9 Day The Colorado Rockies

Adventure awaits as you explore the towering peaks and rolling meadows of Colorado and Utah. This tour (which features four national parks) opens in the “Mile High City” of Denver where you will gather for a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers.

Travel through Boulder, a scenic university town known for its iconic landmark…the striking, reddish-brown foothills known as the Flatirons. Stop in Estes Park, a mountain resort town and home of the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining.

Your adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park starts on the Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved, continuous highway in North America. It’s a drive that should be on everybody’s bucket list. At Rainbow Curve, marvel at the majestic mountains that stand in contrast to deep, rugged canyons. Later, return to Denver for a free evening in this dynamic city.

The spectacular Rocky Mountains are your traveling companion. Make a scenic drive from Denver to Grand Junction, passing through many of Colorado’s famous ski resorts. This journey also takes you to one of the grand landscapes of the American West – Colorado National Monument. Continue along the monument's historic Rim Rock Drive to see a colorful panorama of deep, sheer-sided canyons and high rock towers. Gather for dinner at a favorite local hangout in Grand Junction, a town that attracts outdoorsmen, foodies and all manner of free spirits.

Today, one amazing park follows another! In Canyonlands National Park, marvel at the vast landscape of gorges carved by the mighty Colorado River. From the Island in the Sky mesa – sandstone cliffs that soar 1,000 feet above the surrounding canyons – take in the seemingly endless views. Then, enjoy awe-inspiring views at Dead Horse Point State Park.

Legend says the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs that roamed the mesa top. In Arches National Park, see the world’s largest concentration of natural sandstone arches before returning to Grand Junction.

Head south to Silverton, a former silver mining town and now a National Historic Landmark. Hidden high in the San Juan Mountains, this town blends spectacular scenery, Victorian charm and historic architecture. Then it's “all aboard” the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

This 1881 coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive made its name hauling silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but you will soon realize it is the view that is its most precious asset.

An incredible day awaits in Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO), home of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan civilization. Today, join a local guide on a drive through the park making several photo stops including views of the famous Spruce Tree House, one of Mesa Verde’s best preserved cliff dwellings and Cliff Palace, the largest in the park.

This evening, experience a farm-to-table dinner on a family-owned ranch surrounded by red mountain peaks and lush green pastures.

Sit back and relax during a scenic ride to Colorado Springs. En route, marvel at the landscape as you make your way from the San Juan National Forest and across Wolf Creek Pass, a section of the Continental Divide that would take pioneers two to three weeks to cross. Continue on through the Rio Grande National Forest, a vast expanse of wilderness named for the 1,800 miles of Rio Grande River that cuts through the forest. Your day concludes in Colorado Springs, an artistic and cultural hub.

Depart for Manitou Springs, home of Pike’s Peak – the legendary symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush. Embark on a journey aboard the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, the world’s highest cog railroad, for an 8.9 mile trip to the top of Pike’s Peak. During the journey you will see magnificent views and perhaps animals in their native habitat. Later, travel to the Garden of the Gods to take in the view of towering sandstone formations that dot the landscape set in the backdrop of majestic Pikes Peak. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner and celebrate your adventure.

Your tour comes to a close in Colorado Springs.