4 day trip from Denver this fall - First time in the Rockies - Where to go?
 

Hi, I am visiting Denver for the first time at the beginning of October. I will have the chance to spend four extra days there and really want to visit the Rockies (for the first time). Ideally I'd like to take some scenic drives and go on a few hikes. Seeing some wildlife and having some good photo opportunities would be a bonus. Is it possible to drive down to Colorado Springs and then loop up through the Rockies to Estes Park before going back to Denver in 4 days? Or is this going to be too much? If so, what area(s) would you suggest concentrating on? Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

There are a number of threads right now about touring Colorado and from Denver. You might take a look. Yes, you can do what you suggest, but CO Springs is not my favorite part of Colorado. I'd head a bit north to the Park, and then on west through the Park toward the high mountains.
And if you had a choice of the Springs or Boulder--take Boulder.
Those better in the know for the road numbers (I'm pretty much an I70 person) can come with more ideas, but do a search also for a LOT of info.

Oh, and bring some cold weather gear--you never know what may come down!! LOL

I would skip Colorado Springs and just go to Estes / RMNP. Depending on how you want to split up your driving vs. hiking time you could easily spend the entire time in Estes and get in some classic hikes. This is a good list to get you started:
http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails...p-10-hikes.htm

Doing this would also give you time to stop in Boulder or Fort Collins, both nice college towns.

Or you could drive a loop Denver -> Estes -> Grand Lake -> Breckenridge-> Denver. I know people who have driven that in one day, which I think is nuts, but with four days you'll have some time to do stuff besides drive. This is much more scenic than the CO Springs drive.

In any case, keep an eye on the weather, which can go either way in the mountains in October.

Have a great trip.

P.S I was posting the same time Gretchen did.

But I wanted to mention early October is the elk rut in RMNP, a world class wildlife event. Try to catch that, well worth seeing. Moraine Park and Horseshoe Park are good places. If possible do it mid-week.

I agree with skipping Colorado Springs and focusing on RMNP for hiking and then taking Trail Ridge Road toward Grand Lake before adding another stop or heading back to Denver.I also enjoy the drive from Aspen to Leadville over Independence Pass. Bring layers and remember that the high roads and passes can close at anytime due to weather.

Four days is fine but you'll need to decide if you want to keep moving or stay in one location. I'm doing a quick leaf trip this weekend. Denver - Glenwood Springs - Crested Butte - Denver. It'll be a lot of driving, but it is worth it for the scenery and a few hikes.

Have fun planning!

Skip Colorado Springs. Go to the mountains. It's about as simple as that.

Estes Park will be swarming with people from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening, so try to adjust your itinerary to avoid that if possible. If not, just deal with it but get some lodging booked asap.

We just returned from ten days in Colorado.

Our favorite scenic drives were Mt. Evans, Loveland Pass, Independence Pass, and Glenwood Canyon (on I-70). We had good views of the mountains driving north on the Peak to Peak Highway as we drew close to Estes Park, and we enjoyed the funky town of Nederland.

We spent two nights in Estes Park so would could get a big dose of Trail Ridge Road. Unfortunately, the mountains were shrouded in clouds one day and fog the next.

HTtY

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I had added Colorado Springs, as I imagined the Garden of the Gods might have been worthwhile visiting, but it seems not? At least not compared to the stuff in and around the RMNP?

And Mt. Evans road recommended by happy is now closed. You need to be prepared for snow. We have already had a light dusting of snow in Denver and much more so in the mountains. Hiking could be impacted especially at a little higher altitude.