Colorado is known for beautiful snow-covered slopes, quaint mountain towns, and popular ski resorts. While there is no doubt that winter in Colorado is incredible, we thought we would share a few places to visit and things to do in this colorful state during summertime.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Summertime in RMNP is arguably one of the best seasons to visit, as all of the trails will be clear of snow. You will be greeted by clear blue skies and comfortable temperatures, perfect for hiking and camping. In addition, wildflowers cover the park grounds and wildlife can be seen everywhere you turn.
Our favorite hike is Four Lake Loop Trail. This trail begins at the Bear Lake Trailhead, one of the most popular in the park. Due to the popularity of the area, we recommend using the free shuttle system in place during peak tourist season. You’ll get to see four lakes along the way- Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Lake Haiyaha. In addition to visiting these spots, we hiked a bit further out to Emerald Lake, which is absolutely breathtaking and worth it if you have the time!
When visiting Rocky Mountain NP, we highly recommend stopping by Estes Park. This quaint town was the perfect stop for some sweet treats and a bit of shopping before heading out!
BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK
While we’re talking about national parks, we absolutely have to mention this spectacular place. Black Canyon of the Gunnison is rarely talked about, but we made it a point to visit and we are so glad we did!
We spent one full day at this national park, and saw just about every lookout point along the South Rim! We usually are big into hiking, but due to our time constraint, we instead decided to stop by as many lookout points as we could. Our favorite lookouts were Painted Wall View, Cedar Point and Dragon Point. Although we did not have time for it, hiking down into the canyon is on the bucket list for the next time we visit!
BRECKENRIDGE
Anyone who has visited Breckenridge during ski season knows that this town has it all. The diverse slopes, amazing shopping, and many resorts attract millions of visitors per year. Fun fact: we actually got engaged at Sapphire Point almost four years ago and spent some time in Breck afterwards. So this mountain town really holds a sweet place in our hearts!
Summertime here is a new favorite of ours. The best things to do on a casual weekend in Breckenridge include- stopping by Sapphire Point Overlook in Dillon, riding the BreckConnect Gondola, hiking the Lower Sawmill and Snowflake Trail Loop, enjoying a meal and brew at Downstairs at Eric’s, and grabbing some I Scream Gelato before heading out of town.
Although we did not do these ourselves, we have heard great things about biking, stand up paddle boarding, horseback riding, and even experiencing a ghost or history tour!
ASPEN
We’re cheating a little by putting this on our summer list, because we technically visited at the start of autumn. But, we do think Aspen deserves a spot on this list for many reasons.
Aspen is another wonderful mountain town, known for it’s skiing and winter attractions. But during the summer and fall, visitors have the chance to see the beautiful aspen trees in all their glory. If you do have the chance to make it out to Aspen during the summer, we recommend a few activities- visit the Maroon Bells, hike or bike one of the many mountain trails, ride the Silver Queen Gondola, float the Roaring Fork, check out the Lost Forest Adventure Park in Snowmass, or explore Independence Pass.
A trip to this area of Colorado is not complete without experiencing all that the Aspen dining scene has to offer. Some of our favorite restaurants that we had the privilege to experience were Meat & Cheese, Aspen Brewing Company, and L’Hostaria Ristorante. Although we did not make it to these restaurants ourselves, some friends have recommended White House Tavern, Prospect at Hotel Jerome, French Alpine Bistro, and Plato’s Restaurant where you can dine in an igloo during the winter!
While we were here, our absolute favorite spot was Maroon Bells, pictured below. Due to the popularity of this spot, a reservation system is in place. If you are planning a trip to the Bells, be sure to click here to learn more about parking reservations and the shuttle system!
RED ROCKS PARK & AMPITHEATRE
If you’re looking for a convenient activity close to the city, look no further than Red Rocks, located 25 minutes from the heart of Denver. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is known to be one of the best concert settings in the country, and for good reason. This open-air venue is designed and formed strictly out of rock. Famous artists from all over the world perform in this renowned space, and many concert-goers agree that this spot is bucket-list worthy.
On days when a concert is not going on, Red Rocks also offers fun events like Yoga on the Rocks or Film on the Rocks. In addition to the amphitheatre, the park that surrounds it is full of walking and hiking trails. Whether you visit for a concert, or to go on a nice hike, Red Rocks has a little bit of everything!
CAÑON CITY
Not a lot of people know about this fun city, but we are so thankful we discovered it! We first heard of Cañon City when we were looking for some things to do with family when they came into town. Although it is a little bit of a drive from Denver, there is enough to do here to make the drive worth it!
The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is the perfect relaxing activity for families or date night. The out and back train ride takes approximately two hours to complete. The views from inside the canyon are jaw-dropping, and the food and drinks on board make for a nice environment. Another fun place to visit in the area is America’s highest suspension bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge. Activities offered include walking across the bridge, zip lining over the canyon, the royal rush skycoaster, and more! Our favorite thing to do in this area is white water rafting! We highly recommend the rafting company we used, Performance Tours. This company was professional, entertaining, and made safety a priority!
GARDEN OF THE GODS
Garden of the Gods is a must-see in CO! Located in Colorado Springs, this is a convenient location when traveling from any part of the state. The 300+ foot sandstone rock formations are a site to see, as visitors walk along the beautifully paved trails. Many years ago, Charles Perkins bought over two hundred acres of this land, but never built on it preferring to leave the area beautiful and natural for the public to enjoy. There is no entrance fee because in 1909, Perkins’ children gave the land to the city of Colorado Springs with the intent that it would remain free and open to the public.
Not too far from Garden of the Gods, you can find Pikes Peak! You can reach the summit three different ways- driving the 19 mile Pikes Peak Highway that snakes up the mountain, taking a ride on the Manitou & Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, or using the 12.7 mile Barr Trail, used by hikers and skilled mountain bikers.
BLUE LAKES TRAIL
This trail is so beautiful it deserves a section of its own. When we moved to Denver, this was the hike that we were most excited about. During the summer, scattered thunderstorms are common so we highly recommend starting this long hike- and any summertime hike in CO for that matter- early in the morning. Lower, middle and upper blue lakes trail is an 8.7 mile, out and back trail with 2500+ feet of elevation gain. To reach Lower Blue Lake, seen below, you’ll hike approximately 3.5 miles one way, and hike an additional 0.4 miles to reach this viewpoint. Lower Blue Lake is known to be the most breath-taking of the three, so due to an approaching storm and the elevation of the mountain we elected to be safe and start our descent after spending some time here. In summary, this hike was not easy but it is by far our favorite that we have done in Colorado!
The nearby towns of Ridgeway and Montrose are both well worth a visit if time allows. After our early morning hike, we stopped by Cimarron Coffee for a delicious caffeine boost. Once we made it back to where we were staying in Montrose, we enjoyed some brews and pizza at Colorado Boy Pizzeria & Brewery.
