Colorado Escape

Denver Airport Arrival

Arrive at Denver Airport and pick up your rental car for a week of adventure.

Estes Park

Drive from Denver to Estes Park. Check in, walk around downtown Estes Park, have dinner, and rest.

Bear Lake Area

Get there early. The Bear Lake parking area fills quickly, and the Glacier Gorge area is especially busy. Use the park shuttle from Park & Ride if parking is full.

Best relaxed plan, Bear lake area

1. Bear Lake Loop Short, easy 0.6-mile loop Beautiful view of Hallett Peak reflected in the lake. 2. Alberta Falls About 1.6 miles round trip A strong waterfall hike without becoming exhausting. 3. Sprague Lake Loop 0.8-mile accessible loop One of the prettiest relaxed lake views in the park, especially for photos and reflections.

The most iconic lake hike

Nymph Lake → Dream Lake → Emerald Lake Around 3.4 miles round trip Moderate uphill hike This is the classic Colorado lake experience: lily-pad lake, dramatic mountain views, then Emerald Lake surrounded by steep peaks.

Trail Ridge Road - Afternoon

After lunch, drive Trail Ridge Road toward Alpine Visitor Center. It reaches more than 12,000 feet and gives you huge tundra, mountain, and valley views without another hike. Weather can close the road temporarily, so check the park road page the evening before.

Lunch

Colorado Springs

Stay at Colorado Springs at night

Garden of the Gods

1. Perkins Central Garden Trail 2. Balanced Rock 3. Siamese Twins viewpoint 4. Visitor Center viewpoint Garden of the Gods itself does not require advance reservations.

Late Morning- Pikes Peak

Drive Pikes Peak Highway to the summit. At the top, you will see huge views over Colorado Springs, mountain ranges, and the plains. Give yourself about 2–3 hours total. A timed-entry permit is required to drive your own vehicle to the summit between late May and September.

Evening: Great Sand Dunes

Drive to the Great Sand Dunes area and arrive before sunset. Do not climb High Dune today. Just walk gently into the lower dunes, take photos, and watch sunset. This is one of the prettiest and least stressful experiences of the trip. Stay near Alamosa, Mosca, or the park.

Sunrise at Great Sand Dunes

Wake up early and visit the dunes around sunrise. The sand is cooler, the light is softer, and it is much more comfortable than hiking in the afternoon. Walk for about 45 minutes to one hour into the dunes, then return. Do not expect Medano Creek to be flowing near the main dunes parking area. Current park information says the creek has been dry there because of the unusually dry 2026 water year. Then drive to Durango.

Evening in Durango

Walk around historic downtown Durango. Walk beside the Animas River. Have dinner downtown. Rest, because tomorrow is your train day.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This is your relaxed scenic day. The full round trip takes about nine hours and includes mountain canyons, the Animas River, forests, cliffs, and around two hours in Silverton. In Silverton: Walk around the historic downtown. Take photos of the mountains surrounding the town. Have lunch. Browse the old mining-town shops. Then return to Durango and stay there again. The railroad recently had a temporary disruption after a rockslide, although it expected Silverton service to resume July 4. Confirm the exact status before booking your July 10 trip.

Morning: South Mineral Creek / Ice Lake area

Drive toward South Mineral Creek near Silverton. You can drive the first 4.4 miles of South Mineral Road to the Ice Lake trailhead in a normal two-wheel-drive car, although there may be potholes. Beyond the campground, the road becomes 4WD only. Do a short walk near the creek or along the beginning of the trail, take photos, and enjoy the forest and mountains. Do not attempt the full Ice Lake hike on this day. Save it for another Colorado trip when you can stay near Silverton for two nights.

Midday: Silverton

Stop in Silverton for lunch and a short walk through town.

Afternoon: Million Dollar Highway → Ouray

Drive the Million Dollar Highway slowly in daylight. Stop only at safe pullouts. This is one of the best mountain drives in Colorado. In Ouray, visit Box Cañon Falls. The Falls Trail is a mostly level 500-foot walk, and the High Bridge Trail is a short half-mile round trip with beautiful mountain and town views. Then drive to Glenwood Springs for the night.

Evening: Glenwood Hot Springs

Relax at Glenwood Hot Springs after several busy days. Reservations are not required for standard pool admission.

Maroon bells

Leave Glenwood Springs early. Drive toward Aspen Highlands, where the Maroon Bells shuttle departs. Take the earliest shuttle reservation available. Spend the morning at Maroon Bells. Have lunch in Aspen, then drive back to Denver. This is a long final day, so it works best only if you are returning to Denver in the evening and do not have an early flight or rental-car deadline.

Maroon bells to see

1. Maroon Lake viewpoint This is the main experience and the photo you have probably seen online. The two wine-colored peaks rise behind the lake, often with reflections in the water. Spend at least 30 to 45 minutes here, especially in the morning. 2. Maroon Lake Scenic Trail This is the best relaxed walk for you. Easy trail About 1.3 miles one way Walks along the lake and creek Good for photos, wildflowers, and a picnic It gives you more views without making the day difficult. 3. Crater Lake, only if you feel energetic This is the best optional hike there. About 1.75 miles one way Moderate difficulty Rocky trail through aspen groves and mountain scenery Ends at a quiet high-elevation alpine lake Do this only if you have at least 2.5 to 3 hours available and feel comfortable hiking above 10,000 feet. For your trip, I would choose either: Relaxed version: Maroon Lake viewpoint + Scenic Trail More active version: Maroon Lake viewpoint + Crater Lake Do not attempt Four Pass Loop, West Maroon Pass, or the Maroon Bells summits. Those are much longer or more technical backcountry routes.