AllTrails
8.7
The most complete trail database in the US, and the reviews are recent enough to tell you whether a trail is muddy, closed, or busy this week.
Free tier is usable; the paid plan runs about $36 per year.
Denver Travel Guide
A city trip with mountains attached
- Colorado
- August 2026
- A city trip with mountains attached
Why go to Denver
Denver works as a two-day city stop and a launch pad for the Front Range. The trip planning question is almost always how far into the mountains you want to get.
The A Line train from the airport to Union Station means you can spend a car-free day downtown before picking up a rental for the mountains.
How to get there
Flights
DEN is a major hub; the A Line reaches Union Station in 37 minutes.
Rental Car
Needed for Rocky Mountain National Park and most trailheads.
Train
The California Zephyr arrives scenically but slowly.
Getting around
- Downtown, LoDo, and RiNo are walkable and connected by the free 16th Street shuttle.
- Pick up the rental car the morning you head west, not on arrival day.
- Mountain shuttles cover ski season; trailheads need your own vehicle.
What to do in Denver
90 minutes
Red Rocks Trading Post Trail
A short loop through the amphitheater's rock formations.
2 hours
Denver Art Museum
Strong Indigenous art collection and a good rainy-day option.
Full day
Rocky Mountain National Park
Timed entry required in summer; go for sunrise.
Outdoor options nearby
Moderate
Bear Lake Corridor
Five alpine lakes stacked along one trail system in Rocky Mountain NP.
Easy
Peak to Peak Highway
Colorado's oldest scenic byway, best between Estes Park and Nederland.
Moderate
Rocky Mountain National Park
Timed-entry reservations run late May through October; book the moment they open.
A workable plan
- Union Station and LoDo on foot
- Denver Art Museum
- RiNo brewery crawl
- Red Rocks morning trail
- Golden and Clear Creek
- Drive to Estes Park
- Rocky Mountain National Park sunrise
- Bear Lake corridor hikes
- Return via Peak to Peak Highway
Denver questions
How many days do you need in Denver?
Two full days covers the essentials and three lets you add a day trip or an outdoor morning without rushing.
What is the best way to get around Denver?
Check the getting-around notes above first: in some cities transit and walking beat a rental car outright, and in others a car is the only practical option.
Travel services for Denver
The tools and providers that fit the way this trip actually works.
Avis
8.4
You pay a few dollars more per day and get newer cars, shorter counter waits, and the most reliable one-way inventory of the big three.
Typically $52 to $95 per day at major airports before taxes and fees.
Tours & Attractions
Strongest for skip-the-line attraction tickets and half-day tours you would otherwise queue for.
Attraction tickets from about $25; half-day tours from about $70.
More on Denver and beyond
Best Things to Do in Denver
How to split two days between the city and the Front Range.
Best Hiking Trails Near Denver
Front Range trails sorted by how far you are willing to drive.
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