Best Spontaneous Day Trips from Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, the second biggest city in Colorado, sits in a glorious location at the southeastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. Go RVing to Colorado Springs, and you’ll enjoy access to spectacular lofty peaks in one direction, the vast high desert in the other, plus historic towns packed with unique points of interest along every local highway. This rare concentration of natural and cultural treasures makes Colorado Springs an excellent home base for day trips.
Score a campsite in the vicinity and you’ll be able to pursue any number of amazing adventures within a reasonable day trip’s distance from Colorado Springs. As a popular destination for tourists, especially during peak summer months, it’s usually sensible to plan ahead and make advanced reservations at local attractions. However, it’s definitely possible to take spontaneous day trips from Colorado Springs, too. Make sure you keep your schedule flexible and have some backup options in mind. Fortunately, there are plenty of potential day trip destinations to consider. Here are some of the best.
Take a Day Trip to Denver
Denver is 70 miles north of Colorado Springs, so certainly within reach for a day trip. If you’re keen to explore the city, it might be convenient to arrange an RV rental in Denver and make this day trip a bookend for your road adventure. Otherwise, look into the Bustang shuttle bus service that connects both cities. It’s inexpensive, runs frequently, and relieves any worry about finding RV parking in Denver.
Some of the must-see attractions in Denver that require zero planning include strolling, shopping, and dining in the LoHo Historic District with its 90-plus brew pubs, or picturesque Larimer Square lined with Victorian buildings. Another hot spot is Denver Union Station, a Beaux-Arts landmark dating to 1924, now a vibrant dining, shopping, and entertainment hub.
Museums and Landmarks in Denver
As you cruise America in your RV rental from Colorado Springs, if you appreciate art, dedicate a few hours to the Denver Art Museum. Its vast and diverse collections are housed in two striking buildings with mountain and city views. The Colorado State Capitol offers free tours on weekdays. A highlight is views of 200 named mountains from the rotunda. At the Colorado Railroad Museum, you can explore the state’s rich railroad history, and on Saturdays, take a ride on the vintage Galloping Goose. Explore the life and legacy of a Wild West icon at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, located at the top of Lookout Mountain.
Family and Outdoor Attractions in Denver
Denver is a prime destination for urban hikes with its many beautiful parks and outstanding views all around. The Denver Botanic Gardens are also ideal for a stroll amid natural beauty. Animal lovers and road-trippers with kids should check out the Denver Zoo. From early May to early November, Elitch Gardens offers 53 thrill rides in its theme park zone as well as a fun-filled water park.
Denver Sites For Sports Fans
Sports fans taking a Denver day trip from Colorado Springs should definitely take a tour of Coors Field, available in the off-season. Also, check out the (free!) Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and the National Ballpark Museum dedicated to Colorado baseball.
The Coors Brewery Tour
Golden, Colorado, on the western edge of Denver, is famous as the home of the Coors Brewery. Notable as the largest single-site brewery in the world, it’s a Colorado icon and familiar landmark to all beer drinkers. Reservations are required if you want to take a tour or sip samples in the lounge, but you might be able to score them at the last-minute, especially outside of peak season.
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Go Up on Cripple Creek for the Day
Looking for a day trip from Colorado Springs that combines local history with fun adventures? Then travel 45 miles west to the town of Cripple Creek. The discovery of gold transformed Poverty Gulch into Cripple Creek, the “world’s greatest gold camp” from 1890 to 1910. The downtown Cripple Creek Historic District is a National Historic Landmark, and some of the area’s most historic treasures are open to visitors.
A Narrow Gauge Railroad Ride
The Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad is open seasonally (mid-May through Labor Day) for 45-minute train rides in a century-old steam locomotive. Good news for spontaneous day-trippers — it’s all first-come, first-served, so no reservations are required to ride the rails. The train will take you chugging past historic mines, over a reconstructed trestle and past the deserted mining camp of Anaconda before returning to Cripple Creek.
The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour
Mollie Kathleen Gortner was the first woman in the gold camp of Cripple Creek to discover gold and strike a claim in her own name. Her namesake mine is still open for business, but has shifted from gold mining to tourism. Guided tours depart every 30 minutes and are first-come, first-served. You’ll descend 1,000 feet down the shaft in an elevator, then ride an underground tram to see exposed gold veins and vintage mining equipment.
Visit the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center
On the north slope of Pikes Peak, 26 miles west of Colorado Springs, is the non-profit, AZA-accredited Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. For animal lovers, it’s a must-do day trip from Colorado Springs. Advanced reservations are required (but can be made at the last minute) for one-hour guided walking tours, meet-and-greet encounters, feeding tours and private VIP encounters. All options showcase the sanctuary’s resident wolves, coyotes, and foxes, and include lots of educational information about these amazing species.
Adventures on the Arkansas River
The Arkansas River, which flows near Colorado Springs, is one of the most popular river rafting destinations in the United States. It’s also an amazing site for fly fishing. Both activities are available through outfitters based in towns and cities within easy reach for a day trip from Colorado Springs, such as Canon City and Buena Vista.
Whitewater rafting trips range from gentle, family-friendly floats all the way up to Class V rapids, so there’s a trip available to suit all abilities. Options also include combination trips such as rafting and ATV, bike, rock climbing or train tours, so you can get even more action packed into a single day trip.
Fly fishing enthusiasts can book a guided trip to the Arkansas River as a day trip from Colorado Springs, or pursue a fishing adventure independently. Nearly 80 miles of Gold Medal-designated waters are accessible to the public between Leadville and Canon City.
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Take a Road Trip to Royal Gorge
Royal Gorge is a remarkable natural wonder with its 1,000-foot walls of granite carved over millennia by the Arkansas River. You can admire the gorge from an also-remarkable man-made treasure — the Royal Gorge Bridge. Built in 1929, it’s the highest suspension bridge in the United States, comprising 1,257 wooden planks suspended 956 over the raging river.
A walk on the bridge is sure to be a thrill, and definitely worthy of a day trip from Colorado Springs, just 1 hour and 15 minutes away by road. Royal Gorge Bridge and Park offers free RV and trailer parking, making this an easy day trip to plan spontaneously. General admission includes access to the bridge, a three-story enclosed playground for kids, a theater show and a gondola ride.
Another memorable way to see Royal Gorge is with a ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, which runs alongside the Arkansas River. Luxury rides in a restored mid-century coach include a meal, with breakfast, lunch, afternoon and dinner departures available from March through September. Book online in advance or call for same-day tickets.
Where to Stay in Colorado Springs
Because Colorado Springs is such an excellent base camp for day trips across the region — as well as offering amazing attractions of its own — there are lots of great places to stay there. If you’re looking for some of the best RV parks in Colorado, check out the RV parks and campgrounds recommended by Visit Colorado Springs. They range from budget-friendly dispersed camping destinations to luxury glamping resorts.
Consider Golden Eagle Campground, family-run since 1961, with views of Pikes Peak and its own hiking trails and fishing lakes; or Goldfield RV Park, another family-owned resort welcoming RV road trippers for more than 60 years. Colorado Parks and Wildlife runs a year-round campsite at Cheyenne Mountain. The award-winning Garden of the Gods RV Resort is also open year-round with expansive grounds and views of Pikes Peak.
Be sure to read our Road Trip Packing Check List and Great Meals For Road Trips.
