Between Taos and DEN airport, where to stop for a night? (Denver: rental car, where to stay)

[Bonneval]

I'll plan to drive to and from DEN to Taos in early Sept and will have 1-2 days/nights each way to kill. Any recommendations of good stopping places to relax along the way and spend the night? I'm thinking low key scenic areas, or quaint towns, maybe some mild hikes? Any areas to avoid? I prefer not to be in a place overrun with tourists, but that's probably what most visitors would say!

Knowing of places West and North of Denver might be appreciated, but I'm not sure I want to add too much more driving by going off the path to/from Taos.

Also - how bad is the traffic really? Is it wise to stay right by the airport on departure day for a weekday morning flight?

[hikernut]

There's plenty to see without going out of the way. If you take US 285 there is...

Great Sand Dunes NP. Pretty unique. A couple of hours is all you need to wander around on the dunes for a bit.
Lots of hiking in the Sangre De Cristo range (Crestone Needle, Humbolt Peak, etc). As much or as little as you like.
And then closer to Denver, around Baily and Pine, you have the Lost Creek Wilderness for hiking.
It's only a 5-6 hour drive. If you want a stop overnight, Salida or Buena Vista seem like the most likely choices.

It's faster to use the I-25 / US 160 route. Lots of hiking near Colorado Springs. I'm not as familiar with this area, so can't really make any specific recommendations outside of stopping at Garden of the Gods. It can be hectic, but still worth it IMO.

So you could take one route down and the other route back. Not sure about and COVID restrictions for any of these areas.

[beezle1]

If you can find somewhere to stay where you can check out Bishop Castle, it is worth a side trip.

Also, Salida might be an interesting overnight stop.

https://www.bishopcastle.org/plan-your-visit/

[hikernut]

One other one if you find yourself on I-25...

Castlewood Canyon is just east of Castle Rock, and south of Franktown. Easy hiking, and lower elevation so it's a good choice if you encounter some cold weather.

[otowi]

Kind of depends on your interests. Lots to see in Colorado Springs, Pueblo or Trinidad along that route.

[Bonneval]

Thanks everyone! We are excited to look into these suggestions! Really appreciate it.

[mic111]

For relaxation, scenic views, nice hikes and a great stop I suggest checking out Ojo Calienta Resort and Spa. Mild hikes where you can see pot sherds if you look down.

https://ojosparesorts.com/

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denv...36.4072134!3e0


Great Sand Dunes is also nice.

https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denv...36.4072134!3e0


If you go to Great Sand Dunes and want a really fun, off the beaten path, great pictures and bragging rights to your friends but still incredibly easy hike, bring your water shoes and try Zapata Falls Trail.
https://www.alamosa.org/san-luis-val...ta-falls-trail

Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort will have you driving down a much more scenic route than I-25. The overnight stay along with the more scenic route would make this an attractive overnight option.

https://mtprinceton.com/

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denv...36.4072134!3e0


I've never been to Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resport but we have camped in the area and it is very pretty. I have been to Ojo Caliente and The Great Sand Dunes multiple times and they both have nice scenery and easy hikes.

[bluescreen73]

There's some road construction in the high country to consider. US-285 is the most-direct route through the backcountry from Taos to Denver. CDOT is planning to close the road between Antero Junction and Fairplay for 3 months to replace a bridge. The closure was supposed to start a week ago, but it's been postponed due to the closure of I-70 through Glenwood Canyon. The detour will take you from Antero Junction to Hartsel on US-24 then north into Fairplay on CO-9. It will add about 10-15 miles onto the route, and traffic in the mountains on the weekends in September already sucks so be warned.

If you're coming into Denver on a Sunday, I would avoid 285/9 through Fairplay at all costs. Traffic backs up significantly at the stoplight on the south side of Fairplay. It can take an hour or more just to go 3 miles. I would still go see Great Sand Dunes, but instead of going north on 285, I'd head east on US-50 through Salida. You could stop and see Royal Gorge (it's not cheap) and drive Skyline Drive above Cañon City. Then head east of Cañon to Florence and take CO-115 into Colorado Springs.

In Colorado Springs you can check out Garden of the Gods, Palmer Park and/or Pulpit Rock. The US Olympic Hall of Fame and Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame are also in the Springs.

From the Springs it's a quick jump up I-25 into Denver or you can exit at Interquest Parkway and take CO-83 to Parker. Castlewood Canyon State Park is right off CO-83 just south of Franktown and it offers even more hiking. If you take this route, be sure to avoid E-470 once you get to Parker. It's an expensive, cashless toll road, and you'll be charged out the wazoo if you're in a rental car. Instead take Lincoln Ave. west from CO-83 and hop on I-25 northbound.

Originally Posted by hikernut

There's plenty to see without going out of the way. If you take US 285 there is...

Great Sand Dunes NP. Pretty unique. A couple of hours is all you need to wander around on the dunes for a bit.
Lots of hiking in the Sangre De Cristo range (Crestone Needle, Humbolt Peak, etc). As much or as little as you like.
And then closer to Denver, around Baily and Pine, you have the Lost Creek Wilderness for hiking.
It's only a 5-6 hour drive. If you want a stop overnight, Salida or Buena Vista seem like the most likely choices.

It's faster to use the I-25 / US 160 route. Lots of hiking near Colorado Springs. I'm not as familiar with this area, so can't really make any specific recommendations outside of stopping at Garden of the Gods. It can be hectic, but still worth it IMO.

So you could take one route down and the other route back. Not sure about and COVID restrictions for any of these areas.

I wouldn't recommend that cluster of peaks to someone who's just passing through and looking for a day or so to kill. The trailhead is difficult to get to. You need a high-clearance 4WD to get to the trailhead. If you don't have one you're adding an additional 5.5-6 miles and 1,100' of vertical gain on to what is already a long day. Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle are two of the more-difficult 14er ascents in the state. Both feature significant amounts of gain and are subject to considerable exposure and rockfall. Injuries and fatalities on those two peaks are a yearly occurrence. Humboldt is easier, but it's still not a walk in the park. It's 11 miles and 4200' of gain from the upper trailhead. If the OP has the requisite vehicle and is just looking to stop in the valley below the peaks, then it's not a terrible day.

[sjanew80]

The traffic in Denver is pretty bad along the major highways. However, this really only occurs during peak traffic times (0700-0900 and 1500-1800). I-25 can be a beast at any time of the day, so if you can aim to at least get east of that to stay, it would probably be wise.

[Bonneval]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

If you take this route, be sure to avoid E-470 once you get to Parker. It's an expensive, cashless toll road, and you'll be charged out the wazoo if you're in a rental car. Instead take Lincoln Ave. west from CO-83 and hop on I-25 northbound.

Bluescreen: Thank you so much for all the traffic advice and other detailed tips. - I really appreciate knowing how to avoid these traffic traps I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

I'm curious - Driving to and from DEN, what route would you take to avoid E-470 (in particular, to and from Castle Rock? It seems like the main road that google map directions give to get to DEN. We may spend the night in Castle Rock on the way in and out (Arrival flight at 8 pm on a Mon, and flight out 2 pm on a Friday).