Road trip to estes park CO

Ok TW me and wife are leave TN for Estes Park CO on Friday. Driving straight out there.....20 hour drive. Any thing we should stop and see/do on the way out or back? Also any roads or trails we should go to while in Estes Park?? Stoked for the trip out and can't wait to spend a few days out there.

 

Pot shop is always my first stop in CO. Lot of good hiking trails in the park. Make sure to hydrate.

 

Depending on route, i would recomend a drive up pikes peak or mt evans. Evans might be closing soon. Check google

 

Beautiful place. Went there on my honeymoon several years ago. I'll like to go back and see if it still looks the same. I hope you guys have a great trip! Post pictures.

 

Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Get off the interstate in Limon and drive SW and spend a day in Colorado Springs before heading north to Estes Park. Come prepared for snow and the possibility of Trail Ridge Road being closed. If at all possible the drive from Estes Park across Trail Ridge road to Grand Lake is a highlight. But I've seen the road closed for a day or so in June/July to clear snow. In late Sept at 12000' it is a real possibility. Even without snow it will be a lot colder than TN at this time of year at altitude. Come prepared. On our 1st trip we went in June and ended up going to a Walmart and buying warmer clothes.

There are 2 routes. I'd suggest going one way and coming back the other. Northern route is through TN, KY, IL, MO, KS then CO. It is faster and probably a little shorter coming from Knoxville. But you could come back by driving south from CO and cutting across the corner of NM, into the TX panhandle then OK, AR then back to TN in Memphis. Or take the southern route going west and go straight to Colorado Springs.

Lots of interesting things to see on both routes. No point in seeing the same stuff twice and it isn't that much farther. That part of NM is beautiful. Get the 72 oz steak in Amarillo. The Memorial to the Oklahoma City bombing is worth a look.

 

I'm not sure exactly what your plan is, but if you're literally driving straight to Estes you probably won't be stopping to see much. That drive time is drive time - I do it almost every year from here to the middle of Indiana (granted, at xmas so shorter days) and it's a 6-7am start, 1-3am arrival. Now if you're going to drive and have time to stop places, there's lots you could see along the way. There are also a couple of trails up in the vicinity of Estes, but I'm not sure how long you'll be here and what you're looking to do. You could easily spend a couple of days just in town/the park (particularly if you're hiking at all). Some more details would help us make suggestions (how much driving you want to do while here, length of hikes or walks, etc.).

 

Sorry about the drive across Nebraska.

 

ROFL


It's funny because it's true.

 

I don't mind NE. Other than lincoln and omaha traffic is pretty light and the speed limit is pretty high. Then of course, there is golf ball hail warnings. And if you see tumble weed, take cover.

 

One year cut across rural NE on state roads from kearne ne to colby ka to go to colorado springs. That was fun. Until the storms hit in the co plains

 

Iowa ain’t much better! Haha!

 

If they are coming from TN to EP, CO they'll probably be on I-70 most of the way & miss NE altogether, not that KS is any better. At night though it can be interesting because of the sight line limit of your headlights. It's been my experience that deer whistles actually work. $6/pair at Walmart before you go. Bring winter jackets & late fall clothing, it gets cold @ 8000+ ft this time of year. My $0.02.

 

thanks all! Yeah the drive out is pretty much a straight 20hr drive, we are running a trail half marathon on Sunday in denver then up to Estes Park till Wednesday night. Hoping to do lots of hiking and driving around the rockies. Yeah i figured it would be cold so we are prepared for that. As for snow on the roads up there hope most are open. Going out I plan on driving north and taking 70. Coming home as you all suggested thinking of going south and taking 40 back.

Never been to Garden of the Gods in CS.....sounds pretty. Whats the best places to see there, things to do? Gravel trails?

 

I do but I grew up there before I hit 18 years old and couldn't get the hell out of that state soon enough.

 

Running a half? I'd get up here as soon as you can to acclimate. The elevation ain't no joke when it comes to cardio man.

 

Hey now...we have wonderful corn and bean fields. And the occasional hill. lol

 

yeah elevation is going to kick my ass lol

 

If fall river road is open take that hands down. Other wise take 40 up and come back down the poudre canyon.

 

Iowa isn't too bad either. The rolling hills are nicer than the stench of the cow places in western NE