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Keep in mind that in the high season the park works with the timed-entry reservation system.Įven if you are just visiting Rocky Mountains from Denver for a day, you could do one nice hike. Nevertheless, we recommend a few photo stops along this route – Brainard Lake, Saint Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock, and Lily Lake.Įnter Rocky Mountain National Park via the Park Entrance Road at Beaver Meadows area. There are many nice places to see along the Peak to Peak Hwy, but if you have just a day in the Rockies, you won’t have much time to explore here. TIP: If you are visiting Colorado Rockies in the fall, Peak to Peak Hwy is a must! Golden aspen trees along this route make it one of the best places for fall foliage near Denver. The drive on Colorado’s oldest scenic byway is easy and the landscapes are stunning! If, however, you just want to get to the Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver as quickly as possible and beat the crowds for one of the hikes, then it’s better to take the quickest route. If you are just planning to drive around and see some of the best scenery of the Rockies, then yes, Peak to Peak Hwy is definitely worth it. It really depends on what you are planning to do the rest of the day. So you may be wondering whether Peak to Peak scenic byway is worth it… It’s about 30 miles longer compared to the shortest route via Boulder and takes about an hour extra. The drive from Denver to Estes Park via Peak to Peak Hwy is about 95 miles, 2-2.5 hours without any stops. For that, take I-70 west of Denver, followed by State Highway 119 to Nederland, and from there – roads #72 and #7 to Estes Park. We recommend that you take the famous scenic Peak to Peak Highway. If you look at the map, you’ll see that there are many ways to get from Denver to Estes Park. Here’s our suggested itinerary for your day trip from Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park: Denver to Estes Park via Peak to Peak Highway This itinerary is designed as a loop starting and ending in Denver, but you can easily adapt it if you continue your trip to Grand Lake or other places. You can see the picture of the map right below and find an interactive map with all the details at the bottom of this article. Good to know: To help you plan your self-drive day trip from Denver to Rocky Mountains, we also include a map showing all the places mentioned in this guide and the driving route. We also include a short hike recommendation and tips for wildlife viewing for those who want to make the absolute most of their Rocky Mountains National Park day trip.

You then drive back to Denver via another scenic road – Big Thompson Canyon Road. This 1-day itinerary starts in Denver, passes one of the most scenic roads in Colorado – Peak to Peak Highway, Estes Park, and brings you all the way to the heart of the Rocky Mountain National Park via the Trail Ridge Road. This itinerary is just one way to do it, based on our personal experience, and also on what is feasible when visiting Rocky Mountains on a day trip from Denver.

There are many ways to get to the Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) from Denver and there are countless choices of things to do once you get there. In the 1950s it was upgraded again.Traveling to Colorado and thinking of visiting Rocky Mountain National Park from Denver? Even if you only have a day, you can see some of the most beautiful places by taking a day trip to Rocky Mountains from Denver! In this article, we show you how. In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps improved the road. The first automobile crossed Cumberland Pass in 1905, but it had to be pulled by a team of horses part way. Past the first switchback on the Pitkin side was the Bon Ton Mine. There were mines on both sides of the pass, which used Cumberland Pass, to transport ore and bring in supplies. This allowed direct access from the Tincup area to the Denver, South Park, and Pacific railroad that came over the Alpine Tunnel to Pitkin. In 1882, the trail was widened to a wagon road over the 12,000-foot pass. HistoryĬumberland Pass had a pack trail originally, where burros hauled supplies in, and ore out, of the Tincup mining district. Some may be covered in snow through July. DifficultyĤWD is not usually needed, but these are narrow, steep, rocky mining roads. These are old mining roads, so there are a few steep, rocky and narrow climbs.

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Feel free to explore more of the mining roads you find, but be sure to stay on the roads and off public property.

These old mining roads take you to some historical sights, and an incredible 360-degree view at the peak of Napoleon Mountain. Take this scenic trail parallel to Cumberland pass.

Colorado scenery map