The Spontaneous Road Trip Through Colorado That Is The Perfect Weekend Of Adventure
By Christy Articola|Published June 26, 2024
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Christy Articola
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Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
When out-of-towners come to visit me, I always want to show them as much of what I consider to be some of “The Best of Colorado” without going too far from our home base – my home in Lakewood. To accomplish this, I usually take them on a somewhat spontaneous weekend Colorado road trip that departs from my place in the Denver metro on Saturday morning and circles back by Sunday night. Often, these visitors will otherwise be spending most of their time in Denver or Boulder or Morrison attending a concert, sporting event, work meeting, or other friend visit, so they might not get this opportunity otherwise. But, I think it’s so important to get visitors to Denver out of the Front Range and into nature and the mountains to see all that great stuff, too! Doing a fun quick loop road trip like this one will give them a chance to see a bunch of cool places and to take some photos of Colorado beauty. You’ll love doing this loop along with them and they’ll love it, too. Read on to find out what you’ll see along the way!
You'll start in the Denver metro from whatever starting point works for you. There are lots of great things to do in Denver, Boulder, and surrounding suburbs, but the point of this road trip is to get your visitors (or yourself!) up into the mountains.
The first stop on your circuit will be the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. This is just off I-70 and will give you a little taste of Old West history. Buffalo Bill Cody was an important person in our nation's history. Visiting his grave is free - and visiting the gift shop is free, too. The museum is small but affordable and is worthwhile if you want to spend some time learning about this man and all of his adventures.
Next, you'll leave I-70 for a bit to travel to Black Hawk and Central City. These two small towns have existed for a long time due to gold being discovered in this area during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in 1859. In fact, Central City was once known as "the richest square mile on earth." After the boom, these two towns were small, quiet, and sleepy for about 100 years until Gilpin County legalized gambling. Now full of casinos, these are happening places once again. However, even if you don't like resorts or if you don't like to gamble, Black Hawk and Central City are worth visiting due to their historical significance. Plus, they're nestled right into the mountains. You're only a short distance from Denver here, but you'll feel like you are deep in the Rockies!
You'll get back on I-70 briefly to visit the small town of Georgetown. This is a great little mountain town that really captures the vibe of Colorado mountain towns that people adore. You'll love walking down the main street in the historic district and checking out the shops. You might consider taking the Georgetown Loop Railroad here as a fun added piece to this trip.
Looking for an incredible view and photo spot? Bring a picnic lunch along with you and spend some time at Sapphire Point Overlook in Dillon. You'll get an amazing view of Dillon Reservoir and the many mountains around it and beyond it.
Everybody loves Breckenridge! This mountain town is a wonderful place to stop and visit at any time of the year. There's so much hiking to do around Breck in the warmer months, and it's a world-famous skiing destination in the winter. Breckenridge is full of cool shops and great restaurants, and this is the perfect place to stay overnight if you break this road trip into two days.
From Breckenridge, you should drive over Boreas Pass. This pass is open most of the year but as you might imagine, it's closed much of the winter. This mountain pass was the route used in the late 1800s and early 1900s by a railroad that went from Breckenridge to Como on the other side of the mountains. Today, you can drive the dirt road that follows the original path of the railroad. This is also a popular place for dispersed camping. In the warm months, you'll love seeing all the wildflowers along the way.
You'll complete your traverse of Boreas Pass in Como, which is a very, very small town, but from there you can quickly travel to a larger small town, Fairplay, to the west. This is a great spot to stop for lunch on the second day of your adventure. Like the other towns on this loop, this small mountain town is full of Colorado history and friendly folks, and you'll love wandering around and exploring it.
From Fairplay, you'll head back east toward Denver. This drive is lovely and scenic and you'll probably see some wildlife along the way - maybe even a moose! Once you get back down from the higher elevations, finish up your loop of Colorado greatness by visiting Roxborough State Park. This state park is full of red rock formations but it's far less busy than Red Rocks Park in Morrison. Be sure to set aside some time to explore its trails. It's absolutely breathtaking.
Finally, head back to Denver to settle in for the night. This spontaneous loop road trip of Colorado will give you and your companions a good taste of some of the best, coolest, and most memorable sights and places in Colorado outside of the Denver metro, and you're sure to remember this adventure always!
This spontaneous weekend Colorado road trip is sure to be a blast! You’re going to love everything about it, and you’re sure to develop a deeper love for The Centennial State after taking it on. Have so much fun and drive safe! There’s so much to see and do in the great state of Colorado.
Wondering what to pack for your road trip? Check out this list of road trip essentials we’ve put together for you to make sure you don’t forget a thing!
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