Colorado: Discover Mountain Landscapes, Nature and Culture

Colorado offers mountain landscapes, trails, natural areas, Scenic Byways and cultural sites. When choosing accommodation, you can focus on your planned priorities: mountain landscapes in Rocky Mountain National Park, trails in the state parks, Scenic Byways or cultural sites such as Mesa Verde.

Mountain landscape: Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 415 square miles of mountain landscapes. The range extends from montane meadows and subalpine forests to alpine tundra.

Summer connection: Trail Ridge Road is a 48-mile one-way road that connects Grand Lake and Estes Park in summer.

Natural area with contrasts: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to North America's tallest dunes in a landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes and tundra.

Cultural heritage: Mesa Verde National Park protects the cultural heritage of 27 pueblos and Indigenous tribes.

Trails for different abilities: Garden of the Gods has more than 22 miles of trails for beginners through advanced hikers; both paved and unpaved trails are available.

Accessible summit destination: The Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center is accessible via a fully paved road, a cog railway, shuttle tours and an extensive network of hiking and biking trails.

Hiking, nature and water

Rocky Mountain National Park offers more than 350 miles of hiking trails. This ranges from individual walks to an extensive selection for longer days of hiking. The park's different landscape zones provide a clear framework for planning: montane meadows, subalpine forests and alpine tundra represent different natural settings within the same protected area.

Colorado's state parks also cater to different ways of experiencing the landscape. They offer trekking opportunities for hikers, joggers, cyclists, horseback riders, campers and motorized travelers. Boating, fishing, stand-up paddling, rafting and swimming are also possible on rivers, lakes, reservoirs and ponds.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison offers an especially striking landscape. The forces of nature and the Gunnison River shaped it over more than two million years.

Trails for different daily itineraries

Easy loop trail: Perkins Central Garden Trail is an easy 1.5-mile loop with less than 30 feet of elevation gain.

For visitors with disabilities, Colorado's state parks offer accessible trails and all-terrain TrackChairs. The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center also has an ADA-compliant facility and three free, non-motorized wheelchairs. They are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Scenic Byways and Royal Gorge

For 13 of Colorado's 26 Scenic & Historic Byways, the designation as America's Byways® was made by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

At Royal Gorge, history, height and unique perspectives come together. Royal Gorge Bridge was built in seven months and opened in 1929. It hangs 956 feet above the Arkansas River. In addition, the Aerial Gondola rises 1,200 feet and crosses Royal Gorge, offering views of Royal Gorge, the mountains and the Arkansas River below.

Another option at Royal Gorge is the Cloudscraper Zip Line. It crosses Royal Gorge back to the visitor center on the north side of the park.

Culture and year-round hot springs

Mesa Verde National Park protects the cultural heritage of 27 pueblos and Indigenous tribes. Cliff Palace is the largest known cliff dwelling in North America.

Colorado offers hot springs experiences throughout the year.

Visitor information for state parks and Pikes Peak

An entrance pass is required for all state parks in Colorado. It is available online, at the parks' visitor centers, at CPW offices and from authorized vendors. Reservations are required from May 26 through September 30 for drives to the summit of Pikes Peak in a private vehicle.

For further regional orientation, you can compare Pitkin, Summit, Routt, San Miguel, Eagle, Jefferson, Grand, Gunnison County and San Juan County.

For the higher-level travel overview: USA.