3 Colorado National Parks to Visit That Aren’t Rocky Mountain

This is in Colorado. I know, I was shocked too.

When you think of Colorado, what comes to mind? Almost immediately glimpses of Denver appear or the snow-capped summits of the Rocky Mountains range wander through your head. Denver and the Rockies definitely deserve the hype, but they aren’t all that Colorado has to offer you!

Next time you plan a trip out West, or one to Colorado specifically, add these lesser-known destinations to your must-see list. My biggest piece of advice is to purchase the Annual Parks Pass ($80). If you do a Southern Colorado trek, each of these parks have entrance fees of $15-$30, so it may be more beneficial to pay the one-time $80 cost. I’m all about saving money where I can! I happened to also be trekking to Moab, Utah, so I knew I’d save since I was also entering three parks there that each have an entrance fee.

Last summer on a cross-country road trip, the ultimate destination was Idaho. How to get there, however, was up for discussion. After some great Kansas City barbeque, Colorado seemed like it was just minutes away, so I planned for that state next on the itinerary.

Colorado is home to four national parks— one of which is way more popular than the others. Rocky Mountain National Park is well-known for good reason! It’s easily accessible from Denver and it’s breathtaking. I visited the park a few years ago, so I opted out of revisiting this time around.

Instead, I traversed southern Colorado exploring the other national parks this gorgeous state has to offer. And what I discovered is that they are each true gems that not many people know about!

While you need a permit now to enter Rocky Mountain National Park due to its extreme popularity and congestion (4.4 million visitors in 2021!), the remaining three national parks have so few visitors it’ll feel like you have the park to yourself at some times.

Though I love a good tourist moment like when you first lay eyes on the Rockies, or when you witness the exact point when Ol’ Faithful erupts, I also take great pleasure in those quieter moments. The ones that not many are able to experience.

Here are the national parks that you should definitely visit in Colorado:

1. Great Sand Dunes National Park

We all know Colorado has the mountains, but sand dunes? And North America’s tallest ones at that?

In the southwest pocket of Colorado, in the town of Mosca, that’s exactly what you’ll find. A striking mountain range that serves as a backdrop to the sheer beauty of sand several hundred feet in the sky, seemingly out of nowhere.

There are three dunes that top all the others: High Dune, Star Dune, and Hidden Dune. For all three, park at Dune Parking just past the Visitor Center.

High Dune isn’t the tallest dune, but it is the quickest to get up. If you are only passing through the park, this is the perfect one to tackle. From the parking lot, head straight up the dunes. It’s a little under 700 feet and about three miles total.

Star Dune and Hidden Dune are the tallest – Hidden is slightly taller than Star. These two are longer treks (around 6-7 miles).

This park is one of the least visited (as are the other two on this list). In 2019, Great Sand Dunes had 527, 546 visitors. Obviously that number has risen with the increase of road trips and stateside travel, but it’s still nowhere near the looks of visitor numbers in popular parks.

Tips: Start early or go later in the afternoon. Sand can really heat up. If you’re into it, rent a sandboard from town to save yourself time once you hike up. There is a water station at the parking lot to rid yourself of sand. Though it might stick around for longer than you’d like!

Best time of year to visit: Fall or winter to see the contrast of the mountainscape behind the dunes. Summer brought welcomed warmth on a windy day at the dunes. You can’t go wrong!

Where to stay: The dunes can be a day trip, but if you want to take advantage of seeing the stars at night, I would camp within the park at the designated campground, Piñon Flats.

2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

The Black Canyon is one of the few places I’ve visited that left me in utter awe. This park truly is phenomenal. Located right by the charming, small town of Montrose, this park is a hidden gem. Considering it is one of the deepest canyons, it makes sense it isn’t visible to most people.

The drive in isn’t too captivating, but as soon as you stop at the first overlook, the jagged rock structures and sheer darkness along the canyon edges will surely give you a reason to not look away.

The Gunnison River in all its glory.

This park only had 432, 818 visitors in 2019. That blows my mind. There is truly something for every explorer at this park. World-renown fishing, incredible hikes, and stunning vistas.

I recommend driving down South Rim Road and stopping at each view along the way. Each trek is short and provides new angles of the canyon. I couldn’t get enough of its depth!

Tips:

Spend two days in this park. One day can be spent exploring all the overlooks and going on short hikes to see the true depths of this canyon. The next day can be spent with an obtained permit to go down into the canyon on the Gunnison route. This route is an incredible 2.7 mile hike with 1,700 ft elevation gain. The trail is minimally marked and a very limited number of hikers are allowed each day, fueling the intensity of this hike.

The first viewpoint from the entrance of the park opens up to this scaping view of the Black Canyon.

Best time of year to visit: Summer. This park is so infrequently visited that parking wasn’t an issue, neither was overcrowding at any lookout point. The roads are also closed in winter, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Where to stay: KOA in Montrose, CO. This KOA is very affordable and conveniently close to both the main street and the park. As with most KOAs, you can camp in a tent or stay in a cabin!

3. Mesa Verde National Park

These cave dwellings were built around the end of the 12th century. How wild is it that we can view (and walk among them) today?

I have had this park on my list from the beginning of my park journey. Famous for the cliff dwellings, this park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. One of the first in the United States!

Despite how incredible this park is, only a little over half a million people visited in 2019 (556,203).

I did a self-guided exploration of this park for half a day, soaking in the cliff dwellings from every angle I could and from every lookout point possible. I suggest driving along the Mesa Top Loop. This road will give you access to neat stops like the Sun Point View and views of the cliff dwellings. If you’re short on time, definitely take a ride along this loop road to absorb as much as you can.

I love imagining what it would’ve been like to discover places like this (and Machu Picchu) for the first time. Here is a cave dwelling from an overlook point.

Tips: For guided tours, book in advance! There’s nothing worse than arriving at a new park, hopeful to see something, only to find out it’s booked. You can book your guided tour here.

Best time of year to visit: Almost every season. Seriously! I visited in August and never struggled for a parking spot. It’s very unvisited, which makes it quite the hidden gem. However, if you really want to take a guided tour, you need to visit May-October as they are not offered in the winter and spring months.

Where to stay: Cortez/Mesa Verde KOA Journey in Cortez, CO.

Have you visited any of these Colorado national parks? Which one is on your list?

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How I Traveled Across the U.S. for Less Than $1,000

A few days into van life and still smiling!

When planning our summer road trip, we set our eyes on what we believe to be a hidden gem in this country: the Sawtooths mountain range. One glance at these peaks will leave you mesmerized. And so began our planning phase. The trip was originally going to start with a flight from Boston to Boise and back. Below is how we brainstormed from there, while remaining budget-conscious.

Our final trip took us from Western Massachusetts to Idaho and back home. Here are all the places we explored or stayed in:

Columbus, Ohio > St. Louis & Kansas City, MO > Southern Colorado > Southeastern Utah > Twin Falls, Boise, and Sawtooth Mountains, ID

How to Start Planning Your Trip

We initially wanted to fly out to Boise and try out the RV or van life via renting. Flights from Boston to Boise hovered around $500. We were going to bite the bullet: purchase the flights to Boise and rent a renovated van or small RV for around $140-$200 a day. As I started to get to the final page of payment for the van, the numbers added up. Big time.

Not only is there a charge each day of renting, there is an additional required insurance (understandable of course), as well as a hefty fee for driving more than 100 miles per day. Crunching those numbers led to a few thousands of dollars spent on housing, transportation, and flight for a two-week trip. One website we researched was Wander Vans, which for a two-person van for 14 days totaled to $2,200. Additional mileage over 125 (for this specific company) was 35 cents per mile. That total doesn’t include insurance, which was an extra requirement. These vans were sold out for the dates we wanted, but was one of the cheapest options we found. Others grew exponentially from there.

Not a bad spot to enjoy the sunset in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah.

We loved the idea of having a car and housing in one, and of course insurance and cleaning fees are part of that when renting. We tried to justify the expenses by pointing out the van is both the mode of transportation and place to crash each night, but ultimately decided there had to be a cheaper way.

The van’s traveled to some neat places so far like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.

And thus, the road trip idea took a different turn. I used Priceline this time around to book a rental car. When selecting an option (I usually get an SUV to fit all of our camping necessities), I came across a cargo van option. I may be late to the game (or never really had to move things around), but cargo vans are an option? And cost less than an SUV? Not sure where I’ve been this entire time, but I’m glad I came across it.

Making our way through the Southeastern corner of Utah.

The total cost for a two-week rental was $612, but we added in an extra day for $60. The taxes and fees came out to $110, so the total cost for renting a cargo van in Western Massachusetts was $785. We split up travel costs, so my half came out to slightly under $400.

If you’ve read my previous post, 7 Lessons I’ve Learned Road-Tripping Across the U.S., you’ll know I never skimp out on rental car insurance. Of course it’s up to you, but it did add $500 to the total trip. Again, $250 on my end.

Where to Stay

Now that transportation was secured, we needed a place to stay everywhere we traveled. At first, as I mentioned, we looked at transportation that included a stay (i.e. an RV or van). When we threw that out the window and added in the cargo van, we considered Airbnbs. We love a good Airbnb, but for 14 nights, the cost would add up swiftly. So that was out.

With the cargo van, we knew we had two seats in the front and a large space for our needs in the back. The idea for a DIY renovated van was born. We borrowed two air mattresses and an air pump, so the sleeping aspect was covered.

Sure a renovated van with a built in bed, along with ventilation and a heating system would be ideal, but it’s very expensive. Almost anyone can rent a cargo van, throw a mattress in the back, and travel the U.S. with a little planning.

With our bed arrangement figured out, next up was deciphering places to sleep. My favorite option is Kampgrounds of America, or KOA. They are affordable (if you join their membership, you receive 10% off each time – it pays off if you utilize them!) and are all over the U.S. I’ve stayed in cabins and tent sites from the Adirondack mountains in New York to the suburbs of Ohio, to the Badlands in South Dakota. They are everywhere!

The tent sites range based on location. In Moab, Utah, for a tent site with electric plugs and water, it’s $50 a night. You do get a safe location to park, along with wi-fi, showers, and coin laundry at every KOA. For the peace of mind and convenience, it’s worth the price for me! Other not as popular locations, or tent sites without electric can be as low as $30 a night.

If you are budget-conscious as we are, we researched another option. Sure KOAs are great, but we wanted to see how affordable we could go. And that’s when we came across Pilot/Traveling J and Love’s.

Like I mentioned, van life isn’t always Instagram-worthy, but it sure is great being on the go and saving money. Here’s one of the Pilots we stayed at.

Showers on the Road

Most people know van lifers park in Walmart parking lots overnight for a free stay, but the real gem is a Pilot, Traveling J, or Love’s traveling center. As much as I can go without a shower when on the road or on a camping trip, two weeks might be pushing my limit.

These three companies are all essentially the same: a 24-hour gas station for truckers that provides free restrooms, showers for $13-$15, and overnight parking.

The showers are extremely clean and private. One of the best parts is that it isn’t timed, and they even provide towels (though we used our own). To save even more, you can share a shower if you’re traveling with someone. One person hops in, then on the way out, you can pop in. It’s an easy way to turn a $13 shower into $6.50!

Pro tip: Download the Pilot/Traveling J app for rewards.

Costs not included: Food and Gas

The only costs not included above were food and gas. Gas prices vary based on your trip and time of year. For example, our two-week road trip to Montana last summer included wildly lower gas prices than this trip. In several places along the way we paid $4/gallon. Food can be done in a budget-friendly manner and can look like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday for lunch.

We knew we’d be moving quickly between national parks in Colorado and Utah, so we didn’t always cook our own food. Food is where we splurged to try new coffee shops or the local eateries. A big money-saver is a quick Walmart trip for basics. We bring our own kitchenware, grill, and propane tank, which helps too!

The van life isn’t always glamorous, but with our budget-friendly tips, hopefully it can be accessible for everyone who wants to give it a go. Would you try it out? Do you have any questions on how to start traveling in a van?

7 Lessons I’ve Learned Road-Tripping Across the U.S.

I absolutely love travel. Maybe it’s because my parents prioritized it when I was a kid –whether it was a trip to Disney World or my dad taking us through the woods off the sidewalk path in local parks. Regardless, I love exploring new places.

I especially love being in a foreign place. A language I don’t understand, food I don’t know how to pinpoint the ingredients for, and people who look differently than I do. When it came to traveling, I often flew to new places that were walkable because I didn’t have a car myself. When I purchased my first car after graduating college, I packed up my belongings and set off on a drive from Dallas to Massachusetts with my dad.

My dad and I’s first stop on our road trip up to MA: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas. This overlook hike is a must on your visit!

The drive itself takes a little over a day, but we split it up over a few days, staying in national parks along the way. Since then, I’ve ridden an Amtrak train from Denver back to Massachusetts, driven all around New England, and made my way around the U.S. on three longer road trips (to Missouri, Georgia, and Montana).

In all those hours spent in the car and the days spent on the road, I’ve learned a lot about preparing for a trip.

A trail view from Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota on the return home from our road trip last summer.

Here’s what I’ve learned from road-tripping across the U.S.

1. Things will go wrong with the perfect itinerary.

Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big planner. I use a color-coded Google sheet with multiple tabs varying from transportation, to housing addresses to packing lists, and sights to see. I love knowing I’ll see most of what a place has to offer by planning in advance.

However, there are things you can’t plan for. You can’t plan for forest fires to bring smoke to mountain ranges from the state over. You can’t plan for your pre-made food to go bad because the outside heat melted your ice sooner than expected. Since then I’ve learned to not pre-make several servings of mac and cheese to save time later since we ended up throwing it away.

Tip: Make a list of your non-negotiables, meaning the things you must do or places you absolutely must see. If you want to see the Mesa Arch in Canyonlands at sunrise and it’s an absolute dream of yours, then make that a priority. Maybe skip another attraction, or grab breakfast instead of cooking it if you’re short on time. Take out something in your “nice to do” bucket to ensure you fill up your “must do” bucket.

A year and a half ago, our flights to Kansas City were canceled due to the weather in Boston. We rented a car and turned the Conference Championship game into a road trip. A perfect example of how we couldn’t stick to the itinerary, yet it turned out to be an amazing weekend. We were even able to make it to Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis since we drove!

2. Always add two hours to your estimated time of arrival on your GPS.

You can’t plan for NY/NJ traffic to add two hours to your drive. Okay, maybe you can because it always feels like driving through this area adds so much time.

This is just one example of something that’s gone “wrong” on my trips in the past, or not according to plan. I’ve learned to add about two hours to the GPS. You don’t realize how much time you actually spend getting gas, buying an extra snack, and using the restroom even though you thought it’d be a quick minute to use the bathroom.

3. When planning, add in filler time. Or be okay with taking a detour.

Since we’re on the topic of time and planning, it’s important to add in time for the unexpected. On one of our trips, we were driving through South Dakota and saw sign after sign for a place called Wall Drug. The signs were such a hoot, we detoured and stopped by this tiny little western town. It ended up being one of the highlights of our drive through South Dakota! Had we not planned for additional time to get to the Badlands, we would’ve felt a need to stick to the road. Thus, missing this cool little spot.

When we made it to the Gateway Arch, our only plan was to view it from the exterior, take a few pictures, and continue our drive to Kansas City. We decided to take a detour, head inside, and book the last tour of the night. The tour took us up to the top of the Gateway Arch for this incredible view for sunset and back down in forty-five minutes. Totally worth it.

4. Double check your bookings a week before your trip. Or at the very least, the night before.

You may have planned to hit the road at 10 AM as soon as you pick up the rental car. That’s part of your itinerary, so it only makes sense. That is, until, you arrive at the rental company and they tell you you booked your car for the day before and since you didn’t pick it up, they rented it out to someone else.

Turns out, you aren’t leaving at 10 AM as you planned. This could have been easily avoided if I checked with the rental company a few days earlier to confirm the dates, or reviewed the booking email confirmation. This also goes for any boat tours or planned excursions you have, along with any campgrounds you reserved. Last summer I mixed up the dates more than once, which left us car camping under the stars in the Tetons (not mad about it), but it meant our KOA campsite in Yellowstone was given to someone else so we didn’t have a home base in Yellowstone.

Here’s the view from our campsite in Yellowstone, overlooking Yellowstone Lake. Not the worst way for plans to go when you mess up reservations.

5. If you’re using a rental car, get the insurance.

Everyone tells you this and you never listen. And when I mean you, I mean me. Almost everyone I have talked to about road trips says nine times out of ten, their rental car was fine. However, there’s always that one time. Ask anyone who travels on the road and they’ll tell you the trouble they had with their car or the animal encounter they had that no one wished for.

This goes back to earlier where I mentioned you probably won’t remember paying for things you forgot to bring. You won’t look back on your road trip thinking how much money you wasted on insurance. I add in the insurance when budgeting so that I don’t get overwhelmed when it comes to the total cost of a rental.

Tip: Book your rental in advance. If possible, pay upfront so your rental is reserved if you’re late and the cost is often cheaper. I use websites like Priceline to find the cheapest option. I also always double check for two things: 1) unlimited mileage (almost all rentals are, but vans/RVs often charge over 100 miles/day) and 2) restrictions.

More on restrictions - In Maui, most rental car companies don’t cover you if you drive a specific part of the Road to Hana. On a map, that part of the road looks like it saves you a great deal of time, but the conditions aren’t ideally suitable for driving.

On the Big Island, companies also don’t cover your drive to the summit of Mauna Kea. Always read the fine print or simply ask the representative which roads or attractions may be off limits to not lead to financial issues later.

 6. You will forget things. Just buy it along the way!

I used to get so stressed about forgetting something, as if there wasn’t a store along the way at some point to pick it up. In the grand scheme of your road trip, one purchase of q-tips won’t break your budget, and you surely won’t remember spending the money on it in the long run.

My very first road trip with my dad across Texas heading toward Big Bend National Park back in 2016. It’s safe to say I’ve been enjoying these drives for quite some time.

7. Embrace life on the road.

What initially was frustrating about mixing up dates and losing out on a campground in Yellowstone led to us finding out that each day Yellowstone offers first come first serve campsites. Had we had our original campground, we never would have landed a campsite directly across Yellowstone Lake, waking up to neighbors like elk casually walking past our tent.

Tip: Talk to locals or park rangers when visiting somewhere new. We pulled over to ask a ranger about campsites to snag the one I mentioned above.

These are just a handful of the lessons I’ve picked up driving across this beautiful country, and I’m sure there are plenty more for me to learn.

What lessons have you learned while traveling? Would you add any to this list?