The diverse state of Colorado is home to four national parks--Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde and Rocky Mountain--as well as numerous national monuments, national historic sites and national historic trails. It's a well-traveled state loaded with history and natural wonders, all of which merit exploration.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Located near Montrose, the Black Canyon is deep and narrow, with stunning geological formations. The South Rim visitor center is open all year. The entire South Rim is open seasonally for vehicle traffic, and visitors can continue past Gunnison Point on cross-country skis or snowshoes in winter. The North Rim Road closes in late November, reopening in the middle of April. You can camp on the North and South rims. The park charges fees for entrance and for camping.
There are many trails at the rims for hikers and horseback riding. There are ranger programs throughout the year, and wildlife is abundant. The Gunnison River, the waterway in large part responsible for carving the canyon out of the surrounding rock, is a Gold Medal Water and Wild Trout Water for its outstanding fishing opportunities.
Rock climbing, kayaking and hiking the inner canyon are all best left to experienced experts in top physical condition. The park does not maintain any trails in the inner canyon. For safety reasons, rafting is not permitted on the Gunnison River.
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, near Mosca, is open 24 hours a day, all year long. Visitors can hike the dunes at any hour, and you can get a free permit for camping on the dunes at the visitor center, which has regular business hours. There is a small entrance fee for visitors age 16 and older.
Despite its name, this park offers more than expansive dunes for exploration. Its diverse ecology includes "grasslands, wetlands, dunes, forests, alpine lakes, and rugged 13,000' peaks," according to the National Park Service. Depending on the season, you can hike, backpack, ride horses, go on bison and open-air vehicle tours, sandboard, ski, sled and play in and around Medano Creek. The park also has organized kids' activities and ranger-led programs.
Mesa Verde National Park
Located near Cortez and Mancos, Mesa Verde gives visitors a glimpse into the lives of the ancestral Pueblo people who lived in these cliffside buildings from 600 to 1300. The park is open daily all year, with seasonal schedules for tours and programs. The park accepts passes and charges an entrance fee.
Restoration of the dwellings is ongoing, and visitors are not permitted within the dwellings themselves so as to preserve them. The Visitor and Research Center currently is undergoing reconstruction.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park and Grand Lake are the nearest points of civilization around Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado's showcase of the renowned mountain chain. Ranging from 8,000 feet in elevation to a breath-taking 14,259 feet at the top of Longs Peak, the park encompasses a diversity of habitat and wildlife to explore in a day or in weeks.
Like Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain is open 24 hours a day, all year. Visitors may come and go at any time, but campers must have permits and stay in designated camping areas, including backpacking campsites. The park has visitor centers and museums, scenic drives and ranger-led programs. Fishing, hiking, backpacking, climbing, mountaineering, horseback riding, biking, picnicking and camping are all allowed in the park, although there are rules for these activities.
The park accepts passes and has designated fee-free days each year. Otherwise, entrance fees apply.
National Monuments, National Historic Site, and National Historic Trails in Colorado
Colorado has many other nationally designated places for visitors to explore, some spanning a multitude of states. Consider Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, California National Historic Trail, Colorado National Monument, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Dinosaur National Monument, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Old Spanish National Historic Trail, Pony Express National Historic Trail, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Santa Fe National Historic Trail and Yucca House National Monument.
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