Help with Itinerary Denver to Moab please
Jun 2nd, 2011, 05:05 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Help with Itinerary Denver to Moab please
We are retired couple from FL flying into Denver. Originally thought we might stay in a condo at Dillon for 3 nights after driving through RMNP, but now wonder if you have some better ideas for us. We have not visited Denver before - and in general are not city people or "shoppers" and we are somewhat limited to short, "flat" walks. (Joys of getting older.) We like scenic drives!
So, please help us fill in the blanks - as in, what would YOU do?
Sept 7 - we arrive Denver 6 PM
Sept 8 - explore Denver (suggestions? Is the Mint worth a visit? Overnight in Denver.
Sept 9 - Stay in Denver a third night or another city close by? OR drive to Estes Park and drive through RMNP - stay at Grand Lake, just outside the park.
Sept 10 - stay another night in Grand Lake to go back into RMNP and look around some more?
Sept 11 - ?? (depends on whether we spend two or three nights in Denver area.
Sept 12 - check into our motel in Moab by the end of the day. This is a "travel" day on the road.
So the bottom line - should we explore Denver/area for a few days or spend more time inside RMNP. (DH gets bored easily....while I can sit and stare at mountains/read a book and be perfectly content. Marriage is all about compromise.
)
So, please help us fill in the blanks - as in, what would YOU do?
Sept 7 - we arrive Denver 6 PM
Sept 8 - explore Denver (suggestions? Is the Mint worth a visit? Overnight in Denver.
Sept 9 - Stay in Denver a third night or another city close by? OR drive to Estes Park and drive through RMNP - stay at Grand Lake, just outside the park.
Sept 10 - stay another night in Grand Lake to go back into RMNP and look around some more?
Sept 11 - ?? (depends on whether we spend two or three nights in Denver area.
Sept 12 - check into our motel in Moab by the end of the day. This is a "travel" day on the road.
So the bottom line - should we explore Denver/area for a few days or spend more time inside RMNP. (DH gets bored easily....while I can sit and stare at mountains/read a book and be perfectly content. Marriage is all about compromise.
)
Jun 2nd, 2011, 05:43 AM
#2
9/9 stay at Grand Lake. Decide morning 9/10 whether you want to see more in the RMNP area. 9/11 stay in Glenwood Springs. This makes an easy drive to Moab on 9/12.
I think you will like Arches better than RMNP. There are several great hikes in Arches. The hike out to Delicate Arch is truly worth it. My DW made it out there with her new knee.
There is a place where you can see dinosaur tracks north of Moab if that would interest anyone.
Denver is an interesting city but there is so much else to see that I would not spend 3 nights there.
I think you will like Arches better than RMNP. There are several great hikes in Arches. The hike out to Delicate Arch is truly worth it. My DW made it out there with her new knee.
There is a place where you can see dinosaur tracks north of Moab if that would interest anyone.
Denver is an interesting city but there is so much else to see that I would not spend 3 nights there.
Jun 2nd, 2011, 05:52 AM
#3
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Things to do in Denver and the area if you decide to spend some time there
I found the mint mildly interesting--and it doesn't take very long
The Denver Art Museum --http://www.denverartmuseum.org/home
Denver Botanic Gardens--http://www.botanicgardens.org/
Visit Red Rocks just west of Denver--http://www.redrocksonline.com/
You could visit Red Rocks then drive up Bear Creek Canyon (hwy 73) which is scenic, to Evergreen, a nice little mountain town, and have a late lunch at Willow Creek restaurant overlooking Evergreen Lake http://www.willowcreekevergreen.com/index.htm
I found the mint mildly interesting--and it doesn't take very long
The Denver Art Museum --http://www.denverartmuseum.org/home
Denver Botanic Gardens--http://www.botanicgardens.org/
Visit Red Rocks just west of Denver--http://www.redrocksonline.com/
You could visit Red Rocks then drive up Bear Creek Canyon (hwy 73) which is scenic, to Evergreen, a nice little mountain town, and have a late lunch at Willow Creek restaurant overlooking Evergreen Lake http://www.willowcreekevergreen.com/index.htm
Jun 2nd, 2011, 11:09 AM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would visit the Botanical Gardens on the 8th, as well as a couple other things you find interesting in Denver. I'd skip Red Rocks since you're headed to Utah in a few days and the scenery there will make Red Rocks looks trivial in comparison.
Go to Estes Park/RMNP on the 9th - lots of short/flat/easy hikes (Lily, Sprague and Bear Lakes are all under a mile and almost totally flat). Just driving around the park is scenic, the elk may be in rut already so you can check that out in the evening. I'd overnight in Estes Park and drive over Trail Ridge Road in the morning (stop at Rock Cut and hike if you can, very short trail). The scenery on the Grand Lake (west) side is not nearly as dramatic as the east side so I wouldn't recommend an overnight in Grand Lake, just keep driving and stay elsewhere in the mountains along I-70 on the 10th.
Next day drive towards Moab, drive through Colorado National Monument on the way. Personally I would make it to Moab on the 11th. Highly recommend you get off I-70 at the Cisco (Hwy 128) exit and drive Hwy 128 to Moab instead of the I-70/Hwy 191 to Moab route. Hwy 128 is beautiful and far more scenic than 191.
Obviously that gives you another night to play around with, you could add an additional night anywhere but Grand Lake would not be my choice. It might be worthwhile to stay in Estes Park for 2 nights so that you can take your time driving there from Denver (maybe stop in Boulder along the way, drive the scenic Peak to Peak highway) and just relax and adjust to the elevation once there, because that will slow you down a bit. There really are plenty of easy things to do in RMNP on the Estes Park side so you wouldn't be bored with 2 nights there.
Go to Estes Park/RMNP on the 9th - lots of short/flat/easy hikes (Lily, Sprague and Bear Lakes are all under a mile and almost totally flat). Just driving around the park is scenic, the elk may be in rut already so you can check that out in the evening. I'd overnight in Estes Park and drive over Trail Ridge Road in the morning (stop at Rock Cut and hike if you can, very short trail). The scenery on the Grand Lake (west) side is not nearly as dramatic as the east side so I wouldn't recommend an overnight in Grand Lake, just keep driving and stay elsewhere in the mountains along I-70 on the 10th.
Next day drive towards Moab, drive through Colorado National Monument on the way. Personally I would make it to Moab on the 11th. Highly recommend you get off I-70 at the Cisco (Hwy 128) exit and drive Hwy 128 to Moab instead of the I-70/Hwy 191 to Moab route. Hwy 128 is beautiful and far more scenic than 191.
Obviously that gives you another night to play around with, you could add an additional night anywhere but Grand Lake would not be my choice. It might be worthwhile to stay in Estes Park for 2 nights so that you can take your time driving there from Denver (maybe stop in Boulder along the way, drive the scenic Peak to Peak highway) and just relax and adjust to the elevation once there, because that will slow you down a bit. There really are plenty of easy things to do in RMNP on the Estes Park side so you wouldn't be bored with 2 nights there.
