Colorado Hidden Gems
Colorado has some real Hidden Gems. It is a state that is popular for many activities, not just leading the charge to legalize marijuana.
It has some of the best places to ski in the US and offers many year-round outdoor activities. To learn more about skiing in Colorado and other places, please see Our Favorite Places to Ski.
Hidden Gems – Denver, Colorado
Denver is the capital and better known as the “Mile-High” city. As the jump off point for the state, most people will fly to Denver, and then either rent a car or fly to another destination such as Aspen or Vail.
Denver City Park – One of Colorado’s True Hidden Gems
If you are planning on staying in Denver, one very popular place, especially if you are traveling with a full load of children, is the Denver City Park. Cos visited it with his grandkids a few years back and caught some great photos. Also, some of the animals, like the deer, run freely around the suburbs of the city and are quite comfortable around people.
Speaking of animals roaming freely around, we were traveling on the highway near Durango when we came across this movement of cattle along the roadside:
The Red Rocks – Denver Colorado’s Hidden Gems Park
The Red Rocks Park consists of very large red sandstone outcrops, known by geologists as the Fountain Formation. The park is at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Park is owned and managed by the city of Denver, despite being located outside the city’s limits. The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is the most popular part of the park It is better described in Our Favorite Theaters post. The pictures below are the ampitheatre and the entrance to the park.
Mesa Verde National Park, One of Colorado’s Best Hidden Gems
Located in the southwest corner of the state by the city of Cortez and just west of Durango is the Mesa Verde National Park. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the Ancestral Pueblo people, it is considered to be a sacred place. The park has over 30 miles of hiking trails, although when we visited, we took the 90-minute drive around the park, as we were heading from Arizona to Denver. The rock formations are truly unique and are great for photos.
Colorado’s Worst Hidden Gem – The Million Dollar Highway
Undoubtedly one of the most dangerous highways anywhere, the Million Dollar Highway is a 25 mile stretch of a two-lane road through the mountains in the western part of Colorado. The road is north of Durango and passes close to Telluride. It follows the route of US 550 between Silverton and Ouray. The Million Dollar Highway got its name because many locals say, “I won’t take that road for a Million Dollars”. Robin and I took the road in October 2020 when already black ice started forming on the road’s surface. What makes it particularly scary is that you are thousands of feet high, overlooking cliffs on curves without guard rails.