The Perfect Colorado Road Trip

Recently I took a road trip through Colorado and so many people asked me for the itinerary that I thought I would publish a post about it. We were coming from Austin, Texas so we did our loop in that fashion, but you can do it however you want. We tried to cram as much as we possibly could into our trip so feel free to adjust as necessary! Adding in drive-time, this itinerary will take you about seven days.

Note: The altitude in Colorado impacts everyone differently. Drink plenty of water. Moderate your caffeine and alcohol intake until you understand how you will experience the altitude changes.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Day 1: Colorado Springs

Highlights:

Garden of the Gods

Cave of the Winds

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Colorado Springs is a great base to access Garden of the Gods, which I highly recommend that you visit. Plan to get there in the early morning to avoid the crowds and the heat in summer. Cave of the Winds is a 500 million year old cave system with plenty of entertainment for the whole family and the views are BEAUTIFUL. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a group of Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings that you can actually go inside of and touch! Plan to spend a couple of hours at each of these places with the bulk of your morning likely being spent at Garden of the Gods.

Tip: If you want more of a small town feel, I would recommend staying in Manitou Springs (just West of Colorado Springs) rather than Colorado Springs proper. Colorado Springs is a significant sized city and it feels like it.

When all is said and done, the drive from Colorado Springs to Estes Park will take about 2.5 hours.

Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado

Days 2 & 3: Estes Park (including Rocky Mountain National Park)

Highlights:

Estes Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

The town of Estes Park is absolutely lovely and there is quite a lot to do there. Check out (or check in if you’re feeling brave!) at the The Stanley Hotel, which served as the inspiration for The Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Even if you don’t stay the night, definitely do a ghost tour! You can also visit Lake Estes or check out the quaint shops downtown.

I will share an entire post on Rocky Mountain National Park and truthfully, you could spend a week there, but I am going to briefly share some of the can’t-miss spots within the park. The drive from Estes Park proper to the closest Rocky Mountain National Park entrance (Beaver Meadows) is about 10 minutes. Once you get into the park, I recommend doing at least one lake hike and one waterfall hike.

We weren’t sure how of the altitude was going to impact us and we only had one day in the park, so after doing an easy hike to Bear Lake, we did a more moderate hike to Alberta Falls which ended up being a great decision. Take a break from hiking in the afternoon and drive the 48-mile Trail Ridge Road for hairpin turns and sweeping vistas. The alpine meadows are stunning, particularly during wildflower season.

Tip: Rocky Mountain National Park is currently on a reservation-based system so book as far in advance as you can and I recommend that you take the earliest entrance time available.

When all is said and done, the drive from Estes Park to Aspen will take about 4.5 hours.

Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado

Day 4: Aspen

Highlights:

Maroon Bells

Ashcroft & Independence

Though Aspen is best known as a ski town, it is also an amazing year-round destination for outdoor recreation. Not be missed are the Maroon Bells, a series of bell-shaped, maroon-colored peaks that tower over Maroon Lake and the glacial Maroon Creek Valley.

If you want to learn a little history, you can explore not one but two ghost towns in the Aspen area: Ashcroft and Independence.

Ashcroft is a 30-minute drive from Aspen proper through the beautiful winding countryside. Following the interesting history lesson shared by the docent on site, you can take a self-guided tour. The Independence Ghost Town is located on Independence Pass along the Top of the Rockies’ Scenic Byway (closed generally between October and May). Independence Ghost Town offers weekly guided tours.

Tip: Maroon Bells is on a reservation-based system. You can reserve a spot on the shuttle bus any day between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, but I would recommend purchasing a "Sunrise Parking Permit". This will allow you to access the bells between midnight and 7:30 AM (just in time for sunrise) with your personal vehicle. Way less crowded and much more COVID-friendly!

When all is said and done, the drive from Aspen to Ouray will take about 3.5 hours.

“Box Cañon" Falls, Ouray, Colorado

Red Gypsea

Day 5: Ouray

Highlights:

Box Canyon Falls

Cascade Falls

Million Dollar Highway

Surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks in the San Juan mountain range, Ouray is known as the “Switzerland of America.”

You definitely need to check out "Box Cañon" Falls, the culmination of Canyon Creek narrowing and spilling thousands of gallons a minute of water over the falls which you can enjoy at both the bottom and the top of the falls. The 85-foot waterfall plummets into a narrow, quartzite canyon, making it a truly fascinating geological phenomenon. Cascade Falls (sometimes called Lower Cascade Falls) is visible from nearly anywhere in Ouray and it is the lowest in a series of waterfalls in Cascade Creek. These hikes can be great places to cool off if you hike in the afternoon.

We spent the later part of the afternoon on the Million Dollar Highway. Highway 550 stretches from Montrose, Colorado to Bernalillo, New Mexico, but the 25-mile section between Ouray to Silverton is often referred to as the “Million Dollar Highway”. Some say that it was named for its million dollar views and some say that it cost a reported million dollars per mile (!!!) to build. Either way it is one of the most beautiful and dangerous roads in the United States with steep cliffs, hairpin turns, and high mountain passes.

When all is said and done, it is a short drive from Ouray to Telluride at just over an hour.

Bridal Veil Falls Trail, Telluride, Colorado

Day 6: Telluride

Highlights:

Keystone Gorge

Bridal Veil Falls

Telluride Gondola

Telluride is another well-known ski destination, but there are over 90 hikes in the Telluride area, from casual walks along the river to summitting a 14,000 foot peak (14er). For an easy and relaxing trail, you can walk the Keystone Gorge which runs along the San Miguel River. For a more strenuous hike, check out Bridal Veil Falls to see the gargantuan 365-foot tall falls (pictured above).

The Telluride Gondola not only exists as a way to get skiers to the slopes quickly, but as a free, simple, and clean commuting option (seriously!). Start in town at Telluride Station and ride the Gondola to San Sophia Station at 10,540 feet for skiing, biking and hiking trails. Continue on to Mountain Village for shopping, eating and Market On The Plaza (a local farmer’s market happening on Wednesdays in the summer from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). You can continue on to the last Gondola stop to reach the Mountain Market, the Post Office, and Mountain Village Town Hall.  

Note: Weather in Colorado can be unpredictable, especially during the summer months where clear mornings and afternoon thunderstorms are very common. Plan your hikes accordingly, and if you find yourself on a hike during a thunderstorm, get below the tree line as quickly (and safely) as you can.

Safe travels,

V.