COLORADO NATIONAL PARK TRIP PLANNER Black Canyon of the Gunnison Great Sand Dunes Mesa Verde Rocky Mountain TOP 4 ROAD TRIPS 14 Cody Dinosaurs and Deserts Thermopolis GETTING Wildlife and Natural Wonders 120 Best of Colorado Loop Idaho Land of Enchantment Falls 26 THERE Lander Dinosaur National Monument Plan your dream vacation Laramie with our top routes to Colorado’s national parks and monuments. Grand Estes Park 40 Lake Learn more at Steamboat Lyons 40 Glenwood Springs MyColoradoParks.com. Springs 133 Delta Cripple Creek Colorado National Montrose Monument Park and Preserve. For 25 BEST OF a unique wildlife 550 Great Sand Dunes COLORADO LOOP experience, drive east National Park 160 Alamosa and Preserve from Denver to Pagosa Miles 1,130 Springs Keenesburg to visit The Farmington The ultimate Colorado Wild Animal Sanctuary, road trip includes home to more than 450 550 Taos 25 Bandelier charming mountain rescued tigers, lions, National Monument towns, hot springs, wolves and bears. Santa Fe desert scenery and impressive peaks. Head straight to Rocky DINOSAURS Mountain National Park AND DESERTS from Denver and take Trail Ridge Road west Miles 1,365 to Grand Lake. Soak in Go from red-rock the pools of Hot canyons to alpine Phoenix Sulphur Springs before meadows on this loop. heading to Winter Park Abilene Start in Salt Lake City Carlsbad Caverns and Dillon. Stop in National Park and drive southeast to Glenwood Springs to Vernal, Utah, the experience the town’s Flaming Gorge National Map by Peter Sucheski legendary hot springs Recreation Area and and adventure park. Just south you’ll find with New Mexican stunning San Luis Dinosaur National Continue west to the WILDLIFE AND Grand Teton National deserts on this Valley. Head north to Monument on the red-rock landscapes of NATURAL Park and the lively town beautiful tour. Start in Grand Lake, a gorgeous Colorado border. Pass Colorado National of Jackson that mixes El Paso, Texas, and mountain town on the through Steamboat WONDERS Monument in Grand the Old West with hip cross into Las Cruces, western edge of Rocky Springs, Colo., and Hot Junction. Miles 1,763 boutiques and N.M. Visit Carlsbad Mountain National Bison, bears and hot Sulphur Springs, Colo., restaurants. Head Caverns National Park Park. On your way From there, experience springs await on this en route to Rocky through the Wind River and White Sands home, stop to see incredible alpine tour of the high Rockies. Mountain National Range to Riverton and National Monument. Garden of the Gods and scenery and swaths of From Denver, go to Park. After visiting the Lander, continuing to Farther north Pikes Peak in Colorado agricultural land as you Rocky Mountain park, swing west to raft Laramie and then Albuquerque and Santa Springs . Continue travel through Delta, National Park before the Colorado River near Denver. Fe await, as do the south to Taos, N.M., an Montrose and Ouray. Be heading to Cheyenne. Kremmling. Stop in ancient ruins in enchanting, small town sure to stop at Black Stop by Thermopolis for Paonia, Delta and Black Bandelier National that will capture your Canyon of the Gunnison a soak in a hot spring Canyon of the Gunnison LAND OF Monument and Mesa heart. Farther south, National Park. Hit Mesa and then discover the National Park before ENCHANTMENT Verde National Park. Santa Fe and its Verde National Park Wild West in Cody. Drive exploring the stunning Then head to Alamosa, neighboring towns offer before visiting Durango west to Yellowstone Miles 2,121 desert landscapes of Colo., and Great Sand outdoor fun, fascinating and Silverton. Stop by National Park to hike Colorado National Combine Rocky Dunes National Park cultural activities and Alamosa and Great and see geyser basins Monument and Utah’s Mountain National Park and Preserve in the incredible food. Sand Dunes National Arches National Park. and wildlife. MyColoradoParks.com . 3 COLORADO’S NATIONAL PARK SITES In addition to Rocky Mountain National Park, visit some of Colorado’s other national parks and monuments. BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK NATIONAL PARK This desert monument perched at the western & PRESERVE At this impossibly sheer, narrow canyon in edge of Colorado features rock pillars, Is this south central Colorado or the Sahara? It’s southwestern Colorado—at its thinnest points, the juniper-cloaked hills and incredible rock not always easy to tell at this unique park where gorge spans just 40 feet at the Gunnison River and formations. Best known for its vistas from the the continent’s tallest sand dunes join the rugged 1,100 feet at the rim—rock walls plunge as deep as 23-mile scenic drive (or road bike ride) on Rim Sangre de Cristo mountains. Wander, sled or 2,722 feet. Intrepid hikers and rock climbers can Rock Drive, the park also is a great place to hike, sand-ski among the dunes, or, even better, venture into the depths on several very steep, watch wildlife (such as desert bighorn sheep, backpack out to camp in the sand. Be on the look unmaintained trails. Other visitors prefer to peer coyotes and golden eagles) and stargaze. You’ll out for the 750-foot Star Dune, the tallest sand into the chasm from a network of trails lining the find some of the country’s darkest skies here. It’s dune in North America. Wear closed-toe shoes north and south rims. Anglers love this place for its also uncrowded, making it a great place to while exploring in the park since cool morning gold-medal waters for trout fishing. experience solitude. sand can heat up to 150 degrees in the summer. CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK MONUMENT The dinosaur bones at this monument straddling Described as the pyramids of North America, Just 12 miles west of Mesa Verde National Park, this northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah the ancient ruins at Mesa Verde hold the early lesser-known gem has a wealth of archaeological would be reason enough to stop here. The quarry stories of our nation. About 1,400 years ago sites that provide in-depth insight into ancient displays the remains of Allosaurus, Diplodocus ancestral Puebloans built more than 600 dwellings cultures. There are 6,355 recorded sites that include and Stegasaurus, among other dinosaurs. But the into the gorgeous sandstone cliffs. Don't miss everything from agricultural fields to sweat lodges, monument also has excellent river rafting, hiking going on a guided tour of cliff dwellings with a shrines and homes. The site has been used for more and ancient rock art panels. ranger. Purchase your tickets online in advance than 10,000 years by people. for Cliff Palace, Balcony House and Long House at recreation.gov. PHOTOS: Moose, Elk (Depositphotos), Black Bear (iStock), Bighorn Sheep (Grant Ordelheide), Abert’s Squirrel (iStock/E.J. Peiker), Mountain Lion (Depositphotos/Tom Tietz), PHOTO: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve (by Grant Ordelheide) 4 . Colorado Trip Planner 2021 WILDLIFE FIELD GUIDE Look for these animals as you explore Colorado’s national parks and monuments. MOOSE BLACK BEAR ELK As the largest member of the deer family, These omnivores follow their mostly These 800-pound animals are nearly moose have long snouts, bulbous noses vegetarian food sources in the parks. In ubiquitous in and around Rocky. The best and dewlaps under their throats, which set spring, they feast on shrubs and new time to see elk is September and October them apart. Introduced to northern shoots in the forest. Throughout summer when herds gather for the mating season, Colorado in the 1970s, they are frequently and fall, they retreat to the cooler alpine also known as “the rut.” Hear the bulls sighted on Rocky Mountain's west side zone, chasing berries and trout. Black bugle in Rocky’s Kawuneeche Valley, along the East Inlet and Onahu trails, bears hibernate in winter and mate in Horseshoe Park, Moraine Park and in Big Meadows and the Kawuneeche summer. Rocky’s bear population is small. Upper Beaver Meadows. Valley. Look in areas full of willows In Great Sand Dunes, you may spot one and aquatic vegetation. along Mosca Pass Trail. BIGHORN SHEEP ABERT'S SQUIRREL MOUNTAIN LION Bighorn sheep bound up steep terrain and These curious-looking squirrels have These solitary and elusive cats are not cliffs, thanks to their flexible, spongy rabbit-like ears, setting them apart from frequently spotted. They stalk their hooves. Rams weigh up to 250 pounds. the average squirrel you see in your favorite prey, mule deer, but prefer to Both males and females have horns, but backyard. They are only found in mature slink through the forest unseen. In ram horns are larger and more curved. coniferous forests in mountain ecosystems. addition to deer, they hunt coyotes and Rams battle for dominance, butting their They spend most of their lives in and raccoons. Encounters with mountain lions horns until one surrenders. In Great Sand around ponderosa pine trees, eating pine can be dangerous. If you encounter a Dunes, spot them along Medano Pass cones, buds, the inner bark and seeds. They mountain lion, do not try to run. Instead, Primitive Road. Look for them in Colorado are only active during the daylight hours. stand tall and attempt to scare it away. National Monument and Rocky Mountain Find them in Mesa Verde, Great Sand PHOTOS: Moose, Elk (Depositphotos), Black Bear (iStock), Bighorn Sheep (Grant Ordelheide), PHOTOS: Moose, Elk (Depositphotos), Black Bear (iStock), Bighorn Sheep (Grant Ordelheide), Abert’s Squirrel (iStock/E.J. Peiker), Mountain Lion (Depositphotos/Tom Tietz), National Park. Dunes and Rocky Mountain national parks.