Colorado is a big state with so much to see and do. There’s four national parks, some great cities, and more outdoor adventures than you could imagine. If you love being outdoors, try to give yourself as much time as possible. But, if you are limited on your vacation time, here’s three great options for a short, Colorado 5 day itinerary. All three of these are based off of my longer 10 Day Colorado Itinerary, but have been shortened to efficiently cover a smaller section of the state.
A Note on These Itineraries
Before I get too far into the actual itineraries, I want to one important note. No matter which Colorado 5 day itinerary you choose, you’ll find yourself at higher altitudes in Colorado (although the exact elevation will vary depending on which trip you take).
While you’ll want to be efficient and make the most of your short time, you need to be aware that may need some time to adjust to the altitude.
When I first flew into Colorado, hiking on my first day in Colorado Springs kicked my butt. However, by the time I left Colorado over a week later, things were much easier. You will not have as much time to acclimatize, so be sure to drink plenty of water, go slow, and know your limits.
Option 1 – Western Colorado
Highlights: Mesa Verde National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Million Dollar Highway
Why Should You Do This Itinerary: While you’ll still experience crowds, particularly between Durango and Ouray, I found crowds at Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison to be significantly lower than other national parks in Colorado. Plus you’ll get some epic mountain views.
Day 1 – Arrive Montrose and Drive to Cortez
Flights into Montrose are limited, so if you’re not starting at one of a handful of airports (such as Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Houston, or Phoenix), you’ll likely have to take some kind of connection to get here. It can be a pain, but this is the best place to start your five day Colorado itinerary. Arrive in Montrose and pick up your rental car.
There are a few ways to get to Cortez, but I recommend taking Highway 62 to Highway 145. This is the route that shows up for me when I plug it into Google Maps, but it is important to note that there are other, more scenic ways to get between the two cities. We will do those scenic drives, just later in the trip.
If you’re concerned about a boring drive, don’t worry, you should still have some good views since Highway 145 is part of the San Juan Skyway, a scenic byway that makes a loop connecting Montrose, Cortez, and Durango. Over the course of these five days, you’ll drive the entire loop.
Expect the drive from Montrose to Cortez to take two and a half to three hours. When you arrive in Cortez, check into your hotel and relax.
Sleep: Cortez
Day 2 – Mesa Verde National Park
Today is all about Mesa Verde National Park. From Cortez, it’s a twenty minute drive to the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park, which feels super convenient and almost as if it’s too easy. What is not convenient is the fact that most of what you’ll want to see at Mesa Verde in the very back of the park. Allow at least 45 minutes to get from the main entrance off of Highway 160 to the back of the park. Give yourself plenty of time, especially if you book any scheduled tours.
In my opinion, the best thing to do at Mesa Verde National Park is to take a tour of one of the cliff dwellings. There are several tours offering different experiences, but the most popular is the tour of Cliff Palace and it’s the dwelling I toured on my visit to Colorado. The Cliff Palace tour lasts thirty minutes and allows you to get up close to the Cliff Palace dwelling and also teaches you some history of the park you are visiting.
Other things to do at the park include driving one of the scenic loops (Spruce Tree Loop, Cliff Palace Loop, or Mesa Top Loop). You can also hike the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail and hiking the Point Lookout Trail (which has the best views in the entire park). And the main road through Mesa Verde National Park has plenty of scenic overlooks to stop at.
After your visit to Mesa Verde, drive east to Durango. From the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park, it is a 40 minute drive to Durango.
Sleep: Durango
Day 3 – Million Dollar Highway and Ouray
Today you have the entire day to get from Durango to Montrose. The drive takes two and a half hours, but there are so many other activities you can do on the way. Take a train ride in Durango, go hiking, go rafting, wander through the shops of Ouray. There’s so much you could do that the real question is figuring out what activity looks the best to you.
You’ll continue driving on the San Juan Skyway again, but between Silverton and Ouray, you’ll be driving on the Million Dollar Highway. This may have been my favorite scenic drive I did in Colorado. The views are spectacular, but please be sure to pay attention. You’ll be driving windy, mountainous roads.
End your day in Montrose, where you can prepare for your last full day of your short trip.
Sleep: Montrose
Day 4 – Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Today you’ll be focusing on the south rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. There are multiple lookouts, a few hiking trails, and you can drive the East Portal Road to the bottom of the canyon. And yes, it is possible to do all of this in one day. I stopped at every viewpoint, hiked two trails, drove East Portal Road and never felt rushed. This means you’ll still have some time in the evening. You can explore Montrose or just spend some time relaxing.
While it is possible to also visit the north rim, it will be an incredibly busy day. I’d recommend savoring the south rim rather than trying to cram everything in.
Sleep: Montrose
Day 5 – Goodbye Colorado
Return your rental car and fly home from Montrose.
Hotels Needed
Day 1: Cortez
Day 2: Durango
Days 3-4: Montrose
Option 2 – Southern Colorado
Highlights: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Pike’s Peak
Why Should You Do This: You’ll get to spend some time hiking in an amazing park, experience one of the most accessible fourteeners in the country, and have fun sand boarding at Great Sand Dunes. This Colorado itinerary is also the most relaxed of my three 5 day itineraries. So those looking for some fun, but don’t want to go overboard, check out this Colorado itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrive Colorado Springs
To cut some driving from this five day itinerary, use the Colorado Springs airport. While you can still use Denver Airport, it adds about two and a half hours of total driving to this short Colorado itinerary.
You’ll likely feel the altitude in Colorado Springs, so take it easy your first day and start adjusting to the altitude.
Sleep: Colorado Springs
Day 2 – Colorado Springs
You’ll have one full day in Colorado Springs. There’s a lot you can do here, but I recommend splitting your time between two activities. First, head to Garden of the Gods, a free park with incredible rock formations.
I arrived here shortly after 10:00 and spent about three and a half hours here. While you could spend longer here, a half day is enough to see the highlights and not feel rushed.
In the afternoon, head over to Pike’s Peak. You have several options to get to the top of this popular fourteener. You can drive yourself (which is what I did), you can take a shuttle, or you can take a train. Whichever you choose, plan to spend between two to three hours here.
Sleep: Colorado Springs
Day 3 – Cañon City and Alamosa
Today you’ll head to your only national park of this road trip. You can go straight to Great Sand Dunes National Park from Colorado Springs (approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes) or you can take the longer, more scenic route.
I detoured through Cañon City for one reason: to drive Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is a narrow, one way road with steep drop-offs on either side. The distance is short, only 2.5 miles so it’s over relatively quickly, but it’s still thrilling. However, if you’re scared of heights or not comfortable driving on mountain roads quite yet, this may not be the drive for you.
After Cañon City, you’ll continue west on Highway 50 before heading south. Honestly, I think this drive on Highway 50 was more scenic than Skyline Drive (but Skyline Drive was more adrenaline filled). You’re driving along the Arkansas River through a canyon and it is beautiful. Maybe I was just biased since this was my first day of scenic drives, but I enjoyed it.
Throughout the day, you’ll pass through several towns that offer loads of outdoor activities. You can head straight to Great Sand Dunes, but consider making some stops on the way. You could do some hiking, rafting, canoeing, fishing, or nearly any other activity you can think of. Since the drive to Alamosa only takes a half day (even if you detour through Cañon City), you can still justify spending a half day on one of these other activities.
Be warned, once you head south on Highway 17 toward Alamosa, it becomes incredibly boring. The road is stick straight with not much interest and it feels like it goes on forever. Without a doubt, this was my least favorite section of driving from my entire road trip around Colorado.
Sleep: Alamosa
Day 4 – Great Sand Dunes National Park
Before you head to Great Sand Dunes National Park, stop in Alamosa and rent a sandboard or a sandsled. Having one of these makes your visit to Great Sand Dunes more fun. You have a full day at Great Sand Dunes today. Walk on the dunes and embrace your inner child and enjoy riding down the sand dunes on a sand board or a sand sled. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy your time on the dunes.
Sleep: Alamosa
Day 5 – Return to Colorado Springs and Fly Home
The trip is over. Drive back to Colorado Springs, return your rental car, and head home.
Hotels Needed
Days 1-2: Colorado Springs
Days 3-4: Alamosa
Option 3 – A Deeper Dive into Rocky Mountain National Park
Highlights: Rocky Mountain National Park
Why Should You Do This: For people who love to hike, Rocky Mountain National Park is absolute paradise. This 5 day Colorado itinerary is all about hiking.
Day 1 – Fly Into Denver
Fly into Denver International Airport. Once you arrive, pick up your rental car and head an hour and a half northwest to the city of Estes Park. Check in to your hotel and take it easy. You’ll likely be adjusting to the altitude and you don’t need to plan much the first day.
Depending on what time you arrive, you can drive straight to Estes Park following the most direct route or you can take a slight detour. The Peak to Peak Scenic Byway connects Estes Park to I-70. You don’t need to do the entire drive, and could just jump on in Nederland. I don’t have too much else I can say about this scenic drive because when I did it, it was covered in fog and I didn’t any scenery.
Sleep: Estes Park
Day 2 – Trail Ridge Road
If you’re coming from lower elevations, you’re probably still adjusting to the altitude. So rather, than start a massive hike, continue acclimatizing and spend the day driving Trail Ridge Road, which stretches all the way from Estes Park to Grand Lake. Along the way you’ll find loads of pull offs for photos and will get to see the park transform from the idyllic beauty to the tundra and back.
As you drive, you’ll find a several options for shorter hikes. If you feel good, take advantage and see some absolutely breathtaking views.
Sleep: Estes Park
Day 3 – Bear Lake Corridor
There’s loads of hikes to do in the Bear Lake Corridor, but if you’re still trying to adjust, I recommend starting with the hike from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake. Along the way, you’ll pass four beautiful alpine lakes. After, consider hiking Sprauge Lake or one of the other shorter hikes in the Bear Lake Area.
Sleep: Estes Park
Day 4 – A Big Hike
By now, you’re as acclimatized as you’re going to get. Today is the day you do your biggest hike. Summit a mountain, hike to Sky Pond, or tackle one of the numerous other longer trails in the park. The choice is yours.
Sleep: Estes Park
Day 5 – Return to Denver and Fly Home
Your trip is over. It’s another hour and a half drive back to Denver where you will return your rental car and fly home. If you have the time and missed out on the Peak to Peak scenic byway on Day 1, consider driving it on your way back to Denver.
Hotels Needed
Days 1-4: Estes Park
A Note About Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park requires timed entries for visitors wanting to drive Trail Ridge Road between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm and enter the Bear Lake Corridor between 6:00 am and 5:00 pm. Make sure you book your reservations in advance.
Which Colorado 5 Day Itinerary Should You Choose
This is a question only you can answer. Each person wants something different. Some will want to hike as much as they can, others want the best scenic drives, and others want a little of both. No matter which five day itinerary you choose, I’m sure you’ll have a great time in Colorado.
That all said, I honestly, don’t think I could choose a favorite itinerary.
When To Do This
Regardless of which Colorado 5 day itinerary you choose, you’ll want to do this when there is warm weather and everything is open. Summer is busy season and you can end up with really high temperatures. I visited Colorado in the first week of September and had a great time, although it was still really hot, with temperatures hitting nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) in some parts of the state. I’d recommend visiting in the middle of September of a great experience.
Other Notes
As a final reminder, you’ll be at a high altitude and that may affect you. When I visited, my first full day at Colorado Springs hit me hard. I constantly felt out of breath as I hiked around Garden of the Gods. By the end of my trip, I felt fine and had very few altitude related concerns while hiking around Rocky Mountain National Park. With such a short itinerary, you lose some of that valuable acclimatization time, so take it easy.
Final Thoughts
Colorado is a state with just so much to explore. From its scenic drives to its beautiful parks, I struggled to fit everything in when I visited for 10 days. But if you’re strategic with your planning, you can still have a great time with a short, five day Colorado itinerary.
Continue Your Adventure
Colorado National Parks: No visit to Colorado would be complete without a visit to one of its national parks. Great Sand Dunes is awesome for sledding and having fun. Mesa Verde has a huge focus on human history. Black Canyon of the Gunnison feels more off the beaten path (but is still gorgeous). Rocky Mountain is a hiker’s paradise, although there’s plenty for non-hikers.
Colorado Springs: This city offers so many fun things to do, including hiking at Garden of the Gods and driving to the top of Pike’s Peak.
Colorado Travel Guide: Start planning your trip to Colorado with my Colorado Travel Guide.
Arizona in 5 Days: For those without a lot of vacation time, I’ve also put together some short 5 day itineraries for Arizona.