11. Rocky Mountain National Park

Aiming for the Rocky Mountain National Park after an early winter storm the night before, we entered the park on the eastern side of the mountains at the entrance near Estes Park. The scene was unique, only possible maybe once in a lifetime. The fall season was near the end, but not over.

Snow-dusted trees with yellow, orange, and red leaves that refused to fall were backdropped by Ponderosa pine trees and snow-covered mighty mountains. Thick gray clouds passing over our heads threatened our visit but didn’t stop us from enjoying the day regardless of lost time, cold fingers, and frozen paws.

Pro Tips

Touring the Colorado mountains in the fall has lots of pros and a major con — unpredictable weather. Being flexible is crucial. A new app designed for tracking future weather situations along your route is Drive Weather.

Take Colorado one trip at a time. There simply are not enough minutes on a clock to see every part of these mountains perfect for hiking, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, or fishing. Go back, many times, during different seasons to see Colorado’s diverse habitats with an unbiased lens each time.