Sapphire

We have booked a 5 night stay in Breckenridge in late August but will have 3 nights and two full days to explore another area first. Aspen is an option but we would appreciate your suggestions. We love the mountains, scenic drives, short hikes, etc.

I would like to visit Crested Butte sometime but not sure if that makes sense this trip or not? Is the Kebler Pass road still being repaired?

We have "sampled" Aspen by making a long day trip driving to the Maroon Bells Wilderness, Aspen, and then back over Independence Pass. If we spend a bit more time in Aspen are there other areas you might suggest exploring? Short hikes, scenic drives, etc.? Good, moderately priced place to stay?

We will also have one night in Colorado after our stay in Breckenridge. We anticipate visiting RMNP at least twice while we are in Colorado but may want to spend our last night in Estes Park or stay somewhere in Boulder. Would welcome suggestions for a place to stay our last night as well.

Many thanks!

fmpden

Where are you coming from or your route into Colorado? E Park is very popular in August so you do need to make reservations soon. Depending on your interests a day or two in Denver would be possible. You could make a swing through C Butte and Black Canyon or hit the wine country near Grand Junctions. The other route into Aspen via Glenwood Springs and Glenwood Canyon is scenic. Glenwood Springs with the huge hot spring pool can be nice.

Sapphire

We arrive at Denver International airport on a Friday afternoon. Will be staying at a condo in Breckenridge Monday afternoon through Saturday morning. Staying one night somewhere in the Boulder/Denver area and flying home the next Sunday.

Friday - arrive and drive to wherever we are staying the first night
Saturday - ?
Sunday - ?
Monday - drive to Breckenridge (and stay there until Saturday)
Tuesday - Drive through RMNP?
Wednesday - Drive up Mt. Evans?
Thursday - Drive thought RMNP?
Friday - Stay close to Breckenridge
Saturday - Boulder area?
Sunday - Fly home

We have done the round trip from Breckenridge / Vail to Aspen via Glenwood Springs and Glenwood Canyon, stopping to hike in the Maroon Bells Wilderness, and then driving back through Independence Pass. Long day but delightful!

We have spent a week in Breckenridge several times now - usually in August or October - and know the drives and hikes we like to do while there. But we are only staying there 5 nights this time, and it might be a good year to explore another area.

We are really looking at doing something in the mountains as we have visited Denver and Boulder other years. (Our daughter went to college in Denver and my father lived in Boulder for a while.)

I will take another look at Crested Butte info and Black Canyon. Thank you!

lindagj

Take a look at Steambost Springs. Great little town, shops, bars, restaurants. Google says 3 Hours from Denver. Crested Butte 4 hours.

Gretchen

Why not spend your first days in RMNP rather than those fairly long "day trips" to see it. Stay the first night there or near and then another night there.
If that is enough, drive to Steamboat via the west exit from RMNP for a day or so, although that might not be what I would choose.
You've sort of plunked yourself down and tied yourself to day trips IMO.
Does your family fly fish? There is great fishing all over CO, and particularly near Silverthorne on the Blue River and the dam race behind the OUtlet shops.
we love Frisco for food opportunities.

Sapphire

Thank you all for your suggestions! I took a look at Steamboat Springs, Black Canyon, and Crested Butte (online) yesterday. And now I see the suggestion to stay in RMNP at the beginning of our trip which has some appeal. While I generally view Estes Park as a place to pick up sandwiches for a picnic lunch and enter the park from the east, this might be a good option for us.

We are traveling with older friends (70s) and we all enjoy beautiful scenery, wildlife, wildflowers and trying different restaurants in the evening. We don't mind the long drives - and enjoy coming into RMNP from the west - but our trip might be more relaxing that way. And it would be easier to access RMNP early in the day and stay into the late afternoon/early evening - prime times for landscape photography. It would be over a weekend though and the park might be more crowded then?

Over the years, we have had some good wildlife sightings (including the elk bugling in the autumn) but it is always a joy to observe nature in this beautiful place.

Any suggestions for where to stay in Estes Park if we do start there?

BetsyG

Not sure why you would do Mt Evans from Breck. Plenty to do on the other side of the divide. You could stay in Estes Park a night & Grand Lake another, them on to Breck. Day trips from Breck, Glenwood, Vail, Beaver Creek, much closer to Breck. Or just enjoy Breckenridge, hike there.

BetsyG

ypu could spend a night in Winter Park after RMNP on the way to Breck.

Sapphire

We ended up deciding to drive to Snowmass Village and spend 3 nights there before going to Breckenridge for 5 nights in late August.

Any restaurant suggestions for Snowmass Village or Aspen?

We plan on visiting the Maroon Bells Wilderness again but would welcome other suggestions for scenic drives, short hikes, favorite restaurants, etc. in the area.

We will go through the Independence Pass on our way to Breckenridge. We have done this drive before but would welcome suggestions for places to stop along the way.

Many thanks!