Rocky Mountain National Park is situated about 75 miles northwest of Denver, Colorado. It is accessible by driving north from Denver on Interstate 25 to Loveland then west on route 34 to Estes Park. The village of Estes Park, Colorado lies just outside the entrance to the park on the edge of a lake in a mountain valley surrounded by snow capped peaks. The town is bit of a tourist haven due to its proximity to the park. There are plenty of hotel accommodations, restaurants and shops. There are also many outfitters, horse rentals and guides that can take you on short or longer trips into the park.

The major attractions in Rocky Mountain Park are hiking, backpacking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, mountain climbing and sightseeing. Many wilderness outfitters and horse rental stables are located just outside the park, so you can easily take guided tours into the wilderness via horseback or foot. The famous Rocky Mountain School for rock climbing and mountaineering is located in nearby Estes Park.

There are more than 350 miles (580 km) of hiking trails in the park. They range from easy short day hikes to strenuous climbs and long backpacking expeditions. The park is also very popular with rock and mountain climbers. It offers everything from easy beginner rock climbing and mountain trekking to extreme “big wall” technical climbing for expert mountaineers. There are no downhill ski resorts in the park, but it is open all winter for cross-country skiing and snowshoe hiking.

The park is always open, but the high passes on Trail Ridge Road are usually closed from November through May due to snow accumulation. A seven-day admission costs about $10 per vehicle. Trail Ridge Road winds 45 miles (75 km) through some of the most spectacular scenery in Colorado to Granby Lake. Along the way, you may see herds of elk in the western valleys, mountain goats and mountain sheep near the high passes and moose in the lush meadows on the eastern slopes. From the lake, you can continue about 25 miles further south to the mining town of Idaho Springs and return to Denver via Interstate 70. Allow a full 8-hour day to complete this scenic drive.

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This is a very popular Park and it can become crowded during the summer months. When weather permits, you can drive along scenic roads that overlook some of the cliff dwellings and pass by mesa-top sites. You can also hike local trails to view the cliff dwellings and mesa top sites. If you want to enter the dwellings, you must take one of the ranger-guided tours.

These ancient cities were abandoned around 1300 AD when a prolonged drought devastated the area. It is believed that the Pueblo and Hopi tribes presently living in Arizona and New Mexico are descendants of the Anasazi.
Square Tower House

Lodging is available at Far View Lodge in the park, but it must be reserved many months in advance. In nearby Cortez, there is a wide variety of lodging. Morefield campground in the park is open mid-May through mid-October. It has 450 sites and is seldom completely full. There are also commercial campgrounds nearby.

Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwestern corner of Colorado near the borders with Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. The park is 10 miles east of Cortez and 30 miles west of Durango. Access to the park requires a steep climb from the highway (US 160) up to the top of the mesa. Admission to the park is $5 per vehicle or $2 per individual. Caravans (trailers) and other towed vehicles are not permitted past the Morefield campground but there is adequate parking near the park entrance.

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Colorado is a great place to experience the Wild West of the US. Working cattle ranches and guest ranches abound both in the eastern Great Plains of Colorado and in the Rocky Mountain high country. This is still the land of cowboys and Indians. Old West gold and silver mining towns survive in the mountains along side many abandoned ghost towns.

Colorado Springs is located about 70 miles south of Denver near the base of 14,110 feet high Pikes Peak. The Garden of the Gods, in the western suburbs, contains some spectacular rock formations including a huge balancing rock. The city is home to the Professional Rodeo Hall of Fame, the US Air Force Academy, a museum of Anasazi Indian culture, and a Ghost Town museum. Suburban Manitou Springs has a refurbished old west flavor with many restaurants and unique shops as well as a cog-wheeled train that ascend to the summit of Pikes Peak. A partially paved road to the summit of the peak begins a few miles west of the city.
Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde

Denver, the capitol of Colorado, is a sprawling metropolitan center on the Great Plains at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains. The city is located at an altitude of over 5,000 feet, which is about one mile above sea level. It has a thriving commercial district with many opportunities to enjoy shopping, entertainment, cultural and sports events. A short one or two hour drive from downtown brings you into the heart of the Rocky Mountains for some of the best wilderness hiking, mountain climbing and skiing in the US.

Colorado has thousands of miles of well-maintained trails through the mountains, forests and plains. These attract hikers, backpackers, trekkers, wilderness campers and mountain climbers as well as horseback riders and mountain bikers. The Rocky Mountains offer some excellent rock climbing and mountain climbing challenges. Many of the streams and rivers provide excellent kayaking, canoeing and rafting adventures. Throughout Colorado, you can find numerous wilderness outfitters, guides, guest-ranches and horse stables to satisfy your thirst for adventure.
Pikes Peak

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DIA is one of the largest airports in the world by area. It sits on 34,000 acres or 53 square miles (85.30 square km). The airport’s white tent-like exterior also makes it one of the world’s most recognizable airports. Its 34 white peaks on the roof represent and reflect the nearby Rocky Mountains. The airport is located nearly twenty miles from downtown. Public transportation to downtown via buses costs $8 to $10. Shuttles cost $22 and taxis about $40.

The people of Denver are friendly, and their attitude and dress are usually casual. The area offers plenty of outdoor recreation, including 200 parks in the city and 20,000 acres of parklands in the local mountains, making it the largest park system in the USA. Denver has a thriving arts and cultural scene. It is passionate about sports (Denver has eight professional sports teams), and is a popular destination for visitors.

Denver is the number one city in the United States for beer production per capita and is in second place for the amount of breweries in the city. Because of this, one of Denver’s nicknames is “The Napa Valley of Beer.” Every September, thousands of people attend the largest beerfest in the USA, the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Brewmasters from hundreds of breweries compete for gold, silver and bronze medals. Visitors can taste one-ounce beer samples from the festival’s breweries that are arranged by regions of the country.

Denver is the primary gateway to the numerous Colorado ski resorts. Most travelers fly into Denver International Airport (DIA) before going on to the various ski resorts located from fifty to one hundred miles westward within the Rocky Mountains. Many airlines have commuter planes that fly directly into the resorts from Denver, and there are also shuttles and bus services that take passengers to the resorts.

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A favorite family attraction located at the foot of Pikes Peak is the family theme park known as the North Pole Home of Santa’s Workshop. Santa and his elves have been welcoming visitors there since 1956. The park has more than two dozen rides including the Enterprise Space Shuttle and an Antique Carousel. Visitor can take a ride on the Miniature Train, fly thought the sky on the Aerial Tram and feed Santa’s goats and llamas. Shows are performed though out the day, and there are many shops and eating areas in the park. Santa’s Workshop is open from mid-May though December 25th each year.

Colorado Springs Airport is small and very easy to navigate. It is about a 25-minute drive from downtown Colorado Springs and is within driving distance of 14 major Colorado ski resorts. Taxis and shuttles are available outside on the airport’s lower level and ground transportation telephones are found in the baggage claim area.
Royal Gorge

The prestigious U.S. Air Force Academy is located nearby at the base of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains. The Academy offers a four-year program designed for each cadet to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the US Air Force. The graduate cadets ultimately serve as Air Force career officers..

Pikes Peak is the stunning 14,110-foot (4.300 meters) mountain sitting in the western backdrop of Colorado Springs. It is named for the 1800’s explorer Zebulon Pike. It is the 31st highest peak in Colorado and the most visited mountain in North America. An 1893 excursion to the top of Pikes Peak gave Katharine Lee Bates’ inspiration to pen the words to the song, “America the Beautiful”.

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