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Colorado Scenic Drive: Part VI

Setting up your overnight stops—
Where to stay, how long to stay
On your Colorado scenic drive

This page helps you set up your overnight stops on your Colorado scenic drive.

• You'll find out the best towns to overnight and how long to stay.
  
  
• You'll get top campground recommendations or alternatives, where staying more than one night.
  
  
• You'll receive suggestions for specific hotels, motor inns, and hostels, when appropriate.
  
  
• You'll learn how to use Hotwire and priceline.com to save money by picking price, location, and quality, but not a specific hotel. (our bias)
  

Planning your time

Stay your first night at Denver International Airport, Boulder, or Estes Park depending on your arrival time. (More below.)

Then stay in

• Estes Park (2 additional nights),
• Glenwood Hot Springs (or Aspen or Grand Junction) (1 night—2 if you plan to do whitewater rafting),
• Ouray (3 nights),
• Colorado Springs (1 or 2 nights), and perhaps
• Denver Airport (1 night) depending on your flight time.

If you have more time, add one or more additional nights in Ouray and perhaps an extra night in Colorado Springs.

You may also wish to add 1 or 2 nights at Valley West Hot Springs near Mineral Hot Springs prior to Colorado Springs. See its description below.

Flights and car rentals

Ideally, you'll want to fly into Denver and out of Colorado Springs, BUT check one-way car rental drop off rates before arranging this.

(Try Travelocity’s Car Rental. Unlike some travel sites, it usually displays accurate drop off charges and taxes.)

If one-way drop fees are high, returning from Denver adds less than 90 minutes to your driving time.

A word about Hotwire and priceline Hotels.

Take advantage of this and save!

Hotwire shows you prices for the various quality ranges, but you must bid on priceline.

Your first night

If flying into Denver Airport by 1:30 p.m., book your first three nights in Estes Park. If arriving by 5:30 p.m. or so, stay one night in Boulder before going on to Estes Park. If coming in after 5:30 p.m., reserve one night at Denver International before driving to Estes Park.

Denver International Airport

Surprisingly, you find weekend hotel specials even during peak seasons in all quality ranges at Denver International Airport.

When using Hotwire.com or Priceline.com Hotels, choose the Denver International Airport neighborhood.

Hotels.com also offers discounts on airport hotels in all quality ranges and lets you pick specific hotels. The ones it lists first (the price guaranteed ones) are best values.

Tower Road, just off the airport entrance road (near rental car pick up locations), has Fairfield Inn (a nice one), Red Roof Inn, and other moderate cost chains. You won’t find a more convenient airport location.

Boulder

Boulder offers far more dining (some remarkably exotic) and hotel choices than the airport area. Its downtown pedestrian mall along Pearl Street (at 14th) and creek side parks are fun for walking.

Again, Hotwire and priceline offer a full range of choices, as does Hotels.com.

We have no specific recommendations here.

Estes Park

Stay in Estes Park at least two nights (or at least three if arriving in Denver early enough).

Several campgrounds just inside the Rocky Mountain National Park entrance make great choices, including Moraine Park and Glacier Basin. These offer beautiful sites, but make sure you bring a good quality sleeping pad, as the ground can be very hard. (I've had trouble driving tent stakes into the ground at Moraine.) Also, book early! (1 800 365-CAMP or online at the National Park Reservation Service.

With these campgrounds, you get a rustic and exhilarating setting, but remain near the restaurants and shops of Estes Park. Moreover, you can easily access welcome hot showers at the Estes Park Aquatic Center.

Hotels.com offers a full range of discounts on Estes Park motels and hotels. We have no favorites here.

If Estes Park is booked up, try Fort Collins, 25 miles away.

Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs Hostel is within easy walking distance of the huge Glenwood Springs swimming pool and spa. This very pleasant and happy place has a few inexpensive and very small private rooms available (without bath), as well as dorm rooms. At this hostel, you easily tap into whitewater rafting in Glenwood Canyon and other group activities.

You can try priceline Hotels for local motels and inns, but don’t expect huge discounts in peak season. (Glenwood Springs is not a large town, and fills up fast.)

Hotels.com also serves Glenwood Springs, and helps you to compare prices and amenities.

Aspen

If you cannot find suitable accommodation in Glenwood Springs, nearby Aspen offers additional choices. You may want to detour to this famous winter resort anyway, but frankly Ouray later on offers a nicer setting.

Hotels.com, Hotwire, and priceline Hotels all serve Aspen.

Grand Junction

If you have problems finding accommodation in Glenwood Springs or Aspen, Grand Junction west of these offers lots of choices. You are especially likely to find budget or moderately priced places there.

However, you'll give up a resort atmosphere if you choose Grand Junction, the main commercial center of northwestern Colorado. You'll also add a few not very scenic miles to your trip.

Both Hotels.com and Priceline Hotels serve Grand Junction. Budget travelers may also try Motel 6.

Ouray

Ouray’s called the “Switzerland of North America” because its location looks like the area around Swiss National Park.

In this small town, you can choose from a variety of moderate-cost lodging and all are convenient.

Our two favorites are:

• Appititheatre Campground, a somewhat primitive U.S. Forest Service facility, can be booked via Reserve America. Its setting (not far from “downtown” Ouray) is truly awesome. Reserve early to avoid disappointment. This area gets cold at night, even during midsummer, so be prepared with a warm sleeping bag or extra blankets.
  
  
  
• The Best Western Twin Peaks Motel at the edge of downtown has beautiful views from many rooms. Be sure to ask for one of these.
  
  Hotels.com offers Internet “best value” specials at Twin Peaks—if you book in time.
  
  Twin Peaks has its own hot springs soaking pool, but strangely its regular swimming pool remains too cool for enjoyable swimming much of the time. (Guests can easily access the Ouray hot springs spa and aquatic complex a short distance away.) Twin Peaks' rooms are well kept and comfortable and the staff is friendly and helpful.
  

Regardless of where you stay, be sure to ask for the Ouray restaurant menu guide.

If you cannot find accommodation in Ouray, try Telluride (Hotels.com, Hotwire, and priceline Hotels).

Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs has grown into a large city, but you can still get around fairly easily. Consequently, book airport area accommodation if (as usual) you find best values there. Try Hotwire.com or Priceline.com Hotels.

We suggest no campgrounds near Colorado Springs, but travelers wanting to prepare their own meals can book Crossland Inn near the airport. It offers basic kitchen facilities at a low price, and is well maintained and clean.

Colorado Springs has the first truly deluxe resort available alongn this route. The Broadmoor features a fabulous 3,000-acre setting nestled in the foothills above downtown Colorado Springs and is worth at least a two-night stay.

You seldom find discounted rooms available on Internet sites, but you can book the Broadmoor on Hotels.com .

At least visit the Broadmoor, if you don’t stay there.

Mineral Hot Springs

This suggestion is not for everyone, but you may love it.

Near our scenic route from Ouray to Colorado Springs, Valley West Hot Springs offers a clothing-optional rustic spa resort setting. This friendly nonprofit resort (run by the Orient Land Trust) attracts mostly couples and families but singles are welcome.

Hiking trails, a variety of hot spring pools (with views across a valley), and a swimming pool maintained at perfect temperature beckon.

Check its web site for inexpensive camping, dorm (Oakwood House), cabin, and motel room-style (Sunset House) lodging options. No private baths are available, but shared ones are kept spotless. Because there's no restaurant on site, most visitors cook in well-kept communal kitchens.

You find Valley West just east of the village of Mineral Hot Springs near the intersection of Colorado Highway 17 and U.S. 285.

Go on to Colorado mountain safe driving and health tips, Part VII

Go back to introduction to your Colorado scenic drive, Part I

Part I, Introduction
Part II, Denver to Glenwood Springs via Rocky Mountain National Park
Part III, Glenwood Springs to Ouray at the base of the San Juan's
Part IV, San Juan range circle tour
Part V, Ouray to Colorado Springs and Denver
Part VI, Overnight stops and accommodation suggestions
Part VII, Mountain safe driving and health tips

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