Great Sands Dunes National Park is three and a half hours from Denver and home to the tallest sand dunes in North America— but this sentence doesn’ t do the sight justice. At their highest point across the 30 square miles, they reach 750 feet. That’ s about 75 % of the Eiffel Tower. The dunes aren’ t just for admiring though: They make for some surreal hikes, gnarly opportunities to try sandboarding or sledding as well as the perfect spot to savor otherworldly stargazing as a family.
Five hours across the state border into Utah is the combination of Arches and Canyon Lands National Parks. Arches gets its name from the 2,000-plus natural sandstone arches found here; this is high desert landscape littered with jaw-dropping views and geologic formations. Canyonlands National Park comprises some 527 square miles of the Colorado River cutting through dramatic desert landscape. Whether you opt for a scenic drive, a day-long hike or chartered horses to trek the old-fashioned way, you’ ll leave with quite the story.
Just under nine hours’ drive from Denver is Zion National Park; fantasy-esque emerald pools and verdant forests are tucked between massive sandstone cliffs sculpted over millions of years of erosion. Hikes through here don’ t have to be strenuous to be epic— even short, scenic walks will have the whole family in the mindset of legendary explorers.
Working with a Travel Advisor
Many national parks( and their most popular trails) operate on a permit system. Rather than using your free time to jump through these bureaucratic hoops, leave all the logistics to us.
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