Colorado is well top-of-the-line states within the US to expertise the nice outdoor. The state is house to superb hikes, cozy cabin getaways, and a collection of the finest nationwide parks within the US. Are you beginning to plan your Colorado itinerary? These 12 finest Colorado nationwide parks and monuments are the best locations to start out.
Best Colorado National Parks
Colorado has 4 nationwide parks: Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Great Sand Dunes National Park. These nationwide parks have some massive ticket objects, particularly within the Rocky Mountains. In reality, they’re a few of the most visited nationwide parks within the US.
From the nation’s tallest sand dunes to UNESCO World Heritage Site cliff dwellings and exhilarating whitewater rafting, there’s something for everybody. Let’s check out these fab 4 Colorado nationwide parks.
If you propose to go to a number of Colorado nationwide parks, buy a National Parks and Federal Recreational Land Pass. The National Park Service gives an annual go to all NPs for $80 a yr that can be utilized at greater than 2,000 recreation areas. Get extra particulars right here. The finest option to see these nationwide parks is by driving. Compare automobile rental charges at RentalCars.com
1. Rocky Mountain National Park
When individuals talk about US nationwide parks, Rocky Mountain National Park is often the extra widespread nationwide park to crop up. Rocky Mountain National Park is essentially the most visited nationwide park in Colorado. The park covers a staggering 265,461 acres and stretches throughout a number of states – Colorado included.
It can also be one of many nation’s highest nationwide parks, and the Rocky Mountains are famously snow-capped in sections. The entirety of the Rocky Mountain National Park is stuffed with craggy mountains, alpine tundra, and exquisite forests. It is good for horseback driving holidays, mountain climbing, and mountain climbing. You’ll often spot stray bighorn sheep too.
Getting there: Rocky Mountain National Park is a 1 hour and 20-minute drive from Denver, Colorado. You can hire a automobile to get there. Download your self-drive audio tour to find one of the best viewpoints, mountain climbing trails, mountain passes, and lakes as you comply with GPS coordinates.
When to go to Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is finest visited in early spring, however provided that you don’t need to entry Trail Ridge Road. In March and April, there are fewer crowds than you’ll discover in summer time. Spring is while you’ll see flowers and different flowers blooming into motion after winter. There will nonetheless be snow in locations, however it is a peaceable interval to go to the park.
If you need to entry Trail Ridge Road, we advocate visiting the park in late May or June. The highway (Colorado’s highest steady paved highway) could have simply opened, however crowd numbers will nonetheless be low.
Things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park
- Spot bears and elk close to Estes Park.
- Hike round Bear Lake.
- Drive Trail Ridge Road.
- Read extra: 15 Best Hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park
Where to remain in Rocky Mountain National Park
Blue Door Inn is 4 miles from the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance and is ready in opposition to a backdrop of snowcapped peaks. The amenities are ace, too, with a seasonal pool, basketball courts, and barbeques with picnic tables.
Grand Lake Lodge is a gorgeous property with a stunning pool with views of the encircling surroundings. The lodge is good for giant teams and channeling luxury-loving power, with a scorching tub and dramatic-looking firepit.
Rams Horn Village Resort is ideal for a vacation resort vibe. Guests get a two-bedroom vacation house with a full kitchen and scorching tub entry. There’s additionally a enterprise middle and a health club to get pleasure from while you aren’t exploring Rocky Mountain National Park – aka Colorado’s most visited nationwide park.
2. Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is one other unbelievable addition to our Colorado nationwide parks. But whereas the Rocky Mountains are famed for his or her dramatic peaks and alpine lakes, Mesa Verde is famed for its historic websites. Mesa Verde National Park is the place you’ll discover Cliff Palace – the Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.
For much more historic websites, you may drive Mesa Top Loop Road. This highway passes some outstanding historic sights, together with Petroglyph Point Trail. Mesa Verde National Park actually is the guts of tradition within the Colorado nationwide parks. It has over 4,700 archeological websites, and this statistic consists of over 600 cliff dwellings.
Getting there: Mesa Verde Mountain National Park is a 7-hour from Denver, Colorado. 6 hours from Salt Lake City, Utah, and 4 hours from Albuquerque, New Mexico. The closest metropolis to Mesa Verde is Cortez Colorado. You can hire a automobile to get there. Get your self-drive audio tour to find one of the best viewpoints, mountain climbing trails, mountain passes, and lakes as you comply with GPS coordinates.
When to go to
So, when do you have to go to this nationwide park? Either June or early September. While in a super world, you would keep away from the crowds within the fall or spring, this isn’t a good suggestion if you wish to see the historic websites.
Attractions like Cliff Palace don’t open till late May and shut in late September. To actually get essentially the most out of Mesa Verde National Park, it’s best to go to in June or early September to go to one of the best sights with the fewest crowds.
Things to do in Mesa Verde National Park
- Visit Cliff Palace.
- Hike Petroglyph Point Trail.
- Visit Step House
- Read extra: 29 Best Places to Visit in Colorado
Where to remain in Mesa Verde National Park
Far View Lodge is ready proper inside Mesa Verde and is a wonderful base in the event you don’t need to journey out and in of the park entrance day by day. You gained’t really feel reduce off from the motion with three eating places onsite and guided excursions operating from the reception desk.
Retro Inn at Mesa Verde is a extra budget-friendly, city various. The motel is cheery, with snug furnishings and numerous room varieties, together with household rooms. And while you’ve visited the close by Colorado nationwide park, you may benefit from the city of Cortez.
Grizzly Roadhouse Bed and Breakfast is an easy nation retreat. Get prepared for easy pleasures – mountain views, air-conditioning, and a espresso machine. This property is cherished for its location and peaceable environment.
3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is unfortunately missed by many vacationers. Don’t make this error. Black Canyon National Park is among the finest Colorado nationwide parks. The park’s primary attraction is (clearly) its black canyons. The nationwide park is stuffed with slim and terrifyingly steep canyons reduce out of Precambrian metamorphic rock by the Gunnison River over tens of millions of years. You can entry numerous viewpoints and trails on each the south rim and the north rim.
However, Black Canyon National Park can also be house to peregrine falcons – the quickest hen on this planet. Bring a pair of binoculars; you may get fortunate with a sighting. And preserve your eyes peeled at evening, too, as Black Canyon is a world darkish sky park with a few of Colorado’s most stunning starry skies.
Getting there: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is 4 1/2 hours from Denver, Colorado and 4-hours from Colorado Springs. You can hire a automobile to get there.
When to go to
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is finest visited between mid-April and November when the National Park Service operates the ranger station and opens roads to the south and north rim. Of this era, late-April and early May are the nicest occasions to go to.
The crowds are scarce, the temperatures are milder, and flora is beginning to perk up after winter. Nearby, Curecanti National Recreation Area is excellent at the moment of yr, with a serene assortment of three scenic reservoirs. Similarly, the Gunnison River tends to be extra spectacular at the moment of yr. The melted ice and snow do wonders for elevating rivers and creating dramatic rapids.
Things to do in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Drive South Rim Road.
- Hike Chasm View Nature Trail.
- Visit the Museum of the Mountain West.
Where to remain in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Old School Lodge is a shocking interval property with mountain views, simply exterior some of the famed Colorado nationwide parks in Montrose. The inside is an image of magnificence and a super base for anybody in search of luxurious close to Gunnison.
The Blue Bungalow is a beautiful two-bedroom vacation house with a attribute blue-painted exterior. Guests entry a patio, solar terrace, and homely comforts like a backyard and lounge. And located in Montrose, the bungalow is ideal for exploring the unbelievable close by Colorado nationwide park.
Hotchkiss Inn Motel is finest described as fundamental however snug. This motel is within the city of Hotchkiss and is ideally located to discover the Black Canyon National Park. It additionally has some further considerate particulars, like a day by day continental breakfast and 24-hour reception.
4. Great Sand Dunes National Park
On the opposite hand, Great Sand Dunes National Park doesn’t undergo from under-tourism. This weird however fully encapsulating nationwide park is among the finest Colorado nationwide parks to get pleasure from a dramatic panorama. The park is house to the tallest sand dunes within the US. And with sharp mountain peaks behind the rolling dunes, the setting is like one thing out of a film.
Greats Sand Dunes National Park has many individually well-known dunes, together with Star Dune (rumored to be the tallest at 755 toes). While acknowledged as one of many Colorado nationwide parks, the park additionally has dunes accessible wheelchairs that’s free to make use of. Get extra data on the National Park Service right here.
You can nonetheless stroll freely over all of the sand dunes, plus go sandboarding in order for you some further pleasure. Just be conscious to keep away from the noon warmth when visiting close to summer time, because the sand turns into scorching. Out of all Colorado’s nationwide parks, Great Sand Dunes is the one which requires essentially the most cautious planning in the case of timing your go to.
Getting there: Great Sand Dunes National Park is a 3-hour from Denver, Colorado. You can hire a automobile to get there.
When to Visit
Considering this, it’s no marvel that one of the best time of yr to go to is exterior of summer time. September and October are optimum months, with cooler climate and fewer crowds. While avoiding the noon warmth when visiting the dunes remains to be advisable, you shouldn’t discover it crimson scorching underfoot now.
Things to do in Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Hike Star Dune.
- Go sandboarding.
- Stop by the Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center.
Where to remain in Great Sand Dunes National Park
Marriott might be not an unfamiliar title, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Alamosa is a credit score to its chain. As properly as assembly and eating amenities, the lodge has an indoor pool and health middle – excellent luxuries after a day on the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Hampton Inn Alamosa is equally trendy. The lodge is ideally located to go to the Great Sand Dunes and has amenities that embody an indoor pool and health club. The Hampton Inn Alamosa has a continental breakfast every morning and even gives takeaway breakfast luggage.
The Best Western Movie Manor is gorgeous. There are not any two methods about it. The manor has a seasonal drive-in movie show, health club, and enterprise middle. And with a complimentary breakfast every morning, you’ll be well-fed earlier than visiting the Great Sand Dunes.
Planning Your Trip to Colorado
Are you planning a visit to Colorado? Check out our Colorado journey guides to assist plan your itinerary
Best Colorado National Monuments
Fancy a extra particular expertise of pure surroundings in Colorado? Forget the colossal Colorado nationwide parks and see a few of the finest nationwide monuments as a substitute. A nationwide monument is anyplace the federal government protects due to its pure magnificence and historic or scientific significance.
These Colorado nationwide monuments are a few of the finest locations to go to within the state. Check out these prime 8.
7. Chimney Rock National Monument
Chimney Rock National Monument is a captivating nationwide monument. The 4,726 acre accommodates an enormous archaeological web site that dates again over 1,000 years. The most placing a part of this web site is Chimney Rock, an enormous rocky mound 7,000 toes above sea stage. The spire of the mound is what offers it its nickname ‘chimney’, and it’s an imposing landmark for these wanting good views in addition to historical past. Chimney Rock National Monument is a spot to tick off your bucket checklist. The monument takes at the very least a couple of hours to completely admire. You can head out on guided excursions often all through the day throughout the vacationer season.
Historically, Chimney Rock National Monument was a Pueblo II neighborhood between 900 to 1150 AD. The historical residences are extremely important to the indigenous inhabitants and are a outstanding testomony to the neighborhood’s ancestral historical past. Of course, its astronomical worth can also be value mentioning. The historical buildings had been devised with astronomy in thoughts – which you’ll be taught extra about on a guided tour.
Chimney Rock National Monument is in San Juan National Forest, southwest Colorado. It is well mixed with a go to to Mesa Verde, so preserve it in thoughts in order for you a nationwide monument to pair with one of many Colorado nationwide parks.
8. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is somewhat bigger – very best you probably have extra time to discover its 6,000 historical websites. The protected space covers 176,000 acres, linked by a community of mountain climbing trails and dusty roads. The space’s central hub is the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum, which we advocate visiting first. This manner, you may apply all of the partaking data and displays to the ruins and archaeological sights dotted across the monument. And when you find yourself finished, there are pictographs, historical dwellings, and scenic desert landscapes galore.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is a unbelievable monument to go to if you wish to discover a bigger web site. While a lot smaller than the Colorado nationwide parks, this monument nonetheless warrants an extended weekend to get pleasure from totally. We love that, although, and it provides an adventurous attraction. The museum can also be a wonderful contact.
In phrases of historic significance, it’s fairly clear that the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is among the most important spots in Colorado. The space is among the richest websites of Native American ancestral historical past. The land was inhabited by people for over 10,000 years, so there are many tales to be advised.
This monument is positioned in southern Colorado, subsequent to the Colorado-Utah border. It is a straightforward drive from Mesa Verde or San Juan National Forest. You can base your self in one of many important southern Colorado cities like Cortez and discover a combined itinerary of Colorado nationwide parks, forests, and monuments.
9. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is one thing somewhat completely different. Unlike the opposite two monuments we’ve mentioned, this space is known for pure historical past moderately than people. For science and geology, look no additional than Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Situated in central Colorado, this monument is simply exterior of Colorado Springs. This monument is ideal in order for you an accessible monument to go to from a metropolis break. You can hop on a direct flight to Colorado Springs after which hire a automobile to succeed in Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
So, what pure historical past can you discover on this protected space? Mainly insect and plant fossils. We advocate taking a guided stroll to get essentially the most out of the expertise. After all, it may be straightforward to overlook one thing actually profound in the event you don’t have an professional eye. In addition to those fossils, you may spot petrified redwood stumps. Florissant Fossil Beds is house to the world’s solely recognized trio of petrified redwood bushes, and you may observe them from a shaded viewing platform.
Time-wise, you may shortly admire this monument in a couple of hours. The web site is round 5,998 acres and is value visiting as a day journey from Colorado Springs. Despite being established as a nationwide monument in 1969, the fossils date round 34 million years. The monument’s phenomenon was fashioned by close by volcanic eruptions, which coated wildlife in a thick layer of ash – preserving them for eternity.
10. Yucca House National Monument
This Colorado nationwide monument homes a single archaeological web site south of Cortez in southwestern Colorado. The web site was as soon as an enormous Ancestral Pueblo village and held a major place in Montezuma Valley. At simply 34 acres, it’s one of many smallest monuments in Colorado and may simply be explored on foot on a day journey. One factor to notice is that Yucca House National Monument is unexcavated. To the non-archaeologist, this implies ruins that you just most likely wouldn’t discover in the event you didn’t know they had been there.
Because Yucca House National Monument is unexcavated, it’s fairly a distinct segment place to go to in Colorado. Compared to the sights within the 4 Colorado nationwide parks and a few of the state’s different monuments, some could not discover Yucca House National Monument as partaking. However, for fanatics or extra affected person vacationers, the monument is ideal for escaping the crowds and having fun with a lesser-visited archaeological attraction. And apart from, the community of unmarked gravel and filth roads you’ll use to succeed in it makes visiting Yucca House an actual journey. What higher option to journey to an historical farming village? Yucca House is immersive and untouched, regardless of its monument standing.
Yucca House was house to the Ancient Puebloan neighborhood between 1150 to 1300 AD. It is unknown what brought on the mass migration (or potential evacuation) from the village on the finish of this era. Mysterious and minimally adjusted for vacationers’ eyes, Yucca House is a captivating historic attraction in Colorado.
11. Dinosaur National Monument
To immerse your self within the Jurassic period, overlook Colorado nationwide parks and head to Dinosaur National Monument. This area consists of over 1,500 preserved dinosaur stays – immortalized in fossils within the monument’s Quarry Exhibit Hall. The stays date again as way back as 150 million years. And, in case you are fortunate, you may even contact a couple of dinosaur fossils.
Apart from dinosaur stays, Dinosaur National Monument can also be famend for its petroglyphs and white water rafting. You can use mountain climbing trails to catch glimpses of the petroglyphs up shut, together with at McKee Spring and Deluge Shelter. River rafting is finest skilled on an organized tour. Overall, although, it’s straightforward to see why Dinosaur National Monument is so widespread. It is action-packed and enjoyable, with a novel alternative to get near dinosaur stays.
Size-wise, prepare for some driving and lengthy mountain climbing trails. The monument is 210,000 acres and will take between three hours and two days to discover – relying on whether or not you need to see the dinosaurs or not. The quarry itself protects 80 acres of condensed fossils. The discovering was the work of paleontologist Earl Douglass in 1909. By 1915, the world was formally introduced as a nationwide monument.
12. Browns Canyon National Monument
Browns Canyon National Monument is among the latest Colorado monuments, solely incomes its title in 2015. Brown Canyon is reduce out by the Arkansas River and has attribute granite cliffs and outcrops. Don’t simply go to the canyon and go away; the protected area round it is stuffed with forests, rivers, and wildlife-spotting hotspots. In summer time, you may entry stunning mountain climbing trails and admire gorgeous views of placing hues within the internal canyon. Bring binoculars, too, as Browns Canyon National Monument is thought for bobcats, falcons, and black bears.
At 21,536 acres, Browns Canyon National Monument won’t be the dimensions of the Rocky Mountain National Park. However, it nonetheless calls for a good chunk of time to go to. So, why go to within the first place? Browns Canyon National Monument is among the most undisturbed riverbank ecosystems alongside the Arkansas River. Because of this, it’s teeming with wildlife and glorious for these wanting a peaceable expertise in nature. You gained’t discover the crowds you get at main US sights just like the Grand Canyon and even the Colorado nationwide parks. Perfect for a real wilderness expertise.
Colorado National Parks and Monuments Map
These prime 12 Colorado nationwide parks and monuments extremely deserve an itinerary spot. Seriously, you’ll love them. Having the tallest dunes within the US and the Rocky Mountains in the identical state is unimaginable. Not to say the attractive alpine lakes and historic cliff dwellings.
If you may, go to all of them, however in the event you actually need to slim it down, we hope you’ve discovered your very best match. As an all-year-round vacation spot, Colorado has numerous outside sights no matter whether or not you go to in winter or summer time. If you propose to go to in winter, take a look at our finest issues to do in Aspen information first. Otherwise, get pleasure from Colorado.