Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Visited: May 2024
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located in western Colorado. It boasts of having some of the steepest cliffs and oldest rocks in North America. It contains two main areas: the South Rim, which is the more developed side of the park and the North Rim, which is more primitive and has limited services. Both contain a scenic drive with overlooks and access to a few hiking trails. But there is no bridge or road that connects the two sides and the drive from one side to the other can take over two hours.
Castlewood Canyon State Park
Visited: May 2024
Castlewood Canyon is located just south of Denver. It was once the site of a dam that was used to store water for irrigation. Due to heavy rains in 1933 the dam broke, leading to one of the worst floods in Denver. The remains of the dam can still be seen in Castlewood Canyon State Park today.
Colorado National Monument
Visited: May 2024
Colorado National Monument is located in southwestern Colorado and features stunning canyons, towering monoliths and other interesting rock formations. There’s a 37-kilometre (or 23-mile) scenic drive along the plateau rim of the canyon that provides access to numerous overlooks and hiking trails to enjoy the rugged scenery.
Denver
Visited: April 2024
Denver is nicknamed the Mile High City as it sits exactly one mile above sea level. It’s nestled near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and boasts of having more than 300 days of sunshine per year. Besides providing easy access to the mountains, Denver is a lively metropolis and contains several sights and attractions within the city.
Garden of the Gods
Visited: April 2024
Garden of the Gods is located on the outskirts just west of Colorado Springs. It gets its name from a surveyor who first saw the impressive rock formations in 1859. He stated that it was “a fit place for the gods to assemble” and called it the Garden of the Gods. And the name stuck.
Mesa Verde National Park
Visited: May 2024
Mesa Verde National Park is located in southwestern Colorado. It is the largest archaeological preserve in the United States and contains around 5,000 known sites, including cliff dwellings. The park offers several overlooks, trails and tours to catch a glimpse of many of these sites which were built by the ancestral Pueblo people.
Million Dollar Highway
Visited: May 2024
The Million Dollar Highway spans 40 kilometres (or 25 miles) between Silverton and Ouray in southwestern Colorado. It is also known as U.S. Route 550 and runs through the heart of the San Juan Mountains. It boasts of offering spectacular views of the mountains, but has narrow lanes, hairpin turns, steep drop offs and no guardrails.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Visited: May 2024
Rocky Mountain National Park is located in Colorado and is one the most visited national parks in the United States. It is also one of the highest national parks with 118 peaks that are above 3,000m (or 10,000ft). Besides mountains, the park encompasses alpine lakes, meadows, and forests and boasts of having an abundance of hiking trails to enjoy the scenery.
Roxborough State Park
Visited: May 2024
Denver is reputed to be one of the best places in the United States to explore the great outdoors. It’s located at the base of the Rocky Mountains and has an abundance of parks and hiking trails to enjoy the scenery. Just a short drive southwest of the city is Roxborough State Park. It contains several trails that range in length and difficulty and features some pretty impressive rock formations.