One side effect of calling Colorado home is that a lot of out-of-state friends and family tend to spend their vacation time in the Centennial State. And who’s the first person that gets called for the typical ‘things to do recommendations’ when those friends and family members are headed into town? You.

Whether you’re looking for an excuse to explore a good chunk of the state over the course of a single day or you’re aiming to show off Colorado’s beauty to someone that’s in town for a visit, here’s a look at my go-to one-day road trip that delivers a little bit of everything.

Given that OutThere Colorado is headquartered in Colorado Springs, that’s where this road trip starts and ends – feel free to hop on at any point of the loop though if you’re starting elsewhere. The total ‘drive time’ of the trip is about five hours, though with stops, plan for a 10-plus hour day.

1. Take in the beauty at Garden of the Gods:

Garden of the Gods is a Colorado Springs classic for good reason. It’s one of the most stunning public parks in the country, it’s free to visit, and taking in its wonder can be as simple as a drive around the park’s central loop if that’s what you’re looking for. Shorter walks and hikes in this park also deliver big views without adding too much time to your trip. For a simple walk, there’s a paved loop that travels around the main area, taking about 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

After you’ve gotten your fill at the Garden, head west on US Highway 24 toward Woodland Park via Ute Pass.

2. Catch views of Pikes Peak from Woodland Park:

Once you reach Woodland Park, you’ll start to notice some great views of Pikes Peak. A recommended stop for early-day travelers in this town is the Donut Mill – for a sweet treat, it’s hard to beat. Traveling through closer to lunch time? Pop on up to Paradox Beer Company in Divide for food and drinks at a spot with great outdoor seating (but please, ensure you’ve got a designated driver, too).

Once you’ve got your fill, hop back on US Highway 24 and keep heading west.

3. Admire the mountains from Wilkerson Pass:

As you’re heading along U.S. Highway 24 through rolling forests and ranches, you’ll eventually hit Wilkerson Pass. This pass reaches about 9,500 feet of elevation – significantly lower than two other high-alpine mountain passes on this trip, but still with a great view. Taking a second to stop at the top of the pass or at one of the pull-offs just after its summit provides a great vantage point into the westward valley below, with multiple 14,000-foot peaks easy to spot. Download an app like Peak Finder on your phone before your trip, with this app using augmented reality to make it easy to tell which peaks are which.

Once you’ve got your fill, hop back on U.S. Highway 24 and head west toward Harstel.

4. Here’s your chance to spot some bison:

Along the way to Harstel, there’s a decent chance you’ll spot some pronghorns in the fields beside the highway – but those aren’t the only Colorado animals that await.

After a bit of driving across a long and mostly flat road through the valley, the tiny town of Harstel will appear – know that this tends to be a speed trap, so make sure you’re following posted limits for your own safety and the safety of others, but also to avoid getting a ticket – expect a similar situation in all towns you pass through, too.

Once you pass the few buildings in Harstel, you’ll be turning right on State Highway 9 toward Fairplay, Hoosier Pass, and Breckenridge. Don’t glaze through this turn though – on the left side of the road, there’s a good chance you’ll spot some bison grazing in a nearby field. It’s not guaranteed, but I’d give it a fifty-fifty chance. Either way, the view along this portion of the route is stunning, providing a great look at ranch life in Colorado.

5. Visit the historic town of Fairplay (or shall we say, ‘South Park’)

The next stop on this road trip is Fairplay, Colorado – a mountain town in Park County that’s often thought to be the inspiration behind the popular television show South Park. You’ll find the often-photographed ‘South Park’ sign, which features characters from the show with the faces cut out so that visitors can pose for a photo op. Plus, there’s the historic South Park City in Fairplay, too, and if you’re needing a little pick-me-up after the first leg of the road trip, Java Moose is a good place to stop for coffee.

Once you’ve wrapped up your time in Fairplay, head out of town on Highway 9 toward Hoosier Pass.

6. Hoosier Pass offers up true taste of mountain driving

After leaving Fairplay, it will be hard to miss the uphill nature of the next leg of the trip. The elevation of Fairplay is just under 10,000 feet above sea level, while the elevation of the Hoosier Pass summit – which happens to be along the Continental Divide – is at about 11,500 feet. In other words, getting there requires a lot of uphill driving on a winding mountain road.

It’s worth it though – Hoosier Pass offers stunning views regardless of the season, and it’s the last brief stop before you reach the iconic town of Breckenridge.

Important note: Hoosier Pass can get dicey when unpredictable weather rolls in, as can several other portions of this route. Proceed with caution and check the forecast.

7. Take a stroll through the town of Breckenridge

Leave the Hoosier Pass summit and drop off the other side of the pass to travel through an even more curvy stretch of road as you head into Breckenridge.

The views only seem to get better and better and eventually, you’ll be greeted with the mountain town’s charming Main Street area tucked beneath the local ski resort. Breckenridge is great place to park the vehicle and walk around for a bit, checking out local shops and restaurants. As long as you make sure you’re parking legally, it’s hard to go wrong in Breck. The paid parking lot at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena is a good option just outside of town – a short walk or shuttle ride to Main Street.

8. Take in some lakeside views at Dillon Reservoir

This next leg can be a bit of a detour or not – it just depends on what you want. Either way, you’ll be hopping back on Highway 9 and heading toward Dillon Reservoir and the town of Frisco.

If you want to pop into Frisco for a bit – maybe walk down to the local marina or hit Prosit for some sausages and German beer – go for it. If not, turn right onto Swan Mountain Road just before Frisco is reached and stick to the road trip loop. Even if you don’t pop into Frisco, you’ll still get great views of Dillon Reservoir, a lake with a panoramic mountain scene as its backdrop.

9. Head to the top of Loveland Pass

Whether you stopped in Frisco or not, you’ll want to find your way to Swan Mountain Road to connect with U.S. Highway 6 eastbound. This will take you past Keystone Resort and Arapahoe Basin on the way to the Loveland Pass summit.

Also located along the Continental Divide and reaching an elevation of 11,991 feet – even higher than Hoosier Pass, Loveland Pass not only offers views, but has a couple short nearby alpine trails that make for a good chance to stretch the legs. Be warned though – the high elevation nature of these trails can cause rapid exhaustion and there might be exposure. Test how you’re feeling before diving in.

10. Another quick pit stop before heading home

After leaving the Loveland Pass summit behind, you’ll continue down the other side of the pass on U.S. Highway 6 to connect with the notorious I-70 stretch of this loop. This high-speed mountain Interstate can get a bit traffic heavy at times, so be prepared for potential delays.

The nice thing about I-70, though, is that multiple pit stop-towns exist on the way back to the Denver metro area. Georgetown, Idaho Springs, and Golden all make for great stops. Even popping by Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison is doable with a slight detour – just don’t plan your visit to Red Rocks for the night of a show unless you’ve got tickets.

Maybe you stopped somewhere, maybe you didn’t, but eventually, you’ll be wanting to get back on I-25 for an easy trip back to Colorado Springs to complete the loop.

Find the map to this entire road trip here.

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