Road trip · 4 parks · 5+ days · ~544 miles

Colorado's National Parks Road Trip

Alpine tundra, North America's tallest dunes, a sheer black canyon and ancient cliff dwellings.

Best time to go: June and September. End in Durango and ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

The route

Start: Denver, CO

  1. Rocky Mountain National Park

    2 days · Best Jul–Sep

    ↓ ~235 miles · 4½ hr to Great Sand Dunes

  2. Great Sand Dunes National Park

    1 day · Best May–Jun, Sep

    ↓ ~173 miles · 3½ hr to Black Canyon of the Gunnison

  3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    1 day · Best May–Sep

    ↓ ~136 miles · 2½ hr to Mesa Verde

  4. Mesa Verde National Park

    1 day · Best May–Jun, Sep–Oct

End: Durango, CO. Distances are approximate.

Best months for this trip

Average rating across all stops.

Stop by stop

Questions

What is the best time for a Colorado's National Parks road trip?

June and September are the best months, when every stop is rated good or better at the same time.

How many days do you need for Colorado's National Parks?

Plan at least 5 days in the parks, plus travel days. The park-to-park driving is roughly 544 miles.

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