Colorado Road Trip: 8 Days on the Million Dollar Highway and Beyond

The best Colorado road trip is an eight-day loop from Denver through the southern Rockies. Go via Colorado Springs to Great Sand Dunes National Park, then Durango and Mesa Verde, north over the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray, west to Telluride, past the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and back over Independence Pass. The loop covers about 1,100 miles. Time it for the second half of September, when the aspens turn gold, and book Maroon Bells and Mesa Verde tour reservations ahead.

Colorado has more than 50 peaks above 14,000 feet, more than any other state, and a road network that climbs right into them. On this loop you drive over mountain passes above 11,000 feet, cross the tallest sand dunes in North America, climb into 800-year-old cliff dwellings and ride a steam train through a river gorge. The San Juan Mountains in the southwest are the highlight. They are steeper, wilder and less crowded than the ranges near Denver.

• 8 daysFor the full loop
• ≈1,100 miDenver back to Denver
• 11,018 ftRed Mountain Pass on US-550
• Late SeptPeak golden aspens

The route at a glance

Day 1: Colorado Springs

Pick up your car at Denver International Airport. Most rentals there include unlimited mileage, but check before you sign. You will rack up a lot of it.

Drive south from Denver to Garden of the Gods, a free city park with towering red sandstone fins against the backdrop of Pikes Peak. Walk the paved central loop. Then drive or ride up Pikes Peak, at 14,115 feet. The Pikes Peak Highway charges a fee and has used timed reservations in summer. The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway climbs to the summit from Manitou Springs and is one of the highest railways in the world. Either way, at the top you are standing where Katharine Lee Bates was inspired to write “America the Beautiful” in 1893. Expect to feel the altitude.

Day 2: Great Sand Dunes National Park

Head southwest to the San Luis Valley, where Great Sand Dunes rise up to about 750 feet against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. They are the tallest dunes in North America. It looks like a mistake on the map, a Sahara dropped next to snowy peaks.

Walk onto the dune field. There are no trails, so just climb. High Dune is a common goal, about 2.5 miles round trip. The sand gets very hot on summer afternoons, sometimes over 140°F, so go early or late. In late spring, usually May and June, Medano Creek flows across the base of the dunes, with surging waves that kids love to splash in. Rent a sandboard or sand sled in nearby towns. At night, the stars here are astonishing. It is a certified International Dark Sky Park.

Days 3–4: Durango and Mesa Verde

Drive over Wolf Creek Pass to Durango, a lively old railroad town with a historic downtown, breweries and good restaurants. If you have time, ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a coal-fired steam train running since 1882 through the Animas River gorge to Silverton. It is a full-day round trip. Some travelers ride one way and take a bus back.

On day four, visit Mesa Verde National Park, about 35 miles west of Durango. Ancestral Puebloan people built homes into the cliffs here between roughly AD 600 and 1300, and the park protects more than 5,000 archaeological sites, including about 600 cliff dwellings. Cliff Palace, the largest, has about 150 rooms. To enter it and other major dwellings, join a ranger-guided tour; tickets are sold on recreation.gov in advance and often sell out. The tours involve ladders and tight spaces. The views from the mesa-top overlooks are excellent even without a tour. Allow a full day; the drive from the entrance to the main sites takes about an hour.

Day 5: The Million Dollar Highway

This is the day you came for. Drive north from Durango on US-550 through Silverton to Ouray. The stretch between Silverton and Ouray, about 25 miles, is called the Million Dollar Highway. Nobody agrees on why. Some say it cost a million dollars a mile to build; others say the fill contained gold ore worth a million.

The road crosses three high passes, Coal Bank, Molas and Red Mountain, topping out at 11,018 feet. Between Red Mountain Pass and Ouray, it is carved into cliffs, with sheer drops and, in places, no guardrails. Snowplow drivers needed room to push snow off the edge, the story goes. Driving north, you are on the inside lane, against the mountain, which feels much safer. Take it slowly. Use the pullouts. Let faster local drivers pass, and keep both hands on the wheel. Stop in Silverton, an old mining town at 9,318 feet with a dirt main street and a Wild West feel.

In Ouray, nicknamed the Switzerland of America, cliffs rise on three sides of town. Soak in the Ouray Hot Springs pool and walk to Box Cañon Falls, where a waterfall thunders through a narrow slot. If you have an extra day, book a jeep tour into the old mining roads above town, such as the famous Imogene Pass or Engineer Pass. Do not attempt those roads in a rental car.

Day 6: Telluride

Drive around the San Juan Skyway through Ridgway to Telluride, a former mining town in a box canyon surrounded by 13,000-foot peaks. Ride the free gondola, the first and only free public transportation of its kind in the country, up to Mountain Village for the views. Hike to Bridal Veil Falls, Colorado’s tallest free-falling waterfall at 365 feet, at the end of the canyon. Telluride is expensive. Ridgway, 40 minutes away, is a cheaper base. Fans of old westerns will recognize the scenery around Ridgway from True Grit.

Day 7: Black Canyon of the Gunnison to Aspen

Head north to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of the steepest and narrowest canyons in North America. The Painted Wall, streaked with pink pegmatite, rises about 2,250 feet, the tallest cliff in Colorado. The South Rim Road has a dozen overlooks, most a short walk from parking. Some parts of the canyon get only 33 minutes of sunlight a day, which is how it got its name.

Continue toward Aspen via Carbondale, or to Glenwood Springs if you want a cheaper place to sleep and the giant hot springs pool there.

Day 8: Maroon Bells and Independence Pass

The Maroon Bells, two maroon-colored 14,000-foot peaks reflected in Maroon Lake, are often called the most photographed mountains in North America. In the busy season, roughly late May to October, you can’t just drive up. Most visitors must take a reserved shuttle from Aspen Highlands, or book a parking reservation for sunrise hours. Book on the official Aspen–Maroon Bells reservation site well ahead, especially for the aspen weekends in late September. Walk around the lake, or hike to Crater Lake, about 3.6 miles round trip.

Return to Denver over Independence Pass, Highway 82, which crosses the Continental Divide at 12,095 feet. It is usually open from late May to early November and closed in winter. Vehicles over 35 feet are prohibited. Stop at the summit for the view, and at the ghost town of Independence on the way up. From there, Interstate 70 brings you back to Denver, about four hours total.

When to go

Mid-September to early October is the best time, when the aspens turn gold. Peak color usually comes in the last two weeks of September in the San Juans and around Aspen, but it varies with elevation and weather. Summer, July and August, is great for hiking and wildflowers, with afternoon thunderstorms most days. Plan exposed activities for the morning. Many high passes don’t fully open until late May or June. Winter is ski season and a very different trip.

Altitude

Most of this trip sits above 6,000 feet, and you will cross passes above 11,000. Many visitors feel headaches, shortness of breath or trouble sleeping the first night or two. Drink lots of water, go easy on alcohol, and build in an easy first day. Our altitude sickness guide has details.

Where to stay

Book Ouray, Telluride and Aspen well ahead for late September. They are small and fill up fast for aspen season. Durango and Glenwood Springs have more hotels. Camping is excellent throughout, with national forest campgrounds near most stops. Read our tips on finding cheap hotels for the resort towns.

What it costs

Colorado mountain towns are not cheap, especially in peak season. Expect $180 to $350 a night in most places, and much more in Telluride and Aspen. Park entries, the Pikes Peak Highway, the Durango train and Maroon Bells reservations all add up. An eight-day trip for two might run $3,000 to $5,000, before flights. An annual national park pass covers Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde and Black Canyon. Our road trip cost guide helps you budget.

Common mistakes

Driving the Million Dollar Highway southbound in fog or snow. If weather turns bad, wait. The road is unforgiving.

Assuming you can drive to the Maroon Bells. In season, you need a reservation.

Forgetting about altitude. Don’t plan your hardest hike for day one.

Taking a rental car onto jeep roads. Book a tour instead.

With kids

This loop has plenty for families. The sand dunes are a giant playground; kids can slide down on sleds for hours. The steam train from Durango feels like a storybook ride. The Mesa Verde ladders and tight passages make history feel like an adventure, though the park sets age and ability guidance for some tours. Ouray’s hot springs pool has kid-friendly areas. Shorten the longer driving days, plan an easy afternoon after each big outing and pack plenty of water and sunscreen. Young kids feel altitude too, so watch for headaches that look like crankiness.

Shorter versions

Four days: Fly into Durango. Spend a day at Mesa Verde, a day on the train or in Durango, then drive the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray and loop back through Telluride. That is the San Juan Skyway, about 233 miles, and the best part of the state for a short trip.

Five days from Denver: Skip the south. Drive to Rocky Mountain National Park, cross Trail Ridge Road, then head to Glenwood Springs, the Maroon Bells and back over Independence Pass. Our Rocky Mountain guide covers the first half.

Packing list

• Layers and a warm jacket. Mountain passes can be freezing even in September.
• A rain shell for afternoon storms.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses. UV is intense at altitude.
• A refillable water bottle. Dry air dehydrates you fast.
• Swimsuit for Ouray and Glenwood hot springs.

Frequently asked questions

What to book this week

1. Lodging in Ouray, Telluride and Aspen for your aspen dates.
2. Mesa Verde cliff dwelling tour tickets.
3. Maroon Bells shuttle or parking reservation.
4. The Durango & Silverton train, if it is on your list.