Home » Itineraries » 3-Week Colorado Road Trip Itinerary (Map, Route, Highlights)

3-Week Colorado Road Trip Itinerary (Map, Route, Highlights)


Do you have 3 weeks to spend in Colorado and are you looking for an exciting road trip itinerary? Here is our recommended route!

Disclaimer: While this article presents a 3-week itinerary, you can always re-arrange this trip into your own plan! Feel free to change the route and length of the trip! This post is merely a tool for you to continue planning your adventure!

Highlights of this 3-week road trip itinerary

Here are the highlights of this road trip! Of course, it’s up to you to decide what to include in your trip. Scroll down below to catch some of our similar road trips in the area!

1. Rocky Mountain National Park

Time to spend: 1-3 days

Main activity type: Hiking🚶🏿

No matter how much time you have, a road trip through Colorado isn’t complete without visiting the Rocky Mountains National Park! You can easily spend a couple of days here, as this area is filled with beautiful hikes, wildlife, and viewpoints! If you need a place to stay, Estes Park offers the best accommodations in the area!


Extra costs?

National Park Pass

2. Glenwood Springs

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Leisure🏊‍♀️

Glenwood Springs is a great place to relax and take a break from your driving. There are numerous hot springs here where you can fully relax your body and soak in the heat. There are also some hikes around, but most people stop here to do groceries at Walmart or enjoy a dip in the hot waters.


Extra costs?

Entrance fee for springs

3. Colorado National Monument State Park

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Viewpoint(s)⛰️

This is a classic road trip in Colorado. The Colorado National Monument features a beautiful winding road that takes you past beautiful viewpoints overlooking canyons, mountain tops, and rock outcrops. You can do some hiking while you’re there, but the main attraction here is the road itself with the many viewpoints you’ll pass along the way.


Extra costs?

None

4. Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Viewpoint(s)⛰️

Apparently, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the least visited parks in the US. But we honestly can’t see why. It’s easily accessible, perfect for a one-day visit, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. We were so amazed with the views. It features a sequence of viewpoints that you can easily drive up to, and it takes about 5 hours to visit them all!


Extra costs?

National Park Pass

5. Maroon Bells

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Hiking🚶🏿

Depending on when you’re planning to go, Maroon Bells can be a bit tricky to reach. But it’s such a serene place that it’s definitely worth it. There’s something unique about the mountains here that you won’t find anywhere else in the US. If you’re planning a winter visit, you should know that vehicle access is restricted. You can still go there with a snowscooter though!


Extra costs?

None

6. Telluride

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Hiking🚶🏿

Telluride was a definite highlight during our road trip through Colorado. The drive to Telluride is already worth it, but it offers plenty of outdoor activities. I’d especially recommend the Bridal Veil Falls! If you’re hungry for a snack, we had some of the best food at the local bakery called Baked in Telluride.


Extra costs?

None

7. Ridgway

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Hiking🚶🏿

Ridgway is a nice place to stop, as it allows you to visit some local attractions. From here, you can visit the Ouray hot springs and the beautiful Box Canyon Falls Park. If you’re feeling adventurous, drive up to the Owl Creek Pass for stunning views!


Extra costs?

None

8. Durango and Silverton

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Viewpoint(s)

Between Durango and Silverton lies the famous “Million Dollar Highway”. This is a spectacular drive through Colorado, and frankly, it would be a shame if you missed it! It features beautiful views over the Rockies, and you might be able to spot mountain goats while driving! Durango and Silverton are small towns where you can wander around for a bit, but most people go here for the Million Dollar Highway!


Extra costs?

None

9. Great Sand Dunes National Park

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Viewpoint(s)⛰️

When you think of Colorado, you think of snowy mountains, right? Well, if you have the time, you should definitely visit this unique national park. If you have a 4WD, you can test your skills on the Medano Pass Road. This park is also a favorite amongst dark-sky stargazers!


Extra costs?

National Park Pass

10. Pikes Peak

Time to spend: 1 day

Main activity type: Viewpoint(s)⛰️

At 14,115 feet tall, Pikes Peak is one of the most sumitted mountain tops in Colorado. You can include this in your Colorado road trip thanks to the Pikes Peak Highway, a 19-mile road that takes you to beautiful views of the area. If you’re more interested in hikes, you can always visit the nearby Pike National Forest.


Extra costs?

None

Best time to do this Colorado road trip?

If you want to experience all of what Colorado has to offer, you should plan your road trip for the Summer. All the road and mountain passes will be open and clear in June, July, and August. If you’re okay with some closed roads due to the snow, you can consider road-tripping Colorado in May. You won’t find many tourists at this point! For example, the Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park is generally open and ready for travel from the end of May through October. The road, which connects the west and east entrances of Rocky Mountain National Park, closes each year due to snow accumulation.

Driving distances during this 3-week road trip

Here is a table with the distance (in miles) between every highlight included in this itinerary.

From / To Durango and Silverton Ridgway Telluride Black Canyon of the Gunnison Colorado National Monument State Park Glenwood Springs Rocky Mountain National Park Maroon Bells Great Sand Dunes National Park Pikes Peak
Durango and Silverton X 81.2 111 141 180 247 381 252 180 316
Ridgway 81.2 X 39.1 61 100 167 296 172 244 271
Telluride 111 39.1 X 100 139 206 335 211 283 310
Black Canyon of the Gunnison 141 61 100 X 67.3 102 231 127 251 278
Colorado National Monument State Park 180 100 139 67.3 X 106 235 155 291 314
Glenwood Springs 247 167 206 102 106 X 130 49.3 251 209
Rocky Mountain National Park 381 296 335 231 235 130 X 173 277 163
Maroon Bells 252 172 211 127 155 49.3 173 X 203 175
Great Sand Dunes National Park 180 244 283 251 291 251 277 203 X 194
Pikes Peak 316 271 310 278 314 209 163 175 194 X

How to read distance table: The highlights in this itinerary are plotted on each row and column in this table. The intersecting cell between two destinations contains the number of miles you’d have to drive to get from one to another. This driving distance is calculated in Google Maps at the time of publishing this itinerary.

Road trip itinerary statistics

Avg. fuel price

$3.8 per gallon

Total route distance

1136 miles

Assumed driving distance (double the route)

2272 miles

Average driving distance per day

108 miles

Similar road trip itineraries in Colorado

How we create these guides: Using Google Maps API and by analyzing trips from TripAdvisor, Google Map reviews, Reddit, etc, we come up with the most unique and memorable road trip itineraries!

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