Colorado Parks and Recreation Areas with National Park

Established on January 26, 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park is a living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. With elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged top of Long's Peak, a visitor to the park has opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. read more...

Phone: 970-586-1206   Price Range: $0 - $10   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Estes Park   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Backpacking, Biking / Bicycling, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Downhill Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Rocky Mountain National Park

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers an unparalleled opportunity to see and experience a unique cultural and physical landscape. The culture represented at Mesa Verde reflects more than 700 years of history. From approximately A.D. 600 through A.D. 1300 people lived and flourished in communities throughout the area, eventually building elaborate stone villages in the sheltered alcoves of the canyon walls. Today most people call these sheltered villages cliff dwellings. The cliff dwellings represent the last 75 to 100 years of occupation at Mesa Verde. In the late 1200s within the span of one or two generations, they left their homes and moved away. read more...

Phone: 970-529-4465   Price Range: $3 - $10   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Mesa Verde   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Hiking, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Mesa Verde National Park

Nestled in southern Colorado, North America's tallest dunes rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The wind-shaped dunes glow beneath the rugged backdrop of the mountains. This geologic wonderland, containing over 30 square miles of massive dunes, became a national monument in 1932. With the passage of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act, resources now also include alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000' in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands--all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species. read more...

Phone: 719-378-6300   Price Range: $0 - $3   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Mosca   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park, National Preserve   Activities: Backpacking, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock. No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. read more...

Phone: 970-641-2337   Price Range: $5 - $10   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Gunnison   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Backpacking, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Black Canyon of the Gunnison