OK! I am booked for my 1st trip to Colorado and I can't wait. Am definitely spending 3 days at Rocky Mountain and 3 days in the Colorado Springs area. I'd like to capture some great photographs of the scenery. Can anyone recommend easy to moderate hikes with the best scenery at Rocky Mountain? Also any easy to moderate hikes in the Colorado Springs area with great scenery? Also, I'd like to spend an evening at a casino in Cripple Creek. Will it be worth my while (I don't mean odds wise, but experience wise) or should I skip it? Thanks.

The majority of the hiking trails in RMNP are in the valleys below the tree line. For the truly spectacular shots you need to drive up Trailridge Rd. which runs through the park north to south and vice versa. There are some trails up top but they usually just lead to scenic lookouts and outcroppings. RMNP can be done in a day unless your staying at one of the campgrounds in the park or at Estes Park. Colorado Springs has Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods. Gambling in Colorado is what is known as low stakes gambling. No craps, roulette, pai gow, and such. Casinos are rather small and gambling is limited to slots, video poker and $5 blackjack. Some casinos also have some other variations of card games but usually just one table. If you've ever gambled in Vegas, AC, or Foxwoods, the casinos here probably wouldn't be worth the visit. Hope this helps.

Bill,

In RMNP there's plenty of scenery accessible by car, especially Trail Ridge Road. If you want to hike there is a trail from the Bear Lake Trailhead that leads up to Nymph Lake (I think?). Not too difficult except for the altitude - I'm in poor shape, but made it ok. From Bear Lake to Nymph Lake is not especially scenic, but you can climb further up from Nymph Lake to get above the treeline for some good photo opportunities.

Bill,
There are so many great trails off the main road. I suggest going on their web site and looking at one that fits your profile. They have trails from 1 mile to 15+ miles. It is http://www.swparks.com/us/travel/colorado/rockymt.html I hiked the wild basin area last fall, and it was so beautiful. Also don't miss the entire drive on Trail Ridge Road. There are so many great spots for photos, I came back with a ton! Have a great trip.

When driving from the Springs to Cripple Creek consider taking Gold Camp Road over the mountains for great photographs. Road is unpaved and can be intimadating for some drivers. Easy to access this road but check to make sure it is open. One access road is near the Garden of the Gods. The other is near the zoo.