When visiting Denver, there are an incredible amount of opportunities within a few hours drive to make the most of your day. Whether you are looking for an adrenaline-filled adventure or a relaxing day to just take in the mountain scenery, you have more than enough options. Here are the best day trips near Denver.
Browns Canyon
If you’ve never been to Buena Vista, this is a great town to spend a day when looking to get outside of Denver. The drive is around 2.5 hours but it is definitely a beautiful one right along Highway 285 through the mountains; keep an eye out for moose and elk towards the summit of Kenosha Pass! The town is known for its amazing rafting as it sits right along the Arkansas River, one of the most popular rivers to raft in the country! In February of 2015, Browns Canyon, which covers 21,586 acres of canyons, rivers, and forests, was designated as a National Monument by President Obama. This is a great section to raft along the Arkansas. If rafting isn’t for you this is also a great area to go biking, fly-fish, or spend a day at one of the nearby hot springs.
Cliffside Zipline
The next place to plan a day trip is Idaho Springs. A little closer to Denver, only about a 30 minute drive, this is a nice short drive to some great outdoor activities. When I-70 traffic backs up this is the perfect spot to stop and enjoy all that Colorado has to offer. Like Buena Vista, Idaho Springs offers some great rafting on Clear Creek. If you’re looking to stay dry be sure to check out our Cliffside Zipline and fly through the air right next to the mountain!
The last place to spend a day outside of Denver would be taking a drive over to Colorado Springs. For those looking to gain some elevation, Pikes Peak, sitting at 14,115 feet, is a great spot to take in the views of the surrounding mountains. If you’re a car nut every year skilled driver and motorcycle rider from around the world gather to race from Mile Mark 7 to the summit of Pikes Peak to see who can make it to the top the fastest!
If you’re looking for more ideas of some of the best day trips to take near Denver, give us a call at Colorado Zipline, and let us know next time you want to head out ziplining!
