Glacial geology in Rocky Mountain National Park can be seen from the mountain peaks to the valley floors. Ice is a powerful sculptor of this natural environment and large masses of moving ice are the most powerful tools. Telltale marks of giant glaciers can be seen all throughout the park. Streams and glaciations during the Quaternary period cut through the older sediment, creating mesa tops and alluvial plains, and revealing the present Rocky Mountains.[61] The glaciation removed as much as 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of sedimentary rocks from earlier inland sea deposits. This erosion exposed the basement rock of the Ancestral Rockies. Evidence of the uplifting and erosion can be found on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park in the hogbacks of the Front Range foothills.[60] Many sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras exist in the basins surrounding the park.[62]
Home to Colorado’s Vail Ski Resort, Vail is a trendy vacation town located at the base of Vail Mountain and attracts people for its skiing and snowboarding scene, as well as its dining, shopping and arts. It is also a popular summertime destination, offering golfing and hiking opportunities, along with cultural festivals. People also come her to go fly fishing at Gore Creek, which runs through the center of town.
A home base for travelers visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is less than a 2-hour drive from Denver. The park offers 355 miles of hiking trails paired with stunning vistas and landscapes, from snow-capped mountains to picturesque lakes and valleys, where those who crave adventure will find a myriad of outdoor adventures. Estes Park itself is a great area to explore, as visitors can meander the Riverwalk in Downtown Estes Park or hop on the Estes Park Aerial Tramway to the top of a small peak. Estes Park boasts a variety of shopping and dining experiences, while movie enthusiasts will want to stop by the world famous Stanley Hotel that was the inspiration behind Stephen King’s “The Shining.”

Visitors come from far reaches to travel America’s highest continuous paved highway. Not for the queasy and open only between Memorial Day — pending the towering walls of winter snow have melted — and Labor Day, two-lane Trail Ridge Road takes explorers across the Continental Divide, past weathered tundra overlooking sweeping valleys and into the clouds at 12,183 feet. The ribbon of a road covers the 46-mile stretch between Estes Park on the park’s east side and the marine town of Grand Lake at the park’s western entrance. There Peak to Peak Highway is another byway near the park, starting in Estes and going through Nederland, Black Hawk and Central City.

Thanks to a wide variety of things to do and places to see, Boulder is arguably one of the best weekend getaways in Colorado—if not the whole Western United States! This college town (home to University of Colorado Boulder) has it all: hike the Flatirons or Chautauqua Park in the morning, tour the Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory and Leanin’ Tree gallery in the afternoon, and then head to Pearl Street for shopping, drinking, and dining at night—and get around on the Boulder Creek Path in between. A Boulder bike tour helps you fit in even more sightseeing, perfect for a quick itinerary.
Update on Jan. 14, 2019: A Rocky Mountain National Park spokesman said Monday the park began using recreation fees to temporarily pay about 10 percent of furloughed workers to clean up the park. They’ve been plowing roads, cleaning restrooms and collecting trash since Saturday. Other staff, such as law enforcement rangers, continue to work without pay during the shutdown. The park is expected to reopen to vehicle traffic on Tuesday, said Kyle Patterson, a Park spokesman who is on furlough.
During the winter most of Trail Ridge Road is closed due to heavy snow, limiting motorized access to the edges of the park.[68] Winter activities include snowshoeing and cross-country skiing which are possible from either the Estes Park or Grand Lake entrances. On the east side near Estes Park, skiing and snowshoeing trails are available off Bear Lake Road, such as the Bear Lake, Bierstadt Lake, and Sprague Lake trails and at Hidden Valley. Slopes for sledding are also available at Hidden Valley. The west side of the park near Grand Lake also has viable snowshoeing trails.[68][88] Backcountry skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed after climbing up one of the higher slopes, especially late in the snow season after avalanche danger has subsided[89], and technical climbing remains also a possibility, although typically differing in style from the summer months[90].
A famous winter destination for travelers throughout the country, Aspen’s four impressive ski mountains make up its beautiful surroundings. Nestled in the heart of the White River National Forest, this area is a mecca for winter sports, popular for skiing and snowboarding. While hitting the slopes is the area’s most beloved attraction, visitors can also explore the wealth of high-end boutiques, interesting museums and wonderful hiking trails. Those who want to experience a different kind of outdoor adventure can also try cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fly-fishing. Boasting even more activities in the summertime, visitors can go rafting, horseback riding and soar above the city in a hot-air balloon.
Straddling the Continental Divide, the Rocky Mountain National Park covers some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. There are 77 mountains in the park with elevations that range from 7,500 to over 12,000 feet (2,200 to 3,600 meters). Most of the more than 3 million people who visit the park each year spend at least one night in one of the park’s many drive-in campgrounds. More than 350 miles of hiking trails offer visitors the chance to view the park’s wildlife, which includes hundreds of elk, bighorn sheep and deer. There is also the specially built scenic Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved road in any of the National Park in the United States.
Greeley is conveniently located just 50 miles from Denver in one of the top agricultural areas of America, which is great news for foodies. You can visit various breweries, buy farm-fresh produce at the farmers’ market and dine farm-to-fork style at many restaurants in the bustling Greeley Creative District, which includes several historic buildings that now house galleries, museums and entertainment venues.

The sun made us lazy, and after following Brian as he made his way upstream I found a wider expanse of sand and gravel, promptly plopping down on a pair of flip flops I had brought in my backpack as a make-shift seat. After identifying the northern harrier hawk over my head, and the savannas sparrows and red-winged blackbirds perched precariously on reeds across the water, I took out my knitting project. I didn’t have to worry about losing Brian; in the valley I could see for miles in both directions.