Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip

Colorado is home to four of the most unique national parks in the United States. Follow this Colorado National Park road trip guide to see some of the most spectacular spots in the whole state. You’ll see snow-capped mountains, 700 foot sand dunes, ancient ruins, and steep dramatic canyons.

This guide will navigate you through Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. In that order. So let’s get started!

Map of Colorado’s National Parks

Here’s an interactive map of this Colorado National Park Road Trip. You’ll find that the four epic national parks and the routes between them are in blue. The yellow markers are a few addition stops in Colorado that I feel are 100% worth your time. Enjoy!

Rocky Mountain National Park

We will start near Denver at Rocky Mountain National Park and then rotate clock-wise around the western half of the state and stop at each park before making our way back to the capital city of Denver. But feel free to pick up your road trip at any of the parks and start your loop from there.

Starting off with the classic Rocky Mountain National Park, lets get some altitude!

This is one of my favorite parks and a must for any Colorado national park road trip.

Where to Stay

Estes Park is located right outside the park entrance and has many options for accommodations in all price ranges. Make sure you book early for the summer season, as things tend to book up quickly. Estes Park is a very popular mountain town in the summer.

In addition to accommodations in Estes Park, the national park also has five campgrounds available.

How long to stay

I would recommend that you plan to spend 3-4 days exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Although you can do this park in only 1-2 days (and I have, a few times) there is so much to see and do that you’ll want to reserve plenty of time to soak up that mountain air.

What to do

Go for a Scenic Drive

There is so much you can see from the comfort of your own car! Drive the Trail Ridge Road up to 12,183 feet and take in all of the impressive alpine views. Make sure you stop at the Alpine Visitor Center on your drive.

Keep in mind that the Trail Ridge Road is closed from Mid-October until Memorial Day.

Recommended Hikes

You can’t visit Rocky Mountain National Park without hiking to an alpine lake, or two. Here are my favorites:

Mills Lake – Featured in the picture above, Mills Lake is probably my favorite hike in the park. The other lake hikes on this list can become a bit crowded during the summer months, but at Mills Lake you’ll have no trouble finding a peaceful spot by the lake to eat lunch. Keep your eyes open for Elk along the trail.

Emerald Lake – Easily the most popular hike in all of the park and for good reason. This lake is stunning and its turquoise waters are striking! Go early to avoid most of the crowds. And if you’re brave, take a dip in the chilly waters.

Bear Lake – If you’re looking for a more accessible alpine lake that doesn’t require a hike, then check out Bear Lake. Bear Lake is located very near to the parking lot and does have an easy nature trail with views around the lake.

There are so many more hikes in Rock Mountain National Park to discover, these are just the ones that I keep going back to – they’re that good.

If you plan to visit Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter months, make sure you check out my guide on winter travel in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Next, we’ll head to Great Sand Dunes National Park, probably the most unique park on this trip. Plan about 5 hours for the drive.

Sandboarding in Great Sand Dunes National Park

Where to Stay

Accommodations near Great Sand Dunes National Park are definitely lacking. However, the national park does has 88 campsites available. If you can snag one of those, I would highly recommend staying in the park.

Only a few miles outside of the park, Great Sand Dunes Oasis does have a few primitive cabins for rent.

How long to Stay

I would recommend staying for 1-2 days and you will be able to see most of what the park has to offer.

What to do

When participating in activities on the sand dunes, plan to be done by mid-day as the sun heats the sand to a very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous temperature.

Sandboarding or Sand sleding

The #1 activity in Great Sand Dunes! You have to give it a try during your visit. You can enjoy sandboarding and sand sledding on any of the sand dunes in the park.

Randy tried his hand at sandboarding (he was actually really good) but I stuck to the easier and less-risky sand sled.

Just make sure you have the right gear. Sledding on sand is different than snow and requires a different material board.

Sandboards and sand sleds are not rented by the national park service but by various retailers around the valley. The most convenient location is the Oasis Store located 4 miles from the Great Sand Dunes near the park entrance. The Oasis Store is only open from mid-April to October. Make sure you stop here on your way into the park.

Hike to High Dune

The High Dune is the first tall dune (around 700 feet high) that can be seen from the parking lot. Hiking to the top of this dune will take you about 2 hours (and up to 4 hours) and is approx. 2.5 miles. Keep in mind that there is no formal trail and due to the wind and elements the dune is always moving therefore the route to the top changes as well.

Cool off in Medano Creek

If visiting in early-mid summer, Medano Creek will run in between the parking lot and the sand dunes, making for a great place to cool off after a morning on the sun-baked dunes.

Mesa Verde National Park

Next, let’s head west to Mesa Verde National Park to see some ancient Pueblo dwellings. The drive to Mesa Verde is about 4 hours and is a straight (but winding) shot on a single highway.

In 1906, Mesa Verde National Park was established to preserve the archaeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home from 600 to 1300 AD.

Today, the park protects nearly 5,000 known archaeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved Pueblo dwellings in the United States.

Located on the Colorado Plateau, the area around Mesa Verde National Park is high-elevation desert so drink lots of water and don’t forget the sunscreen.

How Long to Stay

Mesa Verde can be seen in only 1 day but it’s not hard to find more things to do if you’re wanting to extend your stay.

Where to Stay

The nearby town of Cortez has several hotel options and a few Airbnb options available.

The Morefield Campground, just 4 miles inside Mesa Verde, is also an option for those who are open to camping.

What to do

Stop by the Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center

Start off your trip to Mesa Verde with a stop by the Visitor and Research Center which houses a state-of-the-art research and storage facility for the park’s archives and museum collection of over three million objects.

The research center also highlights several exhibits to enrich your visit to Mesa Verde.

Make sure that you purchase your tour tickets while you’re here.

Drive Cliff Palace Loop Road

The Cliff Palace Loop Road provides vantage points of the Cliff Palace. Entry into the Cliff palace requires a tour purchase, however, you can see the palace from above on this loop road.

Get Up-Close and Personal on a Ranger-Led Tour

Many of the cliff dwellings require a ranger-led tour. Mesa Verde National Park provides several tours to different cliff dwellings throughout the park.

I would recommend purchasing the Cliff Palace tour, which is the most popular and impressive one to see.

Tickets must be purchased in person up to two days in advance. Find more information on booking a tour here.

Visit the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum

The museum displays illustrations of the Ancestral Pueblo life. There are also exhibits of prehistoric artifacts, a chronology of Ancestral Pueblo culture, and other items related to Mesa Verde.

Also, check out the 25 minute film which shows the history of Mesa Verde.

Recommended Hikes

Far View Sites Complex – If guided tours are not quite your thing (they’re not mine either) then check out the Far View Sites Complex. The 3/4 mile trails leads to the Far View House plus four other villages and a dry reservoir. Spend time exploring these Pueblo dwellings at your own pace.

Petroglyph Point Trail – This 2.4 round trip trail is narrow, rugged, and rocky, with several steep drop-offs along the canyon wall. At the end you will reach the “the petroglyph panel”. After the panel, you’ll scramble up a large stone staircase using hands and feet to climb to the top, then enjoy an easy return through the forest to complete the loop.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The drive to Black Canyon of the Gunnison will take about 3 hours. Plan to take the Million Dollar Highway that starts in Durango and heads north through Silverton and Ouray. This famous stretch of highway will not disappoint with its stunning views.

The forth and final national park on this road trip is Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Here, you will find the most dramatic 12 miles of the 48-mile long Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. The canyon is mostly known for its sheer steepness, so steep that parts of the gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight each day.

The park is split into two sections: North and South Rims. Plan to spend most of your time on the South side of the park where you will find the main visitor center and other facilities.

How Long to Stay

You can see most of what the park has to offer in only 1-2 days.

Where to Stay

Consider staying in the city of Montrose. That is where you will find most lodging and restaurant options. Montrose is conveniently located only about 13 miles from the entrance of the park.

What to do

Recommended Hikes

Rim Rock Nature Trail – This relatively flat nature trail takes you along the southern rim of the canyon. You will see some of the best views of the canyon from along this trail. The trail is only 1 mile round trip but is a must during your visit.

Warner Point Nature Trail – Along this shady trail you will find many different species of trees, including mountain mahogany, serviceberry, pinyon pine, and juniper. Look to the south to see the San Juan Mountain Range and the Uncompahgre Valley. At the end of the trail you will find more stunning views of the Black Canyon and Gunnison River. This trail also serves as a self-guided informational trail with number markings, so sake sure you pick up a brochure guidebook at the trail head.

Hike to the Bottom of the Canyon

We did not do this during our visit, however, it is a popular thing to do at Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

If you choose to hike to the bottom, keep in mind that the trail is short in mileage but has very significant elevation change. The trails are very very steep with loose rock.

Plan twice as much time to ascend the canyon as it takes to go down to the bottom. And make sure that you do not attempt this hike if you are not in good physical condition.

Wilderness permits are required for all hikers planning to hike to the bottom of the canyon. You can find more information from the NPS here.

Take a Drive to the North Rim of the Canyon

The canyon walls on the North Rim are almost vertical, offering some of the most impressive views found in the national park. On North Rim Road you will find access to 6 overlooks.

However, the drive to the north rim is a bit tedious and a portion of it is a gravel road. It will take you about 2 hours to get from the South Rim visitor to the North Rim visitor center. Take the east loop around (US-50 to CO-92) for a slightly longer but definitely more scenic drive.

By no means do you have to see the North Rim of the canyon to get a satisfactory experience of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. But if you have time, it’s worth the trip. The north canyon does have some pretty impressive views.

And that concludes our Colorado National Park loop. Check out these bonus stops:

Colorado Bonus Stops

Colorado has so many beautiful things that not all of them can be distinguished as national parks. If you have additional time, consider stopping at these “bonus stops” for some epic mountain vistas. Both of these stops are directly on route and are barely a detour.

Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument is located in Grand Junction, Colorado. But honestly, it should be in Utah. The stunning red rock formations of Colorado National Monument definitely give off Utah vibes.

The stunning views here make the perfect backdrop for a day hike. It’s honestly a surprise that this monument isn’t actually a national park.

Colorado National Park is without a doubt worth a stop on your Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip.

San Juan Mountains / Million Dollar Highway

After your adventures in Mesa Verde, head back to Durango and then north on the Million Dollar Highway towards the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This region on Colorado, between Durango and Ouray is where you’ll find the San Juan Mountains, which quite frankly, is probably the most beautiful spot in all of Colorado.

Drive the Million Dollar Highway, or hop on the Narrow Gauge Historic Railway that runs from Durango to Silverton for epic views from your seat on a historic steam engine.

As you continue further north, plan to stop in Ouray. This charming small mountain escape can be found at the northern end of the Million Dollar Highway and is known as the Switzerland of America.

I was shocked at the striking contrast of the bright red/orange rock and the green pine trees in the San Juan Mountains. This truly is one of the most grandeur spots in all of Colorado.

This area has ample outdoor activities: hiking, biking, camping, backcountry camping. But it is most known for its high alpine dirt roads that are perfect for off-roading in a Jeep or ATV.

Off-Roading in the San Juan Mountains

Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: What to Know Before You Go

Crested Butte

Crested Butte is a slight detour off of highway 50 on your way back to Denver from Black Canyon of the Gunnison and it is as picturesque as a fairytale book.

This valley is the #1 place to see wildflowers in Colorado during July & August and it is just lovely!

We stopped here for only a few hours but I wish we had stayed for a month. During our visit we explored the Gothic Natural Area and attempted a drive to Emerald Lake but there was still too much snow on the road so we hiked the last mile instead. The lake was still mostly frozen but the views were insane!

Crested Butte is definitely worth a stop.

Colorado is home to many diverse and unique national parks as well as many other spectacular spots. I hope you are able to take a Colorado National Park road trip sometime soon and enjoy these parks as much as I did!

Please leave a comment below if you have any questions or things to add!