Colorado is a popular travel destination. It’s the rockiest region in America with the highest peaks throughout the country. As a result, the stunning beauty of the snow-covered slopes attracts many skiers there in winter. The cities of Aspen and East Park are synonymous with winter recreation in Colorado.
Despite this fact, spring, summer, and fall are also perfect periods to have a great time in Colorado. In addition to the luxurious ski resorts, you will find many amazing places to see if you rent a car. The Colorado road trip promises incredible emotions and pleasant memories. Therefore, it will be a perfect idea for your upcoming vacation…
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Situated in western Colorado, this 13-miles-long canyon is where you definitely should go on your journey. Its depth exceeds 800 meters, while the width at the narrowest point is only 12 meters. The steepness of the canyon walls makes it much more difficult for the sun to get to the bottom of the canyon. In the deepest spots, the canyon is hardly illuminated, which is why it was called the Black Canyon.
Located 250 miles from Denver, it’s a popular climbing and rafting destination. You will need about 3-4 hours to get there with your rental car. The rich flora and fauna of the national park is another reason to go there on a road trip through Colorado. Here you can see deer, elk, pumas, coyotes, as well as many species of birds and plants.
On the territory, you’ll find a couple of campgrounds for outdoor recreation, but not a single lodging option. Therefore, it’s considered to be a great day trip destination. You will be happy to drive along a beautiful mountain road along in the canyon while stopping at observation decks set in the most picturesque locations.
Georgetown Loop Railway
The amazing historical narrow-gauge railroad between Silver Plume and Georgetown was among the boldest engineering solutions of its day. Only 2 miles separate the villages, but a deep gorge of the Clear Creek River creates a huge height difference of about 200 meters.
Silver Plume and Georgetown were connected by a railway with a length of 4.5 miles. Many years ago, it was abandoned, but in the 70s it was restored, and today you have the opportunity to travel along the Georgetown Loop Railway on an old train. For this, you need to find the Georgetown train station. If you pick up a Budget Denver Airport rental car, it will take you about an hour to get there.
Great Sand Dunes
It’s a magnificent national park covering about 350 square kilometers in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. You can easily get there with your rental car. From Denver, it will take you about 4 hours, and from Colorado Springs – 2-3 hours.
10,000-year-old dunes are formed by sand blown by the winds from the floodplain of the Rio Grande River. The majority of dunes are up to 235 meters high, which gives the impression of a mountainous area.
However, the park is famous not only for its dunes. It’s full of forests with wetlands, marshes, meadows, and rivers, where you can meet many specific animals and plants.
By the way, the unique Medano Creek is another hallmark of the park. It flows through the park but doesn’t have a permanent channel because of the constant transfer of sand. Due to the wide variety of landscapes and wildlife, Great Sand Dunes is a great destination for your trip.
Garden of the Gods
The garden is located 5 miles away from Colorado Springs. However, if you start your road trip from Denver, it will take you a little over an hour to get there in a rental car. Its territory, covering about 1,300 hectares, is full of amazing hiking and biking trails. While walking on them, visitors can see extraordinary and picturesque rocks formed as a result of weathering.
Some of the most popular formations even received their own names. They include the Kissing Camels, Balanced Rock, llama’s heads, Three Graces, Cathedral Valley, etc. Many rocks of various shapes attract rock-climbers to the garden.
Rocky Mountains
This natural wonder is located in northern Colorado and occupies over a thousand square kilometers of land. First of all, it’s interesting for its magnificent mountain landscapes. Plus, the continental watershed runs along with its territory.
The Rocky Mountains is a national treasure that keeps the most popular ski resorts in North America. Endless coniferous forests are home to a large number of rare wild animals and birds. The park administration carefully monitors the preservation of the pristine nature of the northern state.
Alpine flowering meadows fascinate and attract more than 3 million tourists annually. More than 370 hiking trails have been created specifically for walking.
Mesa Verde National Park
This amazing park is located in the southwestern part of the state. It’s quite large but doesn’t look like a park in the literal sense of the word. Its main feature is the many ruins of ancient Indian dwellings.
Back in the thirteenth century, the Indians of the Anasazi tribe erected buildings, which are very similar to modern houses with many apartments. There are about 100 separate living rooms in one room alone. The park is located near the large city of Cortez. The distance from Cortez to the entrance to the park is only 12 miles, so you can easily find it when traveling in a rental car.
