Hi
I am spending July 2nd in Boulder followed by 3 days in Aspen (July 3 to 5) and I still have 3 days left before I have to leave from Denver airport. I am looking for suggestions on one or two areas to visit during those 3 days. I enjoy pretty towns, great scenery and easy hiking.
I prefer to keep the driving between Aspen and Denver (so Telluride which is lovely would be too far afield).
Your thoughts would be most appreciated.
Question: Is Colorado Springs worth a visit?

Glenwood Springs and Glenwood Canyon would be high on scenery. Do you bicycle -- riding the canyon is a special event. Put park in the middle and hike to Hanging Lake.

Leadville and the Mineral Belt Loop (12 easy miles - somewhat flat) is an outdoor museum of the old mining history.

You could loop out of Aspen on 133 through Black Canyon, Gunnison and into Colorado Springs and then an easy return to Denver. That would add a few miles but the scenery would be great.

you could come back toward Denver on I70 and take the road north at Silverthorne toward Kremmeling and the back entrance to the RMNP. Go through the Park, stay a day or so and drive back down the east side to Boulder and the airport. Sorry I don't know the route numbers but it is beautiful. I'd like that better than the Springs.

Following Gretchen's route, I would suggest you spend a night or two in Grand Lake. Then head over Trail Ridge Road in the morning, and into RMNP. (Problem is the trees are bad in Grand County, so be prepared.)

Or, I'd make another recommendation. In July, with a good vehicle, you could drive from Aspen, through Gothic, to Crested Butte. Spend a night or two in Crested Butte/Gunnison. Don't know the name of that pass, though. Then through Gunnison, and back to Denver.

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My thanks to all of you for the great suggestions!

Hi Mambo,
What did you mean when you said "the trees are bad"?
i.e.Then head over Trail Ridge Road in the morning, and into RMNP. (Problem is the trees are bad in Grand County, so be prepared.)

For clarification, tree's are bad due to the beetle infestation.

For further clarification, the pine beetle infestation has hit the Grand Lake area and the west side of RMNP (among others in Colorado) very hard, killing the pine trees and leaving the landscape very ugly with huge swaths of red, dead trees. I'd say that easily 75% of the pine trees have been affected. The last time I drove in this area, I thought to myself that I'd never want to stay there because of the impact on the view. Luckily, the east side of the park hasn't been impacted as much... yet.

Yes, Colle, I was referring to the pine beetle kill.

We have acreage in Grand County, and it is heartbreaking to have to take down all the lodgepole pines killed by the beetle.

The good news is that the aspens are opportunistic, and they should take over. Our property has tons of aspens which have always been overshadowed by the lodgepoles.

But now they'll get the sun and they'll grow quickly. (I hope.) Given five years, it will be beautiful again. Maybe even more so.
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