Colorado - need advice
 

So, we decided to fly into Denver for Memorial Day weekend. We are arriving Friday and leaving Monday, so have 3 nights.

Please help plan our trip! Where should we go? Should we just stay near the Rocky Mountain area? Stay at Estes? Drive to Aspen?

We like moutains, lakes and beautiful natural scenary. We love to experience the beautiful mountain that everyone raves about. "Oury" looks beautiful but too far from Denver.

WIth our limited time, we need to go somewhere within 3-4 hour drive.

Thanks!

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Kitty,

Given your lack of time Rocky Mountain National Park is your best choice without spending all your time driving. Stay in Estes Park. Trail Ridge Road usually (weather permitting) opens memorial day weekend and you won't find better views and mountains within your time frame. Aspen is a long drive and with the heavy snow in this part of the state your options for good drives and hikes will be very limited. Stick with RMNP.

BeanMan

I strongly agree with BeanMan. Plan to get out of your car along Trail Ridge Road for a few short walks/hikes along the well-marked trails. The scenery is just fabulous!

I agree--go to the Park with only 3 days. Stop in Boulder on the way up or back. The drive to Aspen is about 4 hours and does have one of the most spectacular stretches of highway in the world.
A possibility for your return to Denver would be to go through RMNP on Trail Ridge Road and drop down the back side on the road that follows the Blue River, going into Silverthorne. Then back to Denver on I70 where you could see some old mines, stop in Idaho Springs for lunch.
Silverthorne has extensive outlets if that is your cup of tea. It is only a 90 minute drive to Denver from Silverthorne.

Take warm clothes and rain jackets. Even in the middle of the summer it is chilly and often rainy up on top. We got snowed on in late July last year.