Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
We’ve spent over 30 days in Colorado over several trips.
1) Pick your season
Colorado doesn’t fully thaw until July. Travel earlier and you’ll have closed gondolas and roads, plus muddy hiking paths.
2) Pick your region
Colorado is a big state. Most people don’t have the 2+ weeks needed to properly do Colorado. Instead, pick 1-2 regions to explore: Rocky Mountain National Park, Southwest Colorado, Northern Colorado, or the Pikes Peak Region
3) Map realistic drive times
Parks and towns can be 1–3 hours apart.
Look at drive times and change lodging as you go ⛺so you’re not spending your vacation driving.
4) Check this year’s reservation rules
Rocky Mountain, Pikes Peak, Mount Blue Sky, Maroon Bells, and Hanging Lake all require a timed entry ticket. ✅
Rules change year to year, so always check the current season before booking your trip.
5) Then pick exact activities
Once you know the season, trip length, drive times, and reservations, THEN decide:
– National Parks
– Mountain Towns
– Hikes
– Drives
– Recreation
If you want to make trip planning EASY, download our Colorado Bundle that has step-by-step itineraries for each of Colorado’s regions and shows how to connect them to reduce backtracking and get you to some awesome, lesser-visited sites!
Get it at wereintherockies.com.
We’ve spent over 30 days in Colorado over several trips.
1) Pick your season
Colorado doesn’t fully thaw until July. Travel earlier and you’ll have closed gondolas and roads, plus muddy hiking paths.
2) Pick your region
Colorado is a big state. Most people don’t have the 2+ weeks needed to properly do Colorado. Instead, pick 1-2 regions to explore: Rocky Mountain National Park, Southwest Colorado, Northern Colorado, or the Pikes Peak Region
3) Map realistic drive times
Parks and towns can be 1–3 hours apart.
Look at drive times and change lodging as you go ⛺so you’re not spending your vacation driving.
4) Check this year’s reservation rules
Rocky Mountain, Pikes Peak, Mount Blue Sky, Maroon Bells, and Hanging Lake all require a timed entry ticket. ✅
Rules change year to year, so always check the current season before booking your trip.
5) Then pick exact activities
Once you know the season, trip length, drive times, and reservations, THEN decide:
– National Parks
– Mountain Towns
– Hikes
– Drives
– Recreation
If you want to make trip planning EASY, download our Colorado Bundle that has step-by-step itineraries for each of Colorado’s regions and shows how to connect them to reduce backtracking and get you to some awesome, lesser-visited sites!
Get it at wereintherockies.com.
