DAY 2: Rocky Mountain National Park

Today, you’ll explore Rocky Mountain National Park. Be sure to book your Timed-Entry reservation for travel May through October. Before you head out, grab breakfast to-go from The Egg of Estes, or sit on the dog-friendly patio at Mountain Home Cafe.

Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on any trails within this National Park. Dogs can be on established roads, parking lots, campgrounds, and picnic areas. If you brought your dog, check out these trails outside the park to take your dog before heading on a scenic drive through the Rocky Mountains. If you are in our campervan, we do provide a Waggle temperature monitor so you can leave them briefly, parked in the shade with the camper’s air conditioning on for human-only outings. Get 50% off your own Waggle monitor.

Whether you brought a dog or not, we recommend taking the scenic drive along Trail Ridge Road, starting from Fall River Visitor Center and ending at Kawuneeche Visitor Center on the southwest corner of the park, just north of Grand Lake. The drive takes about 4 hours to complete. If you’re able to enjoy hiking at the park, bring a sack lunch and enjoy a few of these trail recommendations:

ROCKY MOUNTAIN TRAIL RECOMMENDATIONS:

(NOT DOG-FRIENDLY)

EASY

Toll Memorial via Tundra Communities Trail (1.1 mi; 154 ft elevation)

Alpine Ridge Trail (0.7 mi; 147 ft elevation)

MODERATE

Gem Lake Trail (3.1 mi, 994 ft elevation)

HARD

Four Lakes Loop (6.1 mi; 1456 ft elevation)*

*not on Trail Ridge Road- south of Estes on Bear Lake Rd

For dinner, grab pizza to-go from Grand Pizza ($$) or sit down on the patio at The Historic Rapids Lodge and Restaurant ($$$$).

Stay just north of Grand Lake at Winding River Resort. In addition to campsites, they rent cabins and lodging rooms. Dogs are allowed in select cabins. The resort offers horse trail rides, hay or sleigh rides, and snowmobile or ATV rentals to explore 130 miles of trails on their resort.

You can also camp inside Rocky Mountain National Park but there are no sites with electrical hook ups, and campsites are usually booked up far in advance. If you do camp within the park, you will not need a Time-Entry reservation.

DAY 2 TIMELINE:

0800-0900: breakfast

0930-1800: Hike inside RMNP and scenic drive through the park to Grand Lake; sack lunch

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Dogs?

0930-1200: Hike outside RMNP

1200-1300: lunch at Trailhead Restaurant

1300-1800: Scenic drive through RMNP

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1830-1930- Dinner

Night: To campsite

DAY 3: St Mary’s Glacier, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, & Garden of the Gods

Grab brunch in town to-go from Jump Start and head to St Mary’s Glacier in Idaho Springs, Colorado. You’ll need $5 cash for parking and good hiking boots. If the weather is warm, you might also wear a bathing suit to get in the lake. This is a moderately strenuous, uphill hike with an elevation gain of about 1000 ft. Dogs are welcome on leash. Bring water and a sack lunch- but please haul out all of your trash and food scraps!

On your way to Colorado Springs, take a brief pitstop at Red Rocks Amphitheatre and get your blood pumping as you explore one of the most breath-taking venues in the world. Red Rocks is open to the public for free on non-event days and until lunch (usually) on event days. 

Continue on to Colorado Springs, grabbing dinner on the patio at Pizzeria Rustica. If you’re ready to try another Colorado brewery, head to Cerberus Brewing Company instead. Pair a brew with one of their unique dishes, such as the Poached Pear Salad or Saffron Gnocchi Etoufee. Spend the rest of the evening at Garden of the Gods. This beautiful park is studded with red rock spire formations, popular with rock climbers. Don’t miss getting a sunset photo with Balanced Rock. Dogs are allowed on all trails within the park on a 6-foot leash. 

For the evening, set up camp at the Cheyenne Mountain State Park Campground. Full RV hook-ups are $41/night, and they have coin-operated showers and laundry facilities. This is a popular campground that fills up quickly. If you weren’t able to secure a campsite here, or you prefer a dog-friendly cabin with a full bathroom, book a site at Colorado Springs KOA Holiday. 

Prefer a hotel? The Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Fountain North just south of Colorado Springs is dog-friendly (only $25/pet), reasonably priced (about $115/night), and has exceptional reviews.

DAY 3 TIMELINE:

0900-1000: Breakfast

1000-1200: Drive to Saint Mary’s Glacier (grab snacks/lunch for your hike on the way!)

1200-1400: Saint Mary’s Glacier

1415-1500: Drive to Red Rocks

1600-1730: Drive to Colorado Springs

1730-1830: Dinner

1830-sunset: Garden of the Gods

Night: Campground or Hotel

DAY 4: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

(under construction- check back soon for the rest of this itinerary!)

DAY 5: Great Sand Dunes National Park

DAY 6: Mesa Verde National Park

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