Okay, I've decided to take my son for a end-of-summer trip to CO. For those who know me, my son will be starting 8th grade in the Fall. I try to take him on as many trips with me while I can, when I'm still in decent shape to do active things with him, and before he goes off to college and never sees me again. I decided on CO because I have only been there for a short time twice before, with the last time being over 2 decades ago. For summer, I'd like to go to places where they are too cold to visit during his other school vacation time (Feb & April), so we can do outdoorsy things. Eg, last summer we did a late-summer trip to WA for Olympic NP and Mt Rainier. The year before that we went to Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

At first I was thinking of 8 days and splitting the time between Colorado Springs, RMNP, and Denver. But because of airfare, it's now a 11 day trip (10 full days on the ground). I also read lots of threads here that says COS isn't really worth that much time, and I should explore other parts of the state. I've gotten a couple of CO guidebooks and have looked through them, and now wants to ambitiously cover a lot more ground.

Some of you also know that we like to collect junior ranger badges at national parks - and I know that in a few years' time he won't be that "junior" anymore and may not want to do it. So, is it possible to hit all 4 NPs in CO in 10 days? Mesa Verde is far away but everyone says it's a must-see, and I realize it's not close to any major city anyway so this might be our chance to go visit.

Our dates are Aug 19-29; I believe CO schools are already back at school, if not by the second week we are there. Maybe the crowds will be smaller, or wishful thinking?

I need help with coming up with some sort of itinerary - btw we don't need to spend time in Denver besides flying in and out. For the big city, we can always go back other times of the year. I want to spend our 10 days doing outdoor things.

Aug 19 arrive midday, pick up rental car and drive to Colorado Springs
Aug 20 & 21 - Colorado Springs / garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak
Aug 22 - Great Sand Dunes for the day? Then continue westward to where? Overnight in Alamosa?
Aug 23 & 24 - continue to Mesa Verde NP, stay in Cortez
Aug 25 & 26 - silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Black canyon of the Gunnison NP
Aug 27 - Glenwood Springs?
Aug 28 & 29 - RMNP, Estes Park

ugh it seems like there's a lot of driving and not sure if we will end up with much time to do things like hiking, rafting, maybe ziplining & biking. But if we are dead set on going to Mesa Verde, then doing this kind of loop makes most sense, no?

I would skip Great Dunes NP as it's not that interesting and head over to South Fork for the night. Alamosa is out of the way and not that nice. You might want to check out the Royal Gorge after Col Spgs. en route to Salida. The latter has a cool restaurant (Boathouse Cantina) right on the clear, rolling Ark River where can sit outside watching kayakers while eating, Mesa Verde is very interesting. When I visited you could go down into a kiva but I don't think they allow that any more.

Rocky Mt. NP will be very crowded. Get a timed-entry permit. When I was there it was bumper-to-bumper on Trail Ridge Road so it was hard to enjoy the scenery on the highest paved highway in the US. Ask a ranger to recommend the best trails that fit your interests and level of fitness. One of the best trails is the trail to Dream Lake. If you can start hiking at sunrise you will avoid the crowds.

Welcome to my home state!

Your itinerary involves a hell of a lot of driving at a hot and busy time of year.

The most direct way to Great Sand Dunes from Colorado Springs is via I-25 and will take 2:45 without stops. August will likely be crazy hot down there, and it's not a very pretty drive (you can also drive there the back way from Colorado Springs west to Buena Vista and then south, which is much prettier and will take closer to 3.5 hours, but it's a much more sedate drive). I live up this way, so be sure to wave as you pass through

The closest town to Great Sand Dunes is Alamosa, about 30 miles away. South Fork is over an hour's drive from the sand dunes.

Durango makes a great base for Mesa Verde - many people suggest staying in the park, but I don't find it very interesting, whereas Durango is a cute town and has a lot on offer.

Not much to Cortez either.

If you stay in Durango instead of Cortez, you can get to Silverton and Ouray easily enough, but do be aware you'll be crossing Red Mountain Pass, which freaks a lot of people out. I'm a CO native and parts of it still give me pause.

Ouray to Gunnison is about two hours.

Gunnison to Glenwood Springs will take about 3.5 hours. Then to RMNP will take another 3+ hours. RMNP is nutso busy and will require a timed entry pass.

You're biting off quite a bit for a 10 day trip and will spend most of your time in the car and traffic. I suggest you pick north or south, but not both. This reads a bit like a tick-off-the-boxes trip.

Yes, you're exactly right, it definitely feels like tick-off-the-boxes to me and I don't really think that's what I want. So do I drop Mesa Verde & Great sand dunes completely?

So,
a few days (2-3) Colorado Springs + Cañon City
west on Rt 50 to Montrose
a few days (3) in Montrose / Ouray / Black Canyon of the Gunnison
up Rt 50 to Grand Junction and then East on I 70
a few days (2) in Glenwood Srpings (or is Vail better)?
then a few days (2-3) in RMNP?

Or, should I focus just
Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins, and RMNP?

P.S. yes I will definitely be getting the passes to visit RMNP

It's more about personal preference yk. Your boy might really enjoy the sand dunes, and although not my favorite, Mesa Verde is definitely unique. The south parks (ha, ha, see what I did there?) will be less crowded and the terrain is entirely different than the north. Fewer trees, more desert-like. hotter.

He'd probably also get a kick out of Royal Gorge, which you could fit into a southward visit. If you concentrated on the south, you could tick off three of the parks. Does he have any interest in Dinosaurs? If so, there's a Dinosaur center in Woodland Park, which you'd drive right past if you took the "back" route I mentioned above from Colorado Springs.

Ouray is a CO gem, as is Ridgway, which you'd drive through on the way to Ouray. Ouray is known for its hot springs and a lovely box canyon you can walk/hike into. Durango is also a lovely town with lots on offer in a beautiful setting. I suppose you know about the train from Ouray to Silverton?

The outlier is RMNP, and as a local I'd personally give that place a wide berth during the high season, but that's just me. If you did go there, keep in mind you can spend several days exploring the park, especially if you're into hiking. It's definitely a beautiful area, hence the crowds.

It's been a minute since I was in Glenwood or Vail, so can't really comment on which is better. If it were my trip, and it's not, I'd go south, but that's because I love the area and know it well.

Maybe something like this?

https://maps.app.goo.gl/K6KPK7LsfCbat54x7

If you like this itinerary, I suggest you fly into Colorado Springs instead of Denver. This will save you a stressful drive down I-25.

I found our visit to Mesa Verde to be the highlight of our last trip to the southwest. It was our only stop in Colorado. If you do decide to visit I would recommend staying in the park at the Far View Lodge. It is a long way from the park entrance to the sights.

If you do decide to include Glenwood Springs, a few years ago we spent a very enjoyable half day with our preteen boy at the Glenwood Springs Adventure Park, a small, but spectacularly-set park with a few rides and cavern tours. Accessed via gondola. The website tries to make it look like it has a bunch of scary rides, but they are mostly smaller and pretty tame. We could have ridden the alpine coaster all day.

I also remember the drive to Glenwood Springs as being impressive, carved out through the canyon.

PrairieHikerI , Fra_Diavolo , Brian_in_Charlotte , Melnq8 Thank you for all your inputs. Melnq8, I like the route map you plotted out, and you're right RMNP is kind of the outlier. Of all the parks in CO, RMNP is the only one I have visited before (v long time ago, v brief). Maybe I will focus on the south, as you suggests, and save RMNP for another time.

Back to the drawing board. Fra_Diavolo, thanks for the tip on Fair View Lodge. I haven't considered it (have barely digested info on the park), and TBH I'm suprised there is availability and very affordable?! I've been accustomed to sold-out lodges at Yellowstone / Tetons and super high prices for in-park lodgings.

Quick question regarding the southern route -

does it matter whether I go clockwise or counterclockwise? (This is in terms of driving the windy mountain roads / scenery etc)

Hi yk, traveling now so have to be brief. I live in Colorado, not far from RMNP, but I thought your original plan was too much driving. I like mel’s route. Still a lot of driving but reasonable.

a few quick notes:

- there is a motel a few miles from Great Sand Dunes park entrance. We stayed in 2023. Super convenient to get into park early.

- staying in Mesa Verde is worth it so you can more easily get to Weatherill Mesa, a highlight . Check park website to ensure it’s open.

- although slight detour, Crested Butte is good stopping point after Black Canyon.

RMNP conundrum, aside from the outlier factor, is Grand Lake is much more mellow town, but rugged world-class scenery is closer to Estes.

- route order doesn’t seem to matter, but I think clockwise feels more natural.

- it’s been an unbelievably warm winter and record-breaking hot & dry spring, we are all worried about a bad wildfire season.

i’ll be home next week, otherwise won’t check in

I think this is the motel Nelson refers to:

https://www.gsdlodge.com/

Okay I'm back to reviesed itinerary, more or less following Mel's route suggestion

Day 1 12:30pm arrival to DEN, quick lunch, rental car, a few hours at Florissant Fossil Beds NM, onward to Buena Vista. Overnight in BV
Day 2 half-day guided rafting at BV; late afternoon drive to Montrose. Overnight in Montrose
Day 3 Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (hiking). Late afternoon drive to Ouray. Overnight in Ouray
Day 4 Ouray hiking , mine tours. Overnight in Ouray
Day 5 Drive back up Ridgway to Rt 145, stop in Telluride for a few hours (walk around town, take the free gondola, lunch), then continue to Mesa Verde NP. Overnight in Far View lodge inside MVNP
Day 6 MVNP tours (Chapin Mesa); overnight Far View lodge
Day 7 MVNP tour (Wetherill mesa); afternoon drive to Durango, overnight Durango
Day 8 Durango - Silverton train ride (should I do train both ways or train one-way, coach one-way)? Overnight Durango
Day 9 Early morning drive from Durango to Great sand Dunes NP; a few hours at Great sand dunes; late afternoon drive to Manitou Springs
Day 10 Morning Drive up to Pikes Peak; overnight Manitou Springs
Day 11 Cave of the Winds, Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods... Red-eye flight out of DEN at 11:59pm

I was debating whether to stay in Ouray or Telluride for Days 3 & 4. I think staying in Ouray makes more sense because I do want to visit that town (Switzerland of the US?).

Day 9 is a long day. I considered staying at the Lodge at Great Sand Dunes that evening, but then it would really eat into our time in Colorado Springs area. If we stay at Great Sand Dunes on the eveing of Day 9, then
Day 10 morning drive to Manitou Springs and then visit the Day 11 attractions, ie cave of the winds, seven falls, garden of the gods.
Day 11 Pikes peak (but this is a Saturday and I worry about traffic/crowds)


I know this is still a really packed itinerary, but I think we can do it! I wish we had one extra day (which is pretty much how I feel about every single trip I've taken)!

I *can* extend the trip by one day by leaving one day earlier... for extra $28 but it will be a connection via EWR, and won't arrive in DEN until 2:30pm. That won't really give me time to visit Florissant Fossil NM, though I guess I can add that to the tail end of the trip? So it will look like:
Day 1 : arrive DEN 2:30pm drive straight to Buena Vista
Days 2 - 8 same
Day 9 Early morning drive from Durango to Great sand Dunes NP; a few hours at Great sand dunes; overnight outside Great Sand dunes
Day 10 Drive to Florissant Fossil NM, overnight Woodland Park
Day 11 Pikes Peak, overnight Woodland Park
Day 12 Cave of the Winds, Seven Falls, Garden of the Gods... Red-eye flight out of DEN at 11:59pm

I took my child to Great Sand Dunes a few years ago. We drove in late one evening and then went to the Sand Dunes first thing in the morning and spend the morning there. We rented sand sleds in Alamosa. I also rented a sand board but we both preferred the sand sled. Anyway, we were absolutely covered in sand. I was very, very glad that I had Marriott status thanks to my credit card and that we had a late check out. We checked out around 3 and then drove to Crested Butte.

This itinerary screams for a flight into COS instead of Denver. It will save you time and stress. Have you already booked your flights?

Day 1 - full on if you come from Denver.

Day 5 - Ouray to Ridgeway to Telluride is a detour if heading to Mesa Verde, I guess you know this, 3.5 hours w/o stops.

Day 8 - one way on the train is usually plenty for most people, suggest you return by bus. You'll have time for lunch and a quick poke around Silverton.

Day 9 - I doubt this will work - Durango to Great Sand Dunes - just over three hours, then to Manitou Springs is another 2:45 to 3.5 depending on route - plus time at the dunes? You must like to drive more than I do.

Day 10 - don't forget to get a timed entry permit

Day 11 - once again, I suggest flying to/from COS

The town of Ouray is beautiful, but won't take long to see if you're just walking through town. More time needed if hiking, or visiting the box canyon and hot springs.

You should worry about traffic any day of the week - the Colorado Springs/Manitou/Woodland Park area has ballooned over the past 10 years. There will probably be a lot of tourists and a lot of road construction. Traffic is a given. Durango will also be quite busy. Parking near the train depot can be be a challenge.

Happy to help with accommodation suggestions if needed.

Yes - have booked our plane tickets into/out of DEN. Reason being 1) nonstop and 2) price. Flying into COS adds a minimum of 3 hours to the plane trip, and the price for the tickest is at least 2x.

Day 5 - the reason for detour is to stop in Telluride? It sounds like it is a very cute/pretty town so best not to skip? If I skip Telluride, then from Ouray I'll drive Rt 550 south to Durango then west on 160, right? Part of this section is covered on the Durango/Silverton railway/coach ride, if I understand the description correctly.

It sounds like I might not need 2 overnights in ouray? I was thinking of a mine tour plus hiking the ouray perimeter Trail.

For Day 9, the goal is really to have a quick visit at Great Sand Dunes to say we've been there - since we are passing it by. If we can leave Durango by 9am, get to Great Sand Dunes around 12, spend 3 hours there, and then 3 hours to manitou Springs. This will be the only v long day on the trip.

Alternatively is on Day 8, for our Durango-Silverton train, we take the train up, coach down. the coach ride is faster so we get back to Durango at 4:15pm. Then we drive straight to Great Sand Dunes (or Alamosa) to stay there overnight. That way, we start Day 9 already at Great Sand Dunes NP and less rushed.

Should we stay in manitou springs or old colorado City for the last part of our trip?

P.S. Mel, I hear what you're saying in terms of traffic & crowds, and the less stressful option of flying into COS. Thank you for reminding me about this and I know you'll be saying "I told you so!" when I write my TR complaining about traiffc and crowds and how many hours we spent in the car lol

Twice the price for an extra 20 minute flight? Wow, the airlines are getting really greedy.

Yes, I understand you just want to stop in Telluride, just wanted you to know it's a slight detour, as you have to drive into it and then drive back out, but certainly doable. I'm not suggesting you skip it. Yes, if you drive the other way you'd be crossing Red Mountain Pass; the scenery is a bit different than from the train; although you'd be too busy watching the road to see it

I'm also not suggesting you shorten Ouray, especially as you have a full day of activities planned, just responding to your comment about wanting to see 'the town". Ouray makes more sense than Telluride for your overnight stays.

Alternatively is on Day 8, for our Durango-Silverton train, we take the train up, coach down. the coach ride is faster so we get back to Durango at 4:15pm. Then we drive straight to Great Sand Dunes (or Alamosa) to stay there overnight. That way, we start Day 9 already at Great Sand Dunes NP and less rushed.

The main benefit of this would be if you want to walk/play on the sand, as it gets very hot later in the day. But, you'd lose one of your two nights in Durango, and Durango is worth all the time you can give it. Sounds like you've already given this a great deal of thought and have a plan that works for you.

Should we stay in manitou springs or old colorado City for the last part of our trip?

Personal preference, they're only three miles apart. It might come down to where you find accommodation.

I appreciate you understanding that I'm not trying to discourage you, just want you to be prepared. Best case, you have a stellar trip and can tell me I was wrong. I know you're a master planner and that you're very good at fitting in a lot in a short time.

I hope you have a fantastic trip!

Do you have lodging recommendations in Montrose, Ouray, and Durango? I have so far reserved the Great Sand Dunes Lodge, and will reserve Far View Lodge at MVNP. The final stop in Old Colorado City / Manitou Springs might be an Airbnb. I looked at Airbnb in Ouray and those prices are way too high, whereas hotels/motels are more affordable. For Ouray I've looked at Riverside Resort and Hot Springs Inn so far. I think there is a Best Western in both montrose and Durango, and the one in Durango is just a few minutes' walk to the Durango-Silverton RR

While I'm not nuts about BW, it is acceptable for its price.

YK, this should be a great trip. About the DEN,COS costs, keep checking the total, twice for COS is terrible but if the price goes down and car rental is less from COS it might make it worth it.

Our go to place in Ouray used to be the Box Canyon Lodge, but it's had a lot of issues since being sold to an absent couple from TX, so I can no longer recommend it. I can however recommend the Thai Chili restaurant, although it's been awhile since we ate there.

The issue with Durango is that most hotels are on a busy stretch of road, and can be noisy. I've stayed at the Hampton Inn, but not recently. These days I prefer to stay at the Sleep Inn, which is near the Walmart - it's away from the busy stretch, but not walking distance to anything as it's south of town. For your short stay, you're probably wise to stay so close to the railway. We've also stayed at an Air BNB there, but probably further out than you want to be.

I highly recommend a meal at James Ranch Grill if you have the chance. It's a bit of a drive, but a nice spot with good food.

https://jamesranch.net/grill

I also really like RPG wraps in the Durango 'mall' for a quick casual meal, odd hours though.

https://rgpswraps.com/

Durango has some great coffee shops, Hermosa Coffee is a good one.