# Road trips in Colorado

> 14 road trips and 28 hand-picked places in Colorado, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/roadtrips/colorado/

14 road trips and 28 hand-picked places in Colorado, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

## Road trips through Colorado

- [Colorado Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/front-range/): Red rocks, a concert venue in the cliffs and the highest paved through-road in the country.
- [San Juan Skyway](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/san-juan-skyway/): A loop of mining towns and 11,000-foot passes, including the Million Dollar Highway.
- [Top of the Rockies to Aspen](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/independence-aspen/): Leadville, Independence Pass, the Maroon Bells and the hot springs at Glenwood.
- [Black Canyon and the West Elk Loop](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-black-canyon-west-elk/): The dizzying rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado’s largest lake, and the aspen forests over Kebler Pass to Crested Butte and the North Fork orchards.
- [San Luis Valley: Great Sand Dunes and Colorado’s oldest town](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-san-luis-valley/): Over Poncha Pass into a vast high valley, with a UFO watchtower, North America’s tallest dunes, a hidden waterfall and the Hispanic village of San Luis.
- [Pikes Peak, Cripple Creek and the Royal Gorge](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-pikes-peak-gold-belt/): Drive or ride the cog railway to the top of Pikes Peak, see fossil redwoods and a gold camp, then look down into the Royal Gorge.
- [Mount Blue Sky, Georgetown and Loveland Pass to Breckenridge](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-mount-blue-sky-loveland/): West of Denver on one of the highest paved roads in North America, then through a silver-mining town and over the Continental Divide to Breckenridge.
- [Colorado National Monument, Palisade and the Grand Mesa](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-grand-mesa-colorado-nm/): Red canyons on Rim Rock Drive, orchards and vineyards in Palisade, then up onto one of the world’s largest flat-topped mountains.
- [Rocky Mountain’s west side to Steamboat Springs](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-rocky-mountain-west-steamboat/): Over Trail Ridge Road into the quiet Kawuneeche Valley, then through Grand Lake and ranch country to Steamboat Springs.
- [Colorado River Byway to Moab, Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-colorado-river-moab/): Follow the Colorado River into Moab on Utah 128, hike to Corona Arch, then look down on the river from Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands.
- [Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-chaco-canyon/): From the Rio Grande up US-550 to the great houses of Chaco Canyon, the Bisti badlands and Aztec Ruins, ending in Durango.
- [On the Santa Fe Trail: Trinidad to Santa Fe](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b8-santa-fe-trail/): The mountain route of the old trade trail, over Raton Pass past an extinct volcano and frontier forts to the plaza in Santa Fe.
- [O’Keeffe Country and the Cumbres & Toltec railway](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-okeeffe-country-chama/): Follow Georgia O’Keeffe from her Santa Fe museum to the red cliffs of Abiquiu, then ride a narrow-gauge steam train over Cumbres Pass.
- [Canyons and cliff dwellings of the Four Corners](https://camping-spirit.com/guides/four-corners-loop/): Ancestral Puebloan villages, slot canyons and the Grand Canyon's South Rim.

## Places worth the detour in Colorado

- [Mesa Verde National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/mesa-verde/): Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings tucked under canyon overhangs. Ranger-led tours reach Cliff Palace.
- [Great Sand Dunes National Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/sand-dunes/): The tallest dunes in North America rise against the snowy Sangre de Cristo peaks. You can rent a sandboard nearby.
- [Trail Ridge Road](https://camping-spirit.com/places/trail-ridge/): The highest continuous paved road in the US, topping out at 12,183 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. Usually open from Memorial Day to mid-October.
- [Million Dollar Highway](https://camping-spirit.com/places/million-dollar/): US-550 over Red Mountain Pass: sheer drops, no guardrails and old mines on the slopes.
- [Maroon Bells](https://camping-spirit.com/places/maroon-bells/): Two maroon peaks reflected in a lake. In summer the road is shuttle-only during the day.
- [Black Canyon of the Gunnison, South Rim](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-black-canyon-south-rim/): A sheer, dark gorge so narrow that sunlight barely reaches the river. The South Rim Road has a dozen overlooks, including the Painted Wall, Colorado’s tallest cliff.
- [Kebler Pass](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-kebler-pass/): A gravel pass road through one of the largest aspen groves in the world, blazing gold in late September. Closed in winter.
- [Pikes Peak Summit](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-pikes-peak/): The 4,302 m summit reached by the toll Pikes Peak Highway or the cog railway from Manitou Springs. A timed-entry permit is required from late May to September, and brakes may be checked on the way down.
- [Mount Blue Sky](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-mount-blue-sky/): The 4,348 m summit reached by the highest paved road in North America, reopened in 2026 after two years of repairs. It is open in summer only, with a timed-entry reservation; mountain goats and bighorn sheep graze the slopes.
- [Colorado National Monument](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-colorado-nm/): The 37 km Rim Rock Drive winds along red canyons and monoliths above the Grand Valley. Its three tunnels, two on the west side and one on the east, have only 10 ft 6 in clearance at the edges.
- [Garden of the Gods](https://camping-spirit.com/places/garden-gods/): A free city park where red sandstone fins stand upright in front of Pikes Peak. The paved loops are easy.
- [Red Rocks Amphitheatre](https://camping-spirit.com/places/red-rocks/): A concert venue carved between 300-foot sandstone monoliths. Visit during the day to climb the stairs and see the performers' hall of fame.
- [Moraine Park Campground](https://camping-spirit.com/places/cg-moraine/): Elk bugle across the meadow here in fall. It is open all year, with limited services in winter.
- [Independence Pass](https://camping-spirit.com/places/independence-pass-p/): A 12,095-foot pass over the Continental Divide, closed in winter. Vehicles over 35 feet are banned.
- [Blue Mesa Reservoir](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-blue-mesa/): Colorado’s largest body of water, in Curecanti National Recreation Area along US-50, with campgrounds and boat ramps.
- [UFO Watchtower](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-ufo-watchtower/): A quirky roadside viewing platform and garden on CO-17 where visitors leave trinkets and scan the huge sky of the San Luis Valley.
- [Zapata Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-zapata-falls/): A waterfall hidden in a rock crevice, reached on a short trail and then by wading up the creek. Great views over the dunes from the parking lot.
- [Stations of the Cross Shrine](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b8-stations-cross/): Bronze sculptures along a path up a mesa above Colorado’s oldest town, ending at a small chapel with valley views.
- [Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-florissant/): Giant petrified redwood stumps and fine fossil insects in a mountain meadow west of Pikes Peak. Short trails from the visitor center on Teller County 1.
- [Royal Gorge Bridge](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-royal-gorge/): A suspension bridge 291 m above the Arkansas River, owned by Cañon City. Admission covers the bridge, gondola and park; the gorge can also be seen from the Royal Gorge Route train.
- [Echo Lake Park](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-echo-lake/): A subalpine lake at 3,230 m at the foot of the Mount Blue Sky road (CO-5), with an easy loop trail. Good picnic spot before climbing higher.
- [Loveland Pass](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-loveland-pass/): The 3,655 m Continental Divide crossing on US-6, open year-round. Hazardous-material vehicles must use it instead of the Eisenhower Tunnel; parking lot at the summit.
- [Grand Mesa Visitor Center](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-grand-mesa/): One of the largest flat-topped mountains in the world, with around 300 lakes at 3,000 m. The paved Grand Mesa Scenic Byway (CO-65) crosses it; best from June to October.
- [Ute Indian Museum](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-ute-museum/): History Colorado museum on the homestead of Chief Ouray and Chipeta, telling the story of the Ute people. Easy parking on US-550 south of Montrose.
- [Holzwarth Historic Site](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-holzwarth/): A 1920s dude ranch in Rocky Mountain National Park’s Kawuneeche Valley, reached by an easy 800 m walk from Trail Ridge Road. Moose often graze along the young Colorado River nearby, especially in the early morning.
- [Adams Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-adams-falls/): A short walk from the East Inlet trailhead at Grand Lake to a waterfall squeezed through a granite gorge. Trailhead parking is small and fills by mid-morning.
- [Rabbit Ears Pass](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-rabbit-ears-pass/): US-40 crosses the Continental Divide here, named after a twin rock formation visible north of the road. Summer meadows and small lakes line the top, followed by a long, steep grade down to Steamboat Springs.
- [Fish Creek Falls](https://camping-spirit.com/places/b18-fish-creek-falls/): A 85 m waterfall a short paved walk from the parking lot, 5 km east of downtown Steamboat. Busy in summer; a day fee applies.

## FAQs

**What are the best road trips in Colorado?**
Popular routes include Colorado Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park, San Juan Skyway, Top of the Rockies to Aspen and Black Canyon and the West Elk Loop. CampingSpirit has 14 trip guides that pass through Colorado, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

**Which places in Colorado are worth a detour?**
Our editors recommend Mesa Verde National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Trail Ridge Road, Million Dollar Highway, Maroon Bells and Black Canyon of the Gunnison, South Rim.