The 21 Best Road Trips From Denver
Denver is probably the best starting point in the country for a serious mountain road trip.
I've personally driven up and down the Rockies, renting a car from Denver International Airport and exploring the stunning National Parks, otherworldly landscapes, hot deserts, and everything in-between.
But navigating the Rockies isn't like cruising down a flat interstate. The difference between an epic adventure to Moab or Yellowstone and a frustrating day in the car comes down to having a good plan. You need to avoid the notorious I-70 weekend bottlenecks, watch out for sudden weather shifts at elevation, and know which scenic detours are actually worth the extra miles.
That is exactly why we built this guide. We didn't just scrape a map. These 21 routes are curated based on our real-world driving experience, so you can spend less time stressing over where to go, and more time enjoying the views.d
Read This Before Driving Out of Denver
⚡ The EV Charging Desert
Electric car chargers in the Rockies and nearby areas are more rare than rocking horse poop.
I once made the epic mistake of renting a Tesla for a trip all the way down and back up the Rockies from Denver. Don't do it.
The moment you head south off the I-70 towards Gunnison National Park, Center, and on to New Mexico, finding a charger is a struggle.
❄️ The Traction Law
Between September and May, Colorado state law requires AWD/4WD or snow tires on mountain passes and high elevation roads.
Check your rental car tires before leaving the parking lot.
🚗 The I-70 Weekend Trap
If you are heading west into the mountains, avoid leaving Denver on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.
In the winter, you're hitting weekend ski traffic and the summer can be even worse with weekend getaways. Leave early or waste hours driving like a snail.
Top Road Trip Destinations From Denver
🚗 239 miles ⏱️ 3 hours, 50 minutes
A four-hour drive south from Denver drops you into one of the weirdest and most spectacular landscapes in Colorado. You can literally sled down the tallest sand dunes in North America while staring up at the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains. If you have kids, this is an absolute must!
💡 Board Rentals: We rented our boards and wax from the Great Dunes Oasis Store just outside the park entrance - it was super convenient and fast. Don't expect to spend all day here - the sand gets to 150°F by the afternoon and your legs will be gone after the third trek back up the sand dune.
🚗 70 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 25 minutes
Discover the charm of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Pikes Peak. The Garden of the Gods is an absolute must and don't forget to check out the town itself!
💡 Secret 4x4 Route: Garden of the Gods gets super busy in the summer - to get the absolute best views, drive up to Woodland Park and take the small Loy Creek Road all the way down to the bottom. Beware - the road gets very rough the lower you go so you'll want a high clearance SUV or 4x4.
🚗 360 miles ⏱️ 6 hours, 30 minutes
The direct way to New Mexico is to sit for 6 hours on I-25, so if you're in a hurry, take the interstate.
The real road trip to New Mexico's high desert means taking I-70 or US-285 west and then driving south through the Rockies and San Luis Valley using our driving guide to Taos. From there, it's a short, stunning drive straight into the historic adobe architecture of Santa Fe. If you have more time, you can drive another hour south and extend your road trip to Albuquerque.
💡 Parking Hack: When you arrive in Santa Fe, don't waste your time circling the narrow 1600s streets around the historic Plaza looking for parallel parking. The two best options where I parked are the Sandoval Garage and the Water Street Municipal Lot. Both are very easy to find, easy with a large vehicle, and get you within a two-minute walk from the center of the action.
🚗 509 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 30 minutes
If you are doing a round trip, do not take the same highway twice. Drive up via the slower, highly scenic western route through Jackson and Grand Teton National Park. On the way back to Denver, take the eastern route down through the Wind River Canyon and the hot springs of Thermopolis so you get two completely different Wyoming road trips in one.
💡 Timing Your Arrival: Yellowstone isn't a year-round destination. Nearly all interior roads close to regular cars by early November for snowmobile season and don't reopen until May. The upside of the long drive is that if you set off in the morning, you won't hit the daytime queues at the entrance, sniffing RV fumes waiting to get in.
Sedona
🚗 740 miles ⏱️ 11 hours
The 11-hour drive through the Rockies and down into the Arizona desert is a marathon, but the payoff is insane. Sedona feels like another planet. You go from high altitude mountain passes and snow-capped peaks to towering, neon-red sandstone spires that look like they were carved by aliens.
💡 The Trailhead Parking Trap: The main reason to head to Sedona is to hike the red rocks, but do not try to drive from your hotel to the trailhead. Popular spots like Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass literally close their parking lots Thursday through Sunday, and the others fill up hours before your alarm even goes off. Save your sanity and use the free Sedona Shuttle park-and-ride lots, which drop you right at the start of the major trails.
Telluride
🚗 370 miles ⏱️ 6 hours, 30 minutes
Skip the standard I-70 resort traffic and drive deep into the San Juan Mountains via US-285 and US-50. The real payoff hits when you turn onto Highway 62 and cross the Dallas Divide. You get one of the most jagged, dramatic windshield views in Colorado before finally dropping down into Telluride's famous box canyon.
💡 Free Gondola Parking: Telluride sits at the dead-end of a valley where public parking is virtually non-existent. Do not waste your time creeping around the tiny grid looking for a spot. Pull straight into the free intercept lot up in Mountain Village and take the free 13-minute gondola directly down onto Main Street.
Breckenridge
🚗 80 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 30 minutes
The drive to Breckenridge is a straight shot west on I-70 and south on Highway 9. It's barely 80 miles, but calling it a 90-minute drive is only true on a random Tuesday in October. During ski season or hot summer weekends, this corridor becomes the most notorious highway bottleneck in Colorado, requiring some thoughtful planning to avoid ruining your day.
💡 Timing Strategy: If you set off from Denver on a Saturday in winter, you need to be on the road by 6:00 AM unless you want to spend three hours idling near the Eisenhower Tunnel. Friday night is not a great option either - you either need to leave by lunchtime or wait until after 8:00 PM to avoid sniffing fumes for 3 hours on what should be a 90-minute drive.
🚗 66 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 25 minutes
The 90-minute drive from Denver is just the warmup. The real road trip starts the second you bypass the taffy shops in Estes Park and enter Rocky Mountain National Park to drive Trail Ridge Road. Climbing to over 12,000 feet, it is the highest continuous paved highway in North America, taking you high above the tree line where you are practically eye-level with the alpine peaks.
💡 Beating the Permit System: RMNP operates on a strict timed-entry permit system from late May through October. If you show up without a reservation, the rangers will literally force you to turn around at the gate. Book it months in advance, or, if you forgot, you'll have to do what the locals do: get up at the crack of dawn and drive through the gates before 5:00 AM, when the permit system kicks in for the day.
🚗 415 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 10 minutes
Tucked away in the far southwest corner of Colorado, Mesa Verde is completely different from the state's jagged alpine peaks. The 7-hour drive takes you deep into high-desert mesa country, where you can literally climb down wooden ladders into 800-year-old cliff dwellings carved right into the canyon walls.
💡 Tour Ticket Warning: You cannot just walk up to the best cliff dwellings (like Cliff Palace) on the day. You have to book a ranger-guided tour, and tickets become available exactly 14 days in advance at 8:00 AM. Set an alarm if you're coming at the weekend, because they will sell out in minutes.
🚗 430 miles ⏱️ 7 hours, 15 minutes
The fastest 374-mile route takes you straight north up I-25 into Wyoming before cutting east on US-85 and US-18 into South Dakota. It is a straightforward 6-hour drive, but once you leave the interstate, the route becomes incredibly rural. Make sure to fill your gas tank and grab food in Cheyenne or Lusk, because amenities practically disappear for the last couple of hours before the park.
💡 Mind the Heat: The Badlands have almost zero shade, and the chalky rock reflects the sun, meaning summer temperatures easily top 100°F by noon. Do not plan to hike the popular Notch Trail in the middle of the afternoon. Get into the park at dawn, and be back in your air-conditioned car by 11:00 AM.
🚗 682 miles ⏱️ 11 hours
You have a choice to take the faster route along the I-70 and US-191 through Moab or the slightly slower route along US-285 and US-160 through Pagosa Springs and Durango. Both options naturally funnel you onto Highway 64 from Cameron, Arizona, which lets you enter the Grand Canyon via the Desert View (East) Entrance, bypassing the massive vehicle queues at the main South Entrance.
💡 A Worthy Detour: If you are splitting this into a 2-day drive, detour 30 minutes north of Cameron to Page, AZ. It's the only way to see Horseshoe Bend and the Vermillion Cliffs. It adds about 2 hours to your total trip, but it's the best place to see the Colorado River before it disappears into the floor of the canyon.
Las Vegas
🚗 749 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 30 minutes
The Reality Check: Most people fly to Vegas, but driving from Denver is actually one of the most spectacular interstate routes in America. You cut straight through the heart of the Rockies on I-70, traverse the alien landscape of Utah's San Rafael Swell, and snake through the towering sheer cliffs of the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 before spitting out into the Mojave Desert.
💡 Winter Warning: Do not try to push this massive 11.5-hour drive in one day if there is even a hint of winter weather in Colorado. The Eisenhower Tunnel and Vail Pass turn into gridlocked parking lots. Split the drive and spend the night in Cedar City or St. George, Utah.
🚗 740 miles ⏱️ 11 hours
The two-hour drive between Bryce and Zion is a masterclass in desert scenery, but the real show starts when you turn onto the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway (SR-9) for the final approach. You plunge through a mile-long tunnel carved straight into the rock, trading Colorado's green pines for massive, sheer sandstone cliffs that make you feel incredibly small.
💡 Shuttle Parking Reality: Zion Canyon is closed to private cars for most of the year. If you are the keen type that can get there by 6:30 AM, you can park at the visitor center and take the free shuttle into the canyon. For the rest of us who like sleeping, you'll have to park in the nearby town of Springdale and pay by the hour.
Aspen
🚗 185 miles ⏱️ 4 hours
Depending on the season, getting to Aspen is either a beautiful cruise or a white-knuckle survival test. In the summer, you can take the faster route via Independence Pass - a stunning narrow road that climbs to 12,000 feet before dropping you right into the billionaire playground. It is worth every ounce of passenger anxiety and altitude sickness.
💡 Winter Route Closure: Independence Pass (Highway 82 southeast of Aspen) is completely closed in the winter between November and May. So if you're going to Aspen to ski, you'll have to take the long way around along I-70 through Glenwood Springs before coming back down along the open section of Highway 82.
Durango
🚗 375 miles ⏱️ 6 hours, 50 minutes
Driving south to Durango via US-285 takes you right through the San Luis Valley and over the infamous Wolf Creek Pass. It's a heavy-duty mountain route that drops you straight into a historic mining town that still feels authentically Old West.
💡 Wolf Creek Warning: Wolf Creek Pass (US-160) is notoriously steep and prone to sudden whiteouts. If you are driving between November and April, strictly adhere to Colorado's Traction Law - AWD or snow tires are mandatory, and state troopers actively check.
🚗 343 miles ⏱️ 5 hours, 30 minutes
Driving I-70 West to Moab is a rite of passage for Denver locals, but the 5.5-hour drive easily turns into 8 hours if you leave on a Friday afternoon. The turn-off onto Highway 128 (exit 214) is a must - it traces the Colorado River through a sheer red-rock canyon which is infinitely better than the (slightly faster) US-191 route.
💡 Timing Strategy: Because Arches dropped its reservation system for 2026, the park can reach maximum capacity by as early as 7:30 AM. If you arrive at 8:00 AM, rangers will physically turn you away at the gate, and you'll be stuck waiting in Moab for 3 to 5 hours until the early visitors leave. Canyonlands doesn't require entry reservations and is a bit further away, so save that park for your late-morning or afternoon drives.
🚗 564 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 30 minutes
The direct route along the I-25 South through Albuquerque is an easy 8.5-hour cruise which you can easily do in a day. The more scenic route along US-285 through the Rockies and San Luis Valley boasts scenery, but will easily add 2 hours to the driving time. I would pick the scenic route every time for the views of snowy mountain peaks and the Great Sand Dunes along the way.
💡 Free sleds: Don't go out buying a new plastic sledding saucer at the gift shop for $25. Most local hotels and the nearby Alamogordo KOA have a "take a sled, leave a sled" bin where you can grab one for free. Just make sure you still buy a block of wax - the gypsum sand is incredibly abrasive and you won't move an inch without applying it first.
🚗 502 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 30 minutes
The I-70 route and US-191 route through Moab is only 30 minutes longer than going through the San Luis Valley and Durango along US-285 and US-160. Both options offer spectacular, but wildly different views, and you can easily combine one of the other destinations on this list if you have enough time.
💡 SUV Required: The famous 17-mile scenic loop drive through Monument Valley is unpaved, incredibly dusty, and riddled with deep ruts. Do not take a standard low-clearance rental sedan on this road unless you want to rip off the bumper and void your rental agreement. Rent an SUV, or just park at the visitor center and pay for a guided Navajo jeep tour.
🚗 156 miles ⏱️ 3 hours
The route up to Steamboat Springs is one of the most picturesque on this list. The real driving test is the final 20 miles over Rabbit Ears Pass. It climbs past 10,000 feet and is notorious for instant whiteouts and severe ice from October through May.
💡 Driving To Hot Springs: Presuming you will be making a visit to the famous Strawberry Park Hot Springs when you arrive, make sure your vehicle is up to the job. The last two miles up to the springs are a steep, unpaved dirt road. In the winter, 4WD or AWD with snow tires are strictly mandated by law. Do not attempt it in a front-wheel drive rental car - you will get stuck and handed a massive fine. Book a local shuttle from downtown instead.
Vail
🚗 98 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 35 minutes
The 100-mile drive from Denver to Vail is a relatively short 90-minute drive west on I-70, but it's not as simple as it looks on a map. You have to navigate the Eisenhower Tunnel and climb the Vail Pass to 10,600 feet - I actually felt pretty light-headed driving it, and needed a stop after crossing over.
💡 Timing the I-70 Trap: Heading out on a Friday afternoon after 2:00 PM or Saturday morning after 6:00 AM will mean endless queues that will easily double your journey time. Coming back to Denver on a Sunday after 2:00 PM runs into the exact same issue, which gets even worse in the winter with ski traffic. Either leave before noon, or grab dinner in the village and wait until 7:00 PM to drive back when the interstate finally clears out.
Jackson Hole
🚗 501 miles ⏱️ 8 hours, 30 minutes
The most direct route to Jackson bypasses the interstates entirely, sending you straight up US-287 through the middle of Wyoming. It's an 8.5-hour haul, but it drops you right at the base of the Tetons and serves as the perfect southern gateway if you plan to continue north and tackle Yellowstone National Park on the same trip.
💡 Driving Strategy: The final 150-mile stretch of US-287 between Rawlins and Jackson has virtually no cell service and zero gas stations after dark. You want to try and arrive before the sun sets to avoid moose and elk that come out on the roads at night and because you absolutely do not want to miss the jaw-dropping view as you drive in. Aim to set off from Denver by 8:00 AM in the winter, but you can leave it as late as 11:00 AM in the summer.
Cross-Country & Long-Haul Routes
If spending a few days away is not what you're looking for, then maybe a 3-week drive across the country will hit the spot.
If you want a serious mega adventure, or need to drive a lot further from Denver, we have a special guide for the best cross-country road trips from Denver, covering longer routes to places like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle.
Sasha Yanshin – Co-Founder & Lead Driver
Sasha Yanshin has spent the last 15+ years mapping and driving thousands of miles across Europe and the US. As the Co-Founder and Lead Driver of Lazytrips, he brings an analytical approach to road-tripping, sharing meticulously tested routes, realistic drive times, and the hard-earned logistical reality of the open road.
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