Within Colorado’s 4 corners is an entire world waiting to be found. There are four national forests in this extraordinary state, plus nine nationwide monoliths and 42 state parks. For outside lovers, there’s no better location to explore wild spaces, look for adventure, and find solace in the middle of the charm of nature.
Whether you’re aiming to find new treking tracks, climbing paths, locations to camp, or panoramas, you’ll discover all this and more in Colorado. Wildlife lovers, too, are in for a reward in this natural wonderland.
Colorado uses unforgettable experiences for nature enthusiasts and outside enthusiasts alike. No matter where you go to experience the outdoors in Colorado, you’re going to enjoy it. Let’s explore a few of the choices.
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Colorado’s National Parks and National Monuments
Colorado has over a lots national forests and monoliths, providing hundreds of recreational opportunities– from mountain biking to bird watching. When traveling to Colorado, think about purchasing an America the Stunning pass to get to all of the U.S.’s National Park Service and Federal Recreational Lands for a complete year from the purchase date. With an America the Lovely pass in hand, visitors can go into all of Colorado’s national parks and monuments without paying a different entrance fee each time.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park. Image by Lauren Lopes Possibly the most well-known of Colorado’s national parks, Rocky Mountain National Park is a feast for the eyes. With towering mountains, crystal-clear lakes, gushing waterfalls, and wildlife varying from moose to black bears, it’s simple to see why Rocky Mountain is among the most popular national parks in the U.S. Just 90 minutes from the Denver International Airport, Rocky Mountain National Forest is a must-visit place for anybody who enjoys the outdoors. The park has more than 200 hiking courses for each hiker– from a short, available walk around Sprague Lake to an epic trek up Longs Peak (a 14er). Or, drive the amazing Trail Ridge Roadway, which takes visitors across the Continental Divide.
Please keep in mind that this park requires appointments from late May to mid-October. Schedule your timed entry online and find the wonders of this iconic national park.
Here are five treking routes to try out in Rocky Mountain National Forest.
Mesa Verde National Forest
Mesa Verde National Park. Image thanks to CTO The National Park Service(NPS)calls Mesa Verde National forest”a sacred place.”That’s because Ancestral Puebloan people lived here– in the cliffs and on the mesas– for more than seven centuries. Entering this park, which is near Cortez in southwest Colorado, is like walking back in time. Experience the area’s rich history by reserving an area on a trip of the magnificent preserved cliff homes and ritualistic sites.
Anyone taking the 116-mile Trail of the Ancients picturesque byway will travel through Cortez, where they can not just check out Mesa Verde but also explore the greater area by mountain cycling within the Phil’s World Mountain Bike Trail System or riding ATVs on the multi-purpose Aspen Loop Path. Cortez is also a stopping point on the San Juan Skyway– a 236-mile loop beginning and ending in Durango.
Mesa Verde offers a special experience– a mix of natural marvel and history that’ll engage and motivate.
Take a look at a suggested three-day Mesa Verde itinerary here.
Excellent Sand Dunes National Park and Protect
Great Sand Dunes National Park. Image by Lauren Lopes For camping, hiking, backpacking, and even sledding, head to Great Sand Dunes National Forest and Preserve beyond Alamosa, Colorado. This unique park is home to the greatest dune in North America. The tallest of the high– Star Dune– rises 750 feet from its base to its crest, and visitors can get an adventure by sandboarding or sand sledding down the huge dunes. The sand isn’t the only thing to see at this Colorado park. Visitors can likewise splash in Medano Creek (seasonally, in early-to-mid summer season), go horseback riding, or take it offroad in a 4WD car on Medano Pass Primitive Road. With so little light contamination, the perfect method to round out a visit to Great Sand Dunes is to stay after dark. In this licensed International Dark Sky Park, you can experience the night sky in an entire new method.
From day to night, a trip to Great Sand Dunes National forest will be memorable. Take in the splendor and attempt something brand-new– sandboarding, stargazing, or both!
Check out 11 hiking routes in Great Sand Dunes and neighboring Alamosa.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Image by Jeff Heaton For millions of years, forces of nature have actually shaped the unbelievable landscapes and sheer, marbled cliff faces within Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to forge Colorado’s own”Grand Canyon.”Found near Montrose in the western half of the state, visitors can trek along the rim or camp in one of the park’s 3 campgrounds. Specialist hikers can descend into the steep inner canyon (with a license) for more hiking, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, and rafting chances on the Gunnison River.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest isn’t the only point of interest in the area for outdoor fans. Close by, the Gunnison Gorge Wilderness Area provides almost 18,000 acres’ worth of wild spaces where visitors can camp, hike, explore rivers, go horseback riding, and more.
To see some of Colorado’s earliest rock, steepest cliffs, and craggiest spires, include Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest to your list.
Invest 3 days in the Montrose location with this schedule.
National Monuments
Colorado National Monolith. Image by Jeff Heaton Comparable to national parks, nationwide monuments safeguard”nationally substantial” lands and waters. Colorado’s nationwide monoliths are a vital part of the state’s natural splendor. For backcountry hiking and a lot of wildlife-viewing chances, head to Browns Canyon National Monolith near Buena Vista. With its forest, canyons, and rivers, this is also a popular location for rafting and fishing.
Colorado National Monolith near Grand Junction likewise uses resplendent views and plentiful leisure chances but with dramatically different scenery. Here, the significant landscape looks other-worldly. With towering spires and large sandstone cliffs as a background, visitors can bike tough trails, look for bighorn sheep, or take a leisurely drive and stop at all 19 scenic overlooks.
Many of Colorado’s nationwide monuments safeguard Native websites. For example, Chimney Rock National Monument near Pagosa Springs includes 200 ancient homes and ritualistic structures constructed by the Ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon. Hovenweep National Monument, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and the Yucca House National Monument, all near Cortez, Colorado, each deal distinct glances into the lives of Ancestral Puebloans.
From securing locations full of beauty and recreational opportunities to protecting traditionally crucial lands, a journey to Colorado would not be complete without visiting its national monuments.
See a list of all of Colorado’s national monuments here.
Colorado’s State Parks
State parks competing national parks and monoliths in appeal and opportunity for exploration and leisure. There are 42 to find, spread throughout Colorado’s varied landscapes.
In the greater Denver area, try Roxborough State Park, which visitors call “a gem.” Its spectacular red-rock formations create the ideal backdrop for hiking, wildlife watching, trail running, photography, bird seeing, and more.
Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora is another well-loved state park in this region where visitors can go boating, fishing, outdoor camping, and swimming (in the summer). Called Denver’s “backyard play area,” this state park uses meadow surroundings with rolling hills and plenty of centers.
Near the New Mexico/Colorado border, Trinidad Lake State Park is the ideal location for water sports, including paddleboarding and jet snowboarding. Rifle Falls State Park west of Glenwood Springs is another fantastic summer location, including a cascading triple waterfall at the heart of the park, surrounded by limestone caverns, trails, and opportunities for outdoor camping.
Colorado’s national forests and monoliths might be more well-known, however there’s a wealth of covert gems waiting to be found in its state parks. Do not overlook them!
Check out all of Colorado’s state parks here.
Discover Your Wild Space in Colorado
Image by Margaret W There’s a wild space for everyone in Colorado. Spread throughout the state is a gold mine of stunning parks and monoliths teeming with limitless possibilities to discover. Whether it’s the picturesque byways that contact us to you or the sand sledding, waterfalls, and ancient cliff residences, check out Colorado’s first-rate parks and monuments that keep visitors coming back and searching for more.
Colorado has 4 national forests, nine nationwide monuments, and 42 state parks. There’s no better place to explore wild spaces.