Colorado's Playground: Rockies to Red Rocks

Four days built around two mountains: Rocky Mountain National Park and Mount Evans, with Red Rocks as the send-off.

Day 1: Thursday

Photo by Alex Holt on Unsplash

Meals: Homemade lunch · dinner at a friend's place

Stay: Baymont by Wyndham, Denver International Airport

Activity:

• Flew into Denver, picked up a Turo rental, and explored the east side of the city
• Snack run at Walmart
• Dinner with friends

Day 2: Friday

Meals: Starbucks for breakfast · trail mix and snacks for lunch · The Rock Inn Mountain Tavern for dinner

Stay: Granby

Activity:

• Drove to Rocky Mountain National Park
• Views at Lilly Lake
• Hiked the Twin Sisters Trailhead (7.4 miles)
• Takeout from The Rock Inn Mountain Tavern
• Walked to Emerald Lake before driving on to Granby

Photo by Peter Pryharski on Unsplash

Dream Lake · Photo by Lauren Lester on Unsplash

Day 3: Saturday

Photo by Martin Marek on Unsplash

Meals: Instant oatmeal for breakfast · Subway for lunch · Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub for dinner

Stay: Evergreen, Colorado

Activity:

• Grocery run in Granby
• Drove to Mount Evans, lunch at Echo Lake
• Summit Lake and the Mount Evans summit
• Hiked the M. Walter Pesman Trail
• Dinner at Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub

View from Mount Evans · Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash

Day 4: Sunday

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater · Photo by Marc Pineda on Unsplash

Meals: Vegan French toast from the Airbnb host · lunch at The Golden Mill · dinner at home

Activity:

• Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater
• Lunch at The Golden Mill
• Car wash and gas near Aurora before returning the rental and flying home