Colorado National Parks Road Trip: Rocky Mountain Beauty

Located about 65 miles northwest of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is one of America’s most visited national parks, with 4.4 million visitors annually. The 415-acre playground is also one of the highest in elevation, with heights ranging from 7,860 to 14,259 feet above sea level, so bring those layers and take some time to adjust to the thinner air! Towering landscapes will make you feel as though you’re on top of the world. A maze of evergreens surrounds rugged peaks, crystal-clear lakes, and the Montane ecosystem with its richly diverse plant and animal life. Immerse yourself in a few of the park’s 355 miles of hiking trails, along with fishing, rock climbing, and stunning photographic opportunities. The main entrance to the park is near Estes Park, which provides other outdoor recreation opportunities as well. Summer is the high season here, and the park can get crowded. It is mostly open in the winter and receives lots of snow. Spring and fall are also great seasons to visit – temperatures are less predictable then. Whenever you visit, you will enjoy this beautiful park.

There are so many wonderful things to do in this park and nearby areas. Here are a few of the most popular:

There are wonderful private and in-park RV-friendly campgrounds to explore Rocky Mountain National Park. Four out of five campgrounds inside Rocky Mountain National Park welcome RVs, however, none have hookups. The eastern side of the park has Aspenglen, Moraine Park, and Glacier Basin campgrounds, requiring reservations. Moraine Park, in particular, has room for RVs up to 40 feet. Timber Creek is on the park’s west side. For RV private campgrounds (with better hookups), look just outside the park’s boundaries in nearby Estes Park. There are also many camping spots in nearby Arapahoe & Roosevelt National Forests. Let AdventureGenie help you find a great campground to visit Rocky Mountain National Park!

Frequently left off the radar of many outdoor adventurers, Colorado National Monument is actually a park that deserves more attention. Located in western Colorado close to the Utah state line and near Grand Junction, Colorado, magical panoramic landscapes await. The park covers a 32-square-mile area (20,000 acres) and encompasses six stunning canyons, each having its own distinctive sandstone monoliths. The park boasts canyons as deep as 500 feet and rock monoliths as tall as 450 feet. People come from far and wide to appreciate the towering plateaus, deep canyons, and red rock landscapes. 

This small but beautiful park has some great things to see and do:

Saddlehorn Campground is the monument’s only established campground and can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet (no hookups or dump stations). Nearby Fruita and Grand Junction, Colorado, have private campgrounds.  Let AdventureGenie help you find a great campground to enjoy the Colorado National Monument. 

Deep and steep is the order of the day. With sheer cliffs in striking black colors that make you question whether you’re still on planet Earth, Black Canyon is in many ways more dramatic than the Grand Canyon. The park is aptly named because the Gunnison River carved out walls that are often shrouded in shadows, making them appear black. This area has some of the world’s oldest exposed rock – Precambrian or “basement” rock – nearly 2 billion years old. Scenic drives and overlooks, hiking trails and plenty of other outdoor activities abound in this 30,000-acre park.

Here are a few of the most popular things to do in this park:

Black Canyon of the Gunnison has two campgrounds with no hook ups (including no available water due to the elevation and lack of water). The South Rim Campground is open year-round with several 20- and 30-amp electrical hookup sites. The remote North Rim Campground has 13 sites on a first-come, first-served basis. Larger RVs more than 22 feet in length are not recommended. There are several private campgrounds outside the park. Let AdventureGenie help you find a great camping spot near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Explore preserved ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park. Since 1906, the park has protected nearly 5,000 known archaeological sites including 600 cliff dwellings. This 52,000-acre park is so special that it has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in recognition of its exceptional relevance to the archaeological world. Get a glimpse into the lives of America’s First Peoples with engaging hikes, extraordinary scenic drives, and ancient petroglyphs.

Mesa Verde has a lot to see and do, and here are some of the most popular:

Morefield Campground is located just 4 miles from the park entrance. Private camping options outside the park are in nearby Cortez. AdventureGenie can help you find a great camping spot for exploring Mesa Verde National Park.

At the foot of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains, what better national park to bring your kids to than one that can be likened to a giant sand box? Sure, there are hiking, ranger programs, and amazing sunsets, but Great Sand Dunes National Park has a much different feel than other national parks. You can actually sled down the sand dunes! At 750 feet, Star Dune is the tallest sand dune in North America. It is intensely picturesque and fabulously fun all at once – geology and biology create awe-inspiring conditions that differentiate it from more traditional parks.

Here are some of our favorite things to see and do in Great Sand Dunes:

Open from April through October, Pinon Flats, Great Sand Dunes' one official campground, requires reservations that can be made up to six months in advance; however, campsites have size limits with few hookups. There are a few private campgrounds outside the park. Let AdventureGenie help you find a great campground to explore Great Sand Dunes National Park!