dining options are plentiful. If you don’t want to stay here, you can take a day trip from nearby Glenwood Springs, another popular destination in the area.
See the Colorado National Monument
Just outside Grand Junction and nearby Fruita cities, it is the Colorado National Monument. A scenic drive winds through exceptional scenery. This is not a typical mountain landscape, but rather a landscape of huge rock spires, cliff faces, canyons, and a desert setting with small trees and overgrown shrubs.
Appreciate the Dinosaur National Monument
The Dinosaur National Monument in north-western Colorado combines spectacular scenery with natural and cultural history to create one of the most interesting sites in Colorado. While most people are drawn here by the archaeological aspects, the recreational opportunities add another aspect to your visit.
Go to Glenwood Springs
With hot springs, a fantastic adventure park, beautiful trails for hiking, rafting, fishing and diving, Glenwood Springs is one of the best places to visit in Colorado for families. That said, anyone will enjoy a visit here, whether they are couples looking for a romantic getaway, or nature lovers looking for an outdoor getaway.
The city is home to two major hot springs, including the world’s largest pool of mineral springs. On the outskirts of town, it is the family-focused Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort, and the Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort is less than an hour away. In summer, the Hanging Lake hiking trail is incredibly popular.
Mountain biking near Fruita
The mountain bike trails around Fruita are some of the best trails in the state. Most notable are the 18 Road Trails, with the infamous Zippity Do Da trail and the Kokopelli Loops. This is desert terrain, with trails running along the top of the ridges and everywhere between or alongside the ledges of the cliffs overlooking the Colorado River.
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