Colorado’s Great Mountain Roads (June

Approximate driving distance: 70 miles / 115 kilometres

Approximate driving time: 1 hour 40 minutes without stops

Leave Denver and travel toward the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

You may stop in Boulder and explore its lively downtown before continuing through the foothills toward Estes Park.

Arrive in Estes Park, the principal eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Check in to your selected hotel and spend the afternoon exploring the town.

Walk beside Lake Estes, visit the shops and restaurants downtown or take a short scenic drive into the surrounding mountains.

If time and availability permit, make your first visit to Rocky Mountain National Park during the late afternoon, when wildlife can often be more active.

Overnight in Estes Park.

Enjoy a complete day exploring Rocky Mountain National Park.

The Bear Lake Road Corridor provides access to some of the park’s most popular mountain scenery. Visit Bear Lake, Sprague Lake or one of the surrounding trailheads.

Walking routes range from short, relatively easy lakeside paths to demanding mountain hikes. Customers should select activities appropriate to their fitness, experience and the prevailing conditions.

Alternatively, explore Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park and the lower sections of Trail Ridge Road. Elk, deer and other wildlife are frequently seen, but visitors must always maintain a safe distance.

Between late May and mid-October, timed-entry reservations are normally required during specified hours. Access to the Bear Lake Road Corridor requires the appropriate reservation.

Park admission and timed-entry reservations are not included unless specifically added during booking.

Overnight in Estes Park.

Approximate driving distance: 150 miles / 240 kilometres

Approximate driving time: 4 hours without sightseeing stops

Today brings one of the greatest highlights of your Colorado vacation.

Enter Rocky Mountain National Park and begin the remarkable journey across Trail Ridge Road. The route climbs above the tree line and reaches an elevation of 12,183 feet / 3,713 metres.

Stop only at designated viewpoints and parking areas. The road offers extraordinary views across alpine tundra, mountain peaks and deep valleys.

Cross the Continental Divide at Milner Pass and descend toward the forests and meadows on the park’s western side.

Stop in Grand Lake before continuing through northern Colorado to Steamboat Springs.

Check in to your selected hotel and enjoy the town’s relaxed Western atmosphere. Depending on your arrival time, visit the downtown area or add an optional hot-springs experience.

Trail Ridge Road is seasonal and may close temporarily or completely because of snow, ice, wind or other weather conditions.

Overnight in Steamboat Springs.

Approximate driving distance: 115 miles / 185 kilometres

Approximate driving time: 2 hours 30 minutes without stops

Spend the morning enjoying Steamboat Springs.

Visit Fish Creek Falls, walk beside the Yampa River or explore the downtown shops and restaurants. Seasonal activities can include hiking, cycling, scenic chairlift rides and visits to the area’s hot springs.

Later, travel south through the changing landscapes of the Yampa Valley and central Colorado.

Continue toward Glenwood Springs, a historic mountain community positioned at the meeting point of the Colorado and Roaring Fork rivers.

After checking in, relax in one of the town’s famous mineral hot-spring pools or explore the compact downtown area.

Hot-spring admission is not included unless specifically added during booking.

Overnight in Glenwood Springs.

Approximate driving distance: 145 miles / 235 kilometres

Approximate driving time: 3 hours 30 minutes without sightseeing stops

Leave Glenwood Springs and follow the Roaring Fork Valley toward Aspen.

Spend time exploring this celebrated mountain town, known for its beautiful setting, pedestrian-friendly centre, restaurants, galleries and historic buildings.

Continue east toward Independence Pass.

The road climbs through forests and alpine landscapes before crossing the Continental Divide at approximately 12,095 feet / 3,687 metres. Designated viewpoints provide remarkable views across the surrounding mountains.

Descend toward Twin Lakes and continue north through Leadville, one of America’s highest incorporated cities.

Complete the journey to Breckenridge and check in to your selected hotel. Explore Main Street and enjoy the atmosphere of this historic mining town turned mountain resort.

Independence Pass is a narrow, high-altitude seasonal road. It is normally open only from late spring until autumn and can close without notice because of weather or road conditions.

Overnight in Breckenridge.

Approximate driving distance: 80 miles / 130 kilometres

Approximate driving time: 1 hour 45 minutes without stops

Enjoy a relaxed morning in Breckenridge.

Walk along historic Main Street, take a short hike or enjoy an optional scenic mountain activity. Available experiences vary considerably by season.

Later, travel east through the Rocky Mountains toward Denver. The route follows Interstate 70 and passes through the Eisenhower–Johnson Memorial Tunnel beneath the Continental Divide.

Traffic can become heavy on weekends and during holiday periods, particularly between the mountain resorts and Denver. Allow additional travelling time.

Arrive in Denver and check in for your final night.

Spend the evening visiting a favourite neighbourhood, enjoying dinner downtown or exploring somewhere you may have missed at the beginning of your vacation.

Overnight in Denver.