June 24, 2022
We recently took an RV road trip to Colorado and it was such a great experience! I wanted to share our Colorado itinerary in case anyone else is planning a similar trip. This itinerary includes both national parks and smaller towns, so there’s something for everyone.
We traveled the last week of July, taking an RV road trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado and Mosca, Colorado. Traveling during the summer months makes for a hot trip, but it was still great for outdoor activities.
This was one of the best road trips. It was trip of my dreams: one for just me and my five sons.
I had been in the area a few years back when my mom attended Bible college here and I wanted my kids to see the beauty of this state so much. I consider it one of the most beautiful places in North America.
And, I had never gone on a vacation, alone, with my kids ever before. So, I had planned to accomplish so many “firsts” on this trip!
THIS WAS A FAMILY TRIP TO REMEMBER, FOREVER!
As you probably already know, I have four adults sons and one minor son still living at home; He doesn’t enjoy being the last one at home—the baby.
I knew that I wanted to take an RV trip, but I first suggested going to the beach, and no one was interested in that. No one was very interested in a family trip particularly, either way.
My kids wanted to go somewhere that they could hike and be in nature, if they were going to go at all. I reminded them that life was quickly changing and that this might—and probably will be—our last opportunity to take a big family trip with just the core family (at least I am hoping that someone gets married soon and makes me a grandma).
When I suggested going to Colorado, they were all in.
Colorado offers so many popular attractions such as state parks, ski resorts, cliff dwellings, mountains towns, natural hot springs and so much more!
OUR COLORADO ROAD TRIP ITINERARY and BUDGET
I rented an RV from a provider in our nearest city four months prior to our trip, rented RV spots at RV resorts in the areas that we intended to stay on the same day as renting the RV and then started to plan the fun!
With the trip planned and everything reserved, I headed out one bright and early morning with Colorado Springs in my GPS.
I had to get use to the RV. My ex-husband and I had a large Class A motor home at one time, but it had been years since I had driven that. So, I did have some experience under my belt and all was well once I felt confident with my turn radius and how much of my lane it felt that the RV consumed. Not long into the trip and we were truckin’.
We made great time; It really shocked family back home. They were sure that I was going to be afraid and drive like a granny–but not this girl. I was taking us on this RV road trip to Colorado, no matter what!
Once we were settled into our RV resort, we got our rental car and started sightseeing as soon as possible. I wanted to get as much out of our trip as I could.
Below is our itinerary.:
DAY ONE: The Royal Gorge and Expansion Bridge
The Royal Gorge is found in Canon City, Colorado. It is home to The Royal Gorge Expansion Bridge and location of The Royal Gorge Civil War waged by two competing railways.
The bridge is America’s highest expansion bridge.
We didn’t stay at The Royal Gorge very long. While it is an amazing destination now, that is not we found when we traveled there in 2020.
Actually, by the time that I parked the car and met up with the kids they had already decided that they were not going to allow me to pay to go out onto The Royal Gorge Bridge and were ready to leave.
I wanted to pay the money so that the boys could have the full experience and I would have gladly paid the money, but they put their feet down.
It would have cost us about $170 to walk across the bridge; and there isn’t much to do there (in my opinion) unless you pay the fee to get past the turnstiles at the front of the building, which is between you and the bridge.
The free view of the bridge is what you can see in these images. It didn’t impress the boys. They wanted to leave after I took our images in front of the gorge.
Not only can you walk across the expansion bridge, now you can take gondolas, rock climb, zip line and ride a sky coaster. A lot has changed in just two short years!
If you would like to find information on The Royal Gorge, you can find it at this link.
DAY TWO: Pikes Peak
One of our best days was when we went to our next stop: the top of Pikes Peak. It was such a wonderful day here.
We decided to head up Pikes Peak Highway around 8:00 in the morning.
The best time to visit the peak was morning, we had read. Not only that, but there was rain on the radar for later in the day; I didn’t want to get caught on the peak in a deep fog or heavy cloud and miss the panoramic views.
So, we went early and I am so glad that we did.
Pikes Peak is one of the highest peaks of The Rocky Mountains. It is one of the peaks that stand over 14,000 feet above sea level.
These peaks are affectionately called “The Fourteeners”.
Pikes Peak is part of the Front Range of The Rockies that make up The Continental Divide. In fact, the highest peak of The Rockies is found in Colorado: Mount Elbert.
Not only was the weather and the views wonderful, it wasn’t very busy.
When we headed down the mountain about four hours later, traffic was quite backed up trying to ascend the mountain.
As you can see in the images, there were some clouds, but they would move in and move out quick enough to not be a nuisance.
THE DEVILS PLAYGROUND
We stayed on the peak for an hour, maybe, and then headed down a few miles to what is called ‘The Devils Playground’. It is an area of the mountain where there is a lot of open space to climb rocks and enjoy the views without the crowding of the actual peak, which is a smaller area.
It gets its name because lightning strikes there frequently and that the lightning will bounce around from rock to rock.
We stayed here for another couple of hours and then took our time descending the mountain appreciating all of the beauty around us.
There is a building on the peak with gift shops, food and toilets. It was closed when we visited because lightening struck it the day before and it lost power.
And, there was a lot of construction equipment in the area because they are building a new structure that will, hopefully, be open in 2020.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that Pikes Peak is considered ‘America’s Mountain’? It is supposedly the most visited mountain in America. It is the second most visited mountain in the world, as well.
The cog railway took tourist to the summit. I got to experience the cog railway in 2016. When we visited in 2020, it was shut down. Once again, the cog is active and upgraded. It is the world’s highest cog railway. So, take an opportunity to ride the cog railway to the summit just so that you can experience it once in your lifetime!
The road ascending to the summit is called The Pikes Peak highway. It is 19 miles long and paved. More than one race takes place on this highway and has led to seven deaths.
You can walk or hike up to the summit of Pikes Peak. It might take you a very long time to do, if so. So, plan your day accordingly, if you decide to head up yourself. I have watched people ride their bicycles up the paved highway, too!
Donuts are made on the summit of Pikes Peak named The Pikes Peak Summit House donuts. They are the only donuts made at more than 14,000 feet above sea level. If you do not eat your donuts at the summit and attempt to take them down the mountain with you, they will collapse!
THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR PIKES PEAK:
- WEATHER:
- I have been to the peak twice. The first time on the summit was so frigid cold and so windy that we were afraid the wind would blow us off of the peak a time or two. The second time, which was this trip, it was chilly, but once we started to climb on the rocks we were all sweating and shedding our coats. Some of my kids comfortably wore shorts to the summit. Me? I wore a winter coat fearing my last experience, but I ditched it very quickly. We were there in July and it was, supposedly, in the 40’s on the summit, but it felt warmer than that.
- ALTITUDE SICKNESS:
- My youngest son was with me when I first went to Pikes Peak. He was, maybe, 10 years old at the time. The cog train was in use at the time, which is how we ascended to the summit. The poor thing was very quickly sick and vomited on the way up. So, by the time we made it to the summit, he was miserable. This time, I made sure that everyone drank a ton of water prior to the ascent and I made my youngest wear an anti-nausea bracelet. After talking about the last experience, a few of the older kids chose to wear the bracelets, too. I can say that no one got sick this time around! Success!
- CLOTHING:
- Check the local weather and check the summit weather, as well. You can find current summit conditions at this link. It is no fun to be on the summit and to be freezing. So, wear layers and shed the ones you don’t need once you are to the top. Another suggestion is to wear comfortable athletic wear if you are someone who is going to climb rocks and explore. Too, I wore running shoes which did not hold up well on the rocks; I should have worn my hiking shoes to offer more support against my foot sliding within my shoe as I would climb up and then down off of the high rocks.
- WATER:
- Stay hydrated. Start hydrating the night before you ascend and drink throughout the day of and while you are on the mountain.
- TO DRIVE OR TO SHUTTLE:
- If you are afraid of heights, driving your own vehicle up the mountain may not be the way to go. Park and take a shuttle. Too, it is very hard to enjoy the views while driving because you have to keep your eyes on the road. I drove, but I was fine and I could go slow when the kids wanted to look longer. So, it worked out for us to drive. It’s just something to consider. There are some parts of the Pikes Peak Highway that even made my adrenaline kick in!
I tried to take several moments to myself to just thank God for the natural beauty of his creation and to be grateful for this time with my kids on our RV road trip to Colorado.
DAY THREE: Garden of The Gods Park
Unfortunately, my oldest son had to get back home for work. So, he was only able to be with us for the first portion of the trip. So, he missed the Garden of the Gods on this particular day. We did drive through the park on the previous day so that he could see it, though. It has a scenic road that winds through the park. I couldn’t let him leave without, at least, seeing it.
I had the gift of driving to Denver to get him to the Denver International airport, though. It was nice to see Northern Colorado and the landscape there. (During my next visit, I plan to visit the small town, Fort Collins, when up North. It is a hopping college town)
The Garden of The Gods is always free. The land was deeded to the city of Colorado Springs with the express orders that it was to always remain free for people to enjoy. So, it costs no money to enter the park, hike, take photos or any other outdoor activity allowed there.
Also, GOG is home to 100+ Bighorn Sheep, the state mammal of Colorado.
This was our biggest hiking day. My second oldest son was not feeling well. So, he stayed at the RV. But the remaining four of us did three or four full hiking trails for a pretty full day.
We tried to break it up by doing an easy hike, then some more challenging hikes and then ending with an easy hike. It was especially hot when we hiked and I didn’t plan to get very sunburned. It was all well worth it though.
There is plenty to offer if you can only do a short hike.
This trip is definitely one for wearing your hiking clothes and shoes and drinking a lot of water! It is so beautiful and you do not want to be uncomfortable and risk cutting your visit short.
Also, it is my understanding that you can horseback ride in the park, however, we didn’t see anyone doing so. Wouldn’t that be fun?
We did see several people rock climbing. So, I do know that you can do that, but I believe that you have to get a pass or license to do so.
If you would like more information about Garden of The Gods Park, you can use this link.
TIPS FOR GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK
- WHERE TO PARK:
- You are not required to park at the visitor’s center parking lot. We pulled in and everyone was parking there; they even had an overflow lot open. Luckily one of my kids pointed out that there were mini lots throughout the park and suggested that I take a chance to see if there were any available. We were able to park right at each trail head that we hiked, which helped conserve our energy a lot. Keep in mind that they have a gift shop at the visitor’s center though, if you would like to purchase anything.
- STAY HYDRATED:
- As always in Colorado, drink water! The altitude and the dry air can equal dehydration very quickly. As a rule of thumb, hydrate the night before you plan to be outdoors and then hydrate throughout the day.
- DRESS APPROPRIATELY:
- If you are going to climb the rocks—small or large—good hiking shoes or boots are a must. Protect your head from the sun. Wear active/athletic wear. If you will be out late into the evening, bring some layers to cover up.
DAYS FOUR AND FIVE: The Great Sand Dunes National Park
This was by far my favorite location of our trip. It is the absolute best place! The dunes are in Southern Colorado, in the small town of Mosca.
I had so much fun with the kids on Pikes Peak, but I had been there once before and this was a brand new location for me–what a natural wonder it is!!
There are no words to adequately describe it. I can just say that when you see it from afar, it will be disappointing. They look so small and so insignificant. Give yourself time to get up close. They are the tallest sand dunes I have ever seen in my life!
The name of the tallest dune is Star Dune and it stands over 755 feet high.
Stay the course and get right out onto the dunes; they are magnificent.
PLANNING TO HIKE THE DUNES?
Be warned that this is an area where you need to especially make sure that you are hydrated and that you have adequate hydration with you. If you intend to hike to the top of the dunes and further in, you should start your day early. Plan so that you are not caught on the dunes after dark, unplanned, or without water. It takes a sufficient amount of time to hike the dunes and out.
Also, prepare yourself for sand that reaches temps of 150 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Bring proper footwear and a lot of water!
So, plan well.
The Medano Creek that runs in front of the dunes can be raging with water or even dried up. Luckily, we caught it at a time when there was still water—not enough to swim in, but enough. When the water is higher one can take tubes or rafts down the creek for great water fun.
The boys tried to sled and board on the sand, but it did not go as I had planned it in my mind. It is definitely not as easy to do as on snow! I rented our gear for two days, but everyone was over it after about two hours of play. The sand blistered one of my sons hands as he sledded down the dune; Another son crashed and was injured; and one was just not super impressed with the speed. Hey! It was worth trying, but don’t plan to invest too much time or money on this little activity.
I rented our gear for two days, but everyone was over it after about two hours of play
I don’t know why, but I was so shocked that there are cacti in Colorado!!
RV RESORTS
GARDEN OF THE GODS RV RESORT
On our RV road trip to Colorado, our First RV resort was Garden of Gods RV Resort in Colorado Springs. I am not super familiar with what to expect and what not to expect, but it seemed to be a very nice RV resort. We paid over $300 to stay there for four days and I feel now that that is a bit pricey, but maybe not pricey for what we got.
If you are not wanting things to be too primitive, this is your place. They have two swimming pools, an arcade, a laundromat, a nice shower house, nice grounds, etc. I loved that we had a spectacular view of Pikes Peak right out the front of our RV! It was a blessing and a curse that we were right in town. I loved that they had a grocery store about three minutes from the resort, but I hated that I we were not further out into the wilderness.
THE GREAT SAND DUNES OASIS
Our second RV campground was just that—more of a campground. We stayed at The Great Sand Dunes Oasis. Their website is misleading. They say that the dunes are just across the street. The dunes are right out front and to the right of the campgrounds. So, I guess that, technically, they are; but it is a loooonnnnnnnngggg way across the street. I packed our bikes so that we could ride back and forth from the dunes to the RV and that just was not going to happen.
The area looks kind of ran down or unkempt, but we spent all of our time at the dunes or in the RV. So, it didn’t matter to any of us. The boys said that the shower house was nice. I didn’t use it, only because I didn’t bring a basket to haul my toiletries and such. So, it was beginning to become a hassle. By the end of the trip, I just started to shower in the RV (as cramped as it was).
IS IT AFFORDABLE?
If I had seen the numbers before I left I would have said that I could not afford it, myself. It is like having kids: if you wait to afford them you will never have them, but someone how it all works out and we managed to take our RV road trip to Colorado after all.
WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENT
- I would probably do more research on local RV resorts or campgrounds. I think that I may have enjoyed being a little further out from town when we were in Colorado Springs—maybe not. The kids liked being near the shops. And, I may have enjoyed being inside of The Great Sand Dunes National Park instead being outside of it.
- I would have done more while at The Great Sand Dunes. We didn’t take the time to go inside of the park beyond the dunes. I wanted to take one of my sons fishing and we didn’t do that. Too, there were waterfalls nearby that I would have liked hiking to, but didn’t.
- I wish that I had brought a waterproof basket to carry toiletries in for the shower house.
- I wish that I had more days to explore Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. We had a beautiful and full trip to Colorado Springs hiking and seeing the beauties, but I wish that I had more time to shop and take in the culture.
- I spent a lot of time and money (gas and paying RV rental company for extra miles) traveling from the Midwest to Colorado. I could have saved two days by just flying into Colorado and renting an RV there. You have to plan for RV supplies, but it is do-able.
- We should have taken more video recordings
- I wish that I had found water. I love to swim with the kids and I wanted my kids to be able to fish. We didn’t seek that out enough.
- I would have done some mountain biking with the boys
SITES I WANT TO SEE ON NEXT VISIT
- RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATER
- This is an open-air amphitheater that is built into a rock formation just 10 miles west of Denver, Colorado. It is located within the Red Rocks Park.
- It was awarded the honor of Best Outdoor Venue in 1999 for the 11th time
- ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
- One can do so much hiking and sightseeing in this park (as with all national parks).
- One thing that would be unique for me to see are the various mountain lakes, like Grand Lake.
- Within the park is Bear Lake Road. From here, one can see some breathtaking views of the Continental Divide peaks within the mountain range
- VISIT THE SKI TOWNS, VAIL, ASPEN AND BRECKENRIDGE
- These towns have so much to offer like dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, snowboarding, skiing and more.
- MAROON BELLS
- Marron Bells is a stunning sight to see. It has two peaks, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak with the tranquil Maroon Lake in the center.
- Some say that it is the most photographed area in Colorado
- VISIT DURANGO
- Here you can visit the Silverton-Durango Railroad
- History buffs will get a thrill seeing all that this area provides
- GLENWOOD SPRINGS
- This is a high end resort town that is known for their hot springs. I have seen many videos of influencers spending time here and cannot wait to someday visit, too.
This was an epic RV road trip and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great Colorado road trip! In fact, I wish that we had extra time to explore some of the other sites, such as: The Red Rock Amphitheater, Mesa Verde National Park, Arches National Park and Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park.
We decided to take this trip slower and enjoy each place/location without feeling rushed. I think that allowed us to savor our experiences there so much more than if we had rushed to get quantity over quality.
Colorado is a nature and adventure lovers playground! The beauty of this state is overwhelming. I am so blessed that I was able to share it with my children and experience it right alongside of them.
Thanks so much for visiting my blog and following along with us on our adventures.
VIDEO OF IMAGES FROM OUR TRIP
If you enjoyed Our RV Road Trip to Colorado, you might also enjoy our other adventures. We try to take some spectacular trips. And, I make my itineraries and budgets/costs available for you to view so that you can better plan trips for yourself.
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Our Biltmore Estate and Amelia Island Adventure
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