Rocky Mountain Adventure!

Colorado has to be one of the most beautiful states in the nation. There are different types of landscapes to view, all within a reasonable driving distance. The activities available to do are near endless. For the traveller who enjoys outdoor sights, Colorado is the place to go!

Some important places you'll definitely want to make highlights of your Rocky Mountain Adventure are:

The Continental Divide atop Monarch Pass near between Gunnison and Salida is a place well worth the drive. While it is a popular ski area, it is also quite the enjoyable stop to any traveller of the Rockies.

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a wonderful sight to see. The bridge stands some 1000 or so feet about the ground below it.

The United States Air Force Academy is worth the stop. The Academy, which sits just outside Colorado Springs CO, is only about 1.5-hour drive from the Denver area.

The Rocky Mountain National Park is another noteworthy sight. Just north of Denver, you can reach it with a short drive.

Just a three-hour drive north takes you across the Colorado-Wyoming border. In Guernsey, Wyoming, which I visited on a previous trip, you can see the wagon ruts in the rock from the Real Oregon Trail. You can see Register Cliff where the names of the original travellers were carved in stone by the travellers themselves.

To sum it up, Colorado is worth the cost to go. I look forward to going again soon!

Quick Tips:

I would highly recommend flying into Denver International Airport. It is usually less expensive than Colorado Springs.

Best Way To Get Around:

By all means, rent a comfortable automobile.

This motel offers very good quality for your money. Also, there's a free airport shuttle available for your convenience.

The rooms were very nice and clean. Continental breakfast is offered each morning. The location of this motel is great, only about seven miles or so to the Denver International Airport.

To find detailed information about this motel, you may go to Sleep Inn's main website at www.sleepinn.com. From there, use the search fields to locate the motel.

For the skier, Monarch Pass is a reasonable 11,000 or so feet in altitude. So you should have plenty of challenges. Just a short drive is Salida, CO for needed accommodations should you choose not to stay on the mountain.

The Royal Gorge Bridge is a sight to see. It sits some 1000 feet or so above the ground below. Located in canyon-like terrain, the Royal Gorge can be viewed by paying the entrance fee to the park and bridge, and then walking across the bridge. It can also be enjoyed by tram.

If you want to really get into it, you can take the train down into the canyon. Or if you like to see beautiful sights with charge, you can park outside the premises and walk to the free view of the bridge. Plenty of options available. All of them are good, if not great.

The United States Air Force Academy Visitor Center is a nice place to visit. There is a video presentation showing regularly at the center. Lots of merchandise available. Also interesting aircraft exhibits are on hand. You pass right by the Academy during the drive to the Visitor Center. There's no cost for entrance!

Enjoy the beautiful scenic drive from Canon City to Salida. Keep an eye out for big horn sheep on the sides of the mountains. The terrain is that of a canyon. With the Arkansas river winding its way along beside you and the rocks of the canyon on your other side, it's a nice ride to enjoy!