Consolidated "Utah and Colorado - What to see and do?" thread
Jan 28, 2024, 6:08 pm
#77
Join Date: Feb 2023
Location: DEN
Programs: UA silver; Wyndham platinum; OneKey platinum; Choice Gold
Posts: 84
Given where you are likely to be staying in Denver I'd go to Roxborough State Park. There's hiking that's probably closer to you (eg. Cherry Creek) but it's not as good IMO.
If you have spikes and poles, you might try Rocky Mountain National Park but almost all the trails will still be covered in snow in April and Trail Ridge Road will be closed.
The flatirons in Boulder might be another option (although, like RMNP, it would involve driving through Denver from Tech Center).
Garden of the Gods is very scenic but I'm not sure there's a hike that's as long as four miles there (unless you include walking along a road).
If you have spikes and poles, you might try Rocky Mountain National Park but almost all the trails will still be covered in snow in April and Trail Ridge Road will be closed.
The flatirons in Boulder might be another option (although, like RMNP, it would involve driving through Denver from Tech Center).
Garden of the Gods is very scenic but I'm not sure there's a hike that's as long as four miles there (unless you include walking along a road).
Jan 28, 2024, 8:14 pm
#78
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 108
Given where you are likely to be staying in Denver I'd go to Roxborough State Park. There's hiking that's probably closer to you (eg. Cherry Creek) but it's not as good IMO.
If you have spikes and poles, you might try Rocky Mountain National Park but almost all the trails will still be covered in snow in April and Trail Ridge Road will be closed.
The flatirons in Boulder might be another option (although, like RMNP, it would involve driving through Denver from Tech Center).
Garden of the Gods is very scenic but I'm not sure there's a hike that's as long as four miles there (unless you include walking along a road).
If you have spikes and poles, you might try Rocky Mountain National Park but almost all the trails will still be covered in snow in April and Trail Ridge Road will be closed.
The flatirons in Boulder might be another option (although, like RMNP, it would involve driving through Denver from Tech Center).
Garden of the Gods is very scenic but I'm not sure there's a hike that's as long as four miles there (unless you include walking along a road).
Jan 30, 2024, 6:01 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,551
Coming in to DEN for a wedding in April. We will have a free day for some hiking. What is reasonable to do on our free day? We would like something 4-12 miles or so. Estes?
The wedding and reception are in Parker/Lone Tree - looking to stay on Hyatt points so I am looking at just staying at a HP or HR Tech Center. Seems like too out of the way to stay at the Grand Downtown, right?
The wedding and reception are in Parker/Lone Tree - looking to stay on Hyatt points so I am looking at just staying at a HP or HR Tech Center. Seems like too out of the way to stay at the Grand Downtown, right?
In Lone Tree, there is also Bluffs Regional Park. It's only 3 miles, but it has amazing views of the Front Range.
Be sure to watch the weather. If we have gotten a lot of rain/snow, the trails will be very muddy.
Feb 1, 2024, 10:11 am
#80
Join Date: Sep 2022
Posts: 108
As already stated, Roxborough is very nice. You could also take 470 around to Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. Lots of hiking trails there. You'll take 470 to either place. It will be bad before 9am only to Red Rocks; but it will be terrible from either place if you leave after 3pm.
In Lone Tree, there is also Bluffs Regional Park. It's only 3 miles, but it has amazing views of the Front Range.
Be sure to watch the weather. If we have gotten a lot of rain/snow, the trails will be very muddy.
In Lone Tree, there is also Bluffs Regional Park. It's only 3 miles, but it has amazing views of the Front Range.
Be sure to watch the weather. If we have gotten a lot of rain/snow, the trails will be very muddy.
Feb 5, 2024, 1:16 pm
#81
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 21,551
You will be faced with a fork in the trail at the very beginning of the hike. If you go straight/left, then you will have a very steep, uphill 0.75-mile hike and you will end up at the summit of the bluffs (and a very scenic view of the Front Range). From there, there are two overlooks that are about a mile round-trip each. You really only need to do one of the outlooks. Then it's mostly downhill (until the end) as you kind of meander through a valley and have scenic views of cookie-cutter houses. I would recommend going right at the fork, so you get the boring bit out of the way, and then you get rewarded with the scenic views at the end of the hike. But, really, you can't go wrong either way.
Mar 12, 2024, 9:57 am
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Posts: 10,003
Originally my wife and I were going to go to Moab, UT and CO in March. But we decided to change it up because you can't do the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings tours until mid-May. So here for your sanity-checking pleasure is the latest iteration of our plans. Enjoy,
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
Mar 16, 2024, 7:34 am
#84
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: YWG
Programs: Free Agent
Posts: 1,478
Originally my wife and I were going to go to Moab, UT and CO in March. But we decided to change it up because you can't do the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings tours until mid-May. So here for your sanity-checking pleasure is the latest iteration of our plans. Enjoy,
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
Last Feb, we did a similar geographic area visit centred out of Moab and found that there is a lot to see without a lot of hiking just within Arches and Canyonlands NP. We did not get to the State parks as there was not enough time. The NP website has maps that show where there are paths (paved, gravel) to help plan your stops.
Moab area also gives you access to a scenic drive along the Colorado River path along Hwy 128. Lots of scenic turn offs to see the river as well as the cliff areas around it.
Very easy to spend 5 relatively easy days without a lot of driving if you focus the geography a bit more.
Whatever you choose, enjoy this unique scenery.
Mar 16, 2024, 1:37 pm
#85
Join Date: May 2012
Location: DCA, lived MCI, SEA/PDX,BUF (born/raised)
Programs: Marriott (Silver/Gold), IHG, Carlson, Best Western, Choice( Gold), AS (MVP), WN, UA
Posts: 8,737
Originally my wife and I were going to go to Moab, UT and CO in March. But we decided to change it up because you can't do the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings tours until mid-May. So here for your sanity-checking pleasure is the latest iteration of our plans. Enjoy,
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
Remember, my wife has mobility issues, so we are planning on doing very little hiking. One cliff dwellings tour will probably be the most exertion that we do. So our plan is to stop at scenic overlooks and visitor centers but nothing lengthy until Thursday.
On Monday, 13 May, go from our home in SLC to Moab (~223 miles). Tour Islands of the Sky part of Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point. Stay in Moab that night.
On Tuesday, tour Arches in the morning, then drive to Bluff, touring The Needles part of Canyonlands and Edge of the Cedars State Park on the way. (We will be staying two nights at the Bluff Dwellings resort -- if anyone else has stayed there, let me know what you thought of it).
On Wednesday (our short day), go to Natural Bridges, then Goosenecks State Park, then Valley of the Gods in Bears' Ears National Monument, Relaxing in the afternoon.
On Thursday, go to Hovenweep, then to Lowry Pueblo in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, then the visitors center and museum of that national monument in Dolores, CO. All of this in the morning, hopefully. In the afternoon, tour Mesa Verde NP. Stay the night in Cortez, CO
On Friday, go back home, ~337 miles.
Anything I should drop or add? We deliberately decided to not go the Four Corners or Monument Valley. Correct me if I am wrong, but they just have the tourist-trap vibe to me. And it seems a little out of the way to go to Navajo National Monument -- plus it seems that most of what there is to see there requires hiking. We only have the five days, so we will leave Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase/Escalante NM, and Capital Reef for some other time.
I might switch things around…..
Mondy drive am, pm island
tuesday am arches ( need admission ticket), lunch moab, pm needles/ newspaper rock, csnyonnof ancients/ hovenweep cortez
wednesday am Mesa verde, pm SE UT,
thursdsy SE ut.
fri am natural bridges inbam, UT 95 then return home.
