Colorado Road Trip

Road trips are my favorite way to see the continental United States. While I still have 5 more continental states to hit, I have driven through the other 43. I have to say that without a doubt, Colorado is top 5 for me when it comes to scenery. In this post I will make sure to hit some safety tips and point out some locations that you may want to see. While my observations don’t cover every possible aspect of the state, I have driven through a good portion of it and each of the surrounding states. I’m so excited to share my top tips and tricks for a Colorado Road trip.

What I know:

There is so much to do in Colorado. Most of the activities are centered around the vast natural beauty that the state has to offer. If you are looking for mountain climbing, boating, hiking, and great food then Colorado is the state for you. Where you drive in from depends first on your location but it can also be tailored to what you most want to see most.

If you are coming in from Kansas, you should expect to see a lot of wheat type grass when you hit the state. When I drove from North Carolina, it took me a few hours after crossing the border to be able to see the mountains. I would say at least 3 before they became visible with any real clarity.

If you are coming in from Nebraska you will run into the same problem, unless pale yellow grass and tumble weeds are the kind of thing that you enjoy seeing. There is also a ridiculous amount of wind on that side of the state. There is almost nothing available to see stop the wind from blowing so the gusts can get very strong. If you are traveling with a pet, especially small ones, or small children it is something that you want to remain aware of.

I once drove in from New Mexico and it was a beautiful mountain drive. Since cities like Albuquerque and Santa Fe are at a high altitude it was much easier to adjust to the altitude in Colorado since I had already spent a few days in it. I also found that there were more stops along the way where I could get food or stop for gas.

States like Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska are more sparse. You have to be more strategic to avoid running out of gas while you are on your trip. If you are coming in from Utah, especially southern Utah, then you can take advantage of driving through some of the most scenic views in the United States. Many of the famous national forests are in Southern Utah and if you are a hiker this may be the route that you want to take.

Safety Concerns:

There are a few safety concerns for driving through Colorado. All three times that I have driven through Colorado I was in my Mazda CX-5. This is a great car that was able to handle the winding roads and the changing altitude.

Something that a person will want to watch out for are the hilly mountain roads. I drove through the more dangerous roads in mid September. There luckily wasn’t any snow on the ground but I still had to go pretty slow. Many of the corners that you will go around are blind. This means that you won’t see another car coming until you actually go around the corner.

Many of these roads are also missing guard rails and the drop can be very steep. At the bottom you may find a fast moving river or a lake. In other cases it could just be a rocky bottom.

You will also have to watch for falling rocks. There have been some instances where the rock surfaces don’t have any protective mesh or fencing to protect the road. These roads are not lit, so if you are speeding then you may not be able to see if there is something on the road that is blocking your way.

Don’t forget that you will be sharing these roads with 18 wheelers, pick-up trucks, mini vans, and motorcycles. You have to drive for yourself as well as others on the road who may not be prepared.

Something to also keep in mind is that Colorado has long stretches of road where there aren’t going to be any services. That means there aren’t any gas stations or hotels. If you are able to find one then you are going to find the prices to be sky high. For example when I left Ouary, Colorado the gas there was almost $4 a gallon. When I was in a more populated area I could find it for $2.70- $2.85. That is a pretty big difference.

There will be times where you will drive 1-2 hours without seeing a gas station. Before you hit the road you should do research on your route so that you know where the dry spots of the route are. You don’t want to miss a chance to stop and end up on the side of the road asking for help.

I say this because it almost happened to me. I had a house sit in Florrisant Colorado and thought that I would be able to find gas in the town. Turns out that there was only one gas station about 15 minutes away and the closest town was 45 minutes away. I actually had to flag down people passing me to get help before I completely ran out. Learn from my mistakes.

Where you should stay:

Denver:

Denver is at the top of many people’s list. What can’t you do in Denver? In addition to its outdoor activities, it has close proximity to places like Aspen and Fort Collins.  The mile high city is a place that you should stop regardless of your goals.

There is great food, you can catch a sporting event, and you can get a bit of city life if you have been in some very isolated areas. I spent 9 days by myself in the mountains and I was super excited to see a real highway.

Colorado Springs:

I once stayed in Colorado Springs after driving in from South Dakota. What I really enjoyed about Colorado Springs is that it is the perfect balance between city and town. It was so quiet but It was easy to find all of the conveniences that you will find in a city. It was nice to break away from the Denver Traffic.

If you are looking for a few things to do, you should start with Pike’s Peak. You can spend a good portion of your day hiking and getting in some exercise. There is always the sandstone formations in Garden of the Gods. If you are a fan of waterfalls then I would check out the Broadmoor Seven Falls.

Ouary:

They call Ouary the “Switzerland of the United States.” I have to say that the title is truly earned. I only spent one night there but it really was worth every penny. I can’t say that it is the cheapest stay that you are going to find, but I would stop there anyway. My Airbnb for the night ended up costing me about $110 bucks for one room and a private bathroom.

The whole town is walkable. Mostly because all the shops are on one street. There is a pretty decent ice cream shop, a place for chocolates, a few places to buy shirts, and a variety of places to eat. I had a pizza my first afternoon and then I found a great place for breakfast. They also have several places to buy beer or wine.

If you are an outdoor person, or a person who just likes mountain views, then you should go to Ouary. I have found that a majority of the people who end up going to Ouary want to go hiking on the different paths that are available. It is right in the middle of the Rockies so it is prime for mountain climbing and hiking around.

If the drive isn’t enough to sell you on Ouary, you should know that the people will win you over. So many people come through the area that bring their kids and dogs. I also saw one of those travel buses with a huge group of tourists come through. I personally spent my time sitting on a back porch with a good book. Did I mention that deer are so comfortable that they just come and sit in people’s back yards? Literally close enough to touch. I felt like Snow White.

Breckenridge:

If altitude is your thing then you should go to Breckenridge. If skiing or snowboarding is your thing then you should also go to Breckenridge. I would say that the outdoor activities is what brings people to Breckenridge. If you can deal with the 12,000+ altitude then it is a stop that you shouldn’t miss.

I can’t ski or snowboard but I still found Breckenridge to be an amazing place to go. The city is incredibly walkable. In addition to the outdoor activities you can also find a few stores that sell art, bike rentals, a local and free bus that will take you around town, good food, and several shops with affordable gifts.

There you have it! My ultimate guide to a Colorado Road Trip.