National Parks in Colorado
Colorado has 4 major parks, including the infamous Rocky Mountains. Aside from those 4 parks, there are 8 smaller park units. Follow the links below to read reviews, tips for planning trips, and the insider scoop for each park. I have visited the parks that are listed in red, but I only linked the parks I’ve reviewed.
- Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Colorado National Monument
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Dinosaur National Monument (CO & UT)
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
- Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
- Hovenweep National Monument (CO & UT)
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
- Yucca House National Monument
Famous non-park sites in Colorado
Garden of the Gods – Located in Colorado Springs. Entry is free and there are tons of hiking trails with amazing views that are good for the whole family.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater – Red Rocks is only 20 minutes west of Denver. Seeing a concert at Red Rocks is very high on my bucket list!
Colorado River – the Colorado River starts in the Rocky Mountains and runs south west through Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, and then on through Utah, Arizona, and California. Going on a rafting trip on the Colorado River is another thing on my bucket list!
Mt. Sneffels – or any of Colorado’s 58 14ers (a ’14er’ is a mountain that reaches 14,000 or more feet in elevation)
Must-see towns in Colorado
Ouray
Ouray is located in southwest Colorado, about 45 minutes south of Montrose. If you are staying in Montrose to see Black Canyon of the Gunnison, you must take a day trip to Ouray! The views are stunning. There are a ton of cute shops, places to eat, and outdoor recreation opportunities. Ouray is also the home of the famous ice climbing festival every January!
Telluride
Telluride is a famous ski town, but is popular year-round thanks to it’s many hiking trails, beautiful views, shops, and eateries. They also run the ski gondola year-round, which is a fun, free thing to check out!
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is Colorado’s 2nd biggest city. I didn’t do anything except Garden of the Gods while I was in Colorado City, but there are many museums and parks. It’s also only 2 hours away from Bent’s Old Fort NHS and Florissant Fossil Beds NM.
Durango
I did not visit Durango on my trip, but I almost did, so I did a fair amount of research. You can drive the famous Million Dollar Highway to get to Durango (Highway 550), and known best for their train rides and rafting trips on the Animas River.
Other towns that are very popular but I’m not familiar with – Estes Park, Fort Collins, Boulder, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Breckenridge, Aspen, and Vail, among MANY others.
Last Updated: July 9, 2023