Rocky Mountains Roadtrip Itinerary

With much to see and do in Denver, you may want to extend your trip either side and spend a few extra days. You can attend an American football game to cheer for the Denver Broncos, watch a basketball game to support the Denver Nuggets, visit one of the many museums, attend the Colorado Symphony Orchestra or get your adrenalin pumping at Elitch Gardens Theme Park.

Heading west from Denver it won’t take long before you reach Boulder. Here you can visit the Stanley Hotel, dating back to 1909 and playing a critical role in Stephen Kings ‘The Shining’. Parking your RV up at one of the many national parks within the Roosevelt National Forest will provide you with some much needed relaxation time, where you’ll be able to unwind with a number of walks, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing and more.

Spend a full day exploring the Rocky Mountains National Park. Only a short (15 min) drive from Roosevelt, you’ll enjoy a number of day hikes to Longs Peak, Cow Creek and Bridal Veil Falls. Be sure to check the weather before you head out, as it can be changeable with storms in summer and heavy snowfall in winter.

Established in 1915 and one of the most beautiful national parks in America, Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved highway in the U.S, the drive is lined with Panderosa Pines which part to reveal incredible valleys below and mountainsides above.

The moose viewing capital of Colorado, keep your eyes peeled along the Highway and you might catch a glimpse of one! If you don’t see one, you can always stop in at the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuse, take your camera to snap a photo of a variety of wildlife in a beautiful natural setting.

Henry David Thoreau loved Walden so much, he wrote a book about it! If you haven’t read it, now might be a good time to grab a copy and head to Walden Pond, where the book was written.

Don’t forget to call in at the River Rock Café where you can view patrons, some still wearing their spurs, savouring their hearty chicken-fried steaks and plates of fried Rocky Mountain oysters (bull testicles).

You’ll cross the border from Colorado to Wyomg as you cruise down Highway 230. We highly recommend starting your stay in Saratoga with a visit to the Saratoga Resort and Spa. Outside, the low-slung building surrounds steaming thermal pools fed by natural hot springs. Inside, rawhide lampshades, leather-upholstered furniture, and barn wood walls decorate the lobby.

On the North Platte River, which passes through the town of Saratoga, you can cast your net in the hopes of nabbing a blue-ribbon trout, or in summer you just float the river alongside the fish, or find a big tree to curl up and enjoy a picnic under.

Laramie, home to one of the oldest American prisons – built in 1872 and is now a museum. Check out Butch Cassidy’s mug shot. With loads of bars and restaurants you’ll be spoiled for choice about where to eat.
Once you have checked out Laramie, it’s only an extra 35 minutes to Centennial which has sprawling views of the craggy Medicine Bow Peak, along with a one of the largest steaks you can imagine (21 pounds!) at the Centennial trading post.
You can chose to spend the night in Centennial or Laramie, both have a number of great RV sites to enjoy.

East of Laramie on the i-80, Abraham Lincoln’s face watches carefully over the traffic and marks the highest point in the road. Stop at Vedauwoo to stretch your legs and experience eerie, colossal hoodoos and rocky outcrops of billion-year-old Sherman granite rise up against the sky, or take a closer look from Turtle Rock Trail, a short walk winding through the formations.

The most populous city in Wyoming, Cheyenne has a fascinating Native American history which you can soak up at one of the many museums around the city. Embodying the spirit of the old west, why not watch a local rodeo? Or visit one of its famous railroads? Cheyenne offers travellers a truly unique experience.

Heading out of Cheyenne, take a detour to Ames Monument. A historic site built in 1883 as a monument to Oliver and Oakes Ames, the 60 foot pyramid is a real sight to behold!

Once you’ve returned your RV safely back in Denver, you can fit in a spot of shopping, take a day trip to Dinosaur Ridge, unwind with a round of golf or spend your days browsing through one of the many museums on offer.