How to spend a summer day in the mountains of Colorado

If you have a day to spend in Colorado in summer, follow along on this itinerary for some hiking, swimming, a scenic drive through the mountains, and a perfect wee dinner to end it nicely.

Note: this post is dedicated to my brother Patrick and his partner Tori, who looked after me while I was sick and, as soon as I recovered, whisked me away across all of Colorado. Biggest congratulations to you both on your engagement.

After a three-year separation, I am finally back with family in the States. First stop is Denver, Colorado, where I spent the first week sick as a dog, with only views of my brother’s guest room.

It was imperative that I recover quickly because my brother had something significant underway: a proposal.

He drowned me in tea and vitamins to move my immunity along because I was not about to stuff a surprise engagement that relied on my participation.

Having been a Colorado resident for four years, my brother curated a set of activities to spend a perfect summer day celebrating at the lakes and mountains. He prepared lawn chairs, champagne, towels and sunscreen to ensure the day went smoothly… provided she said yes, of course.

If you have a day to spend in Colorado in summer, I reckon this is the perfect itinerary for a balanced Colorado experience, including hiking, swimming, quintessential American food, and a scenic drive in the mountains.

Enjoy!

But first, some crucial tips: what you’ll need to spend a perfect summer day in the Colorado mountains

My brother warned me Colorado was hot and dry, but I didn’t realise the extent until I arrived and became parched in ways I’d never before experienced. In order not to desiccate into a husk of yourself, below are a few crucials to bring with you to Colorado, regardless of city or mountains.

1. Sunscreen

Did I mention sunscreen? Having lived under the scorching NZ sun, I’m used to hauling this around everywhere. But in case you need a reminder, the sun is stronger in Colorado than other parts of the States. Being sunburnt in dry conditions is not a good time, so bring all the SPFs.

2. Water

Take water with you everywhere you go. Colorado is dry enough that you’ll constantly feel parched. And water also helps recover from altitude sickness. If you’re heading high into the mountains, you might experience dizziness or lethargy due to the low oxygen levels. Drinking water will help.

3. Lip balm + moisturiser + all manners of skin care

I’ve been in dry environments before but Colorado takes the crown for leaving my skin so parched, it literally cracked. I have dry skin already, and it was a bit of a drag to be applying lip balm every thirty minutes. Bring all manners of skin care to pack hydration into your skin on a daily basis. You’ll need it.

4. A jacket

As hot as it gets in Colorado summer, the temperature still drops overnight and in the mountains. At high elevation, be prepared for any sudden weather changes. I found I needed an extra layer several times throughout the day as we changed elevation, especially into the evening hours. Outdoors is where all the magic is, so keep a jacket on hand not to miss out.

The Itinerary: what to do for one summer day in the mountains of Colorado

Hiking North Table Mountain Park

spend a summer day in the Colorado mountains

Our first stop was North Table Mountain Park in the City of Golden, where the engagement would take place. The drive from Denver to Golden soothed my jetlagged recovering body as we exited urbanisation and entered a rolling vista of green.

Golden is a sprawling playground of mountain scenery. Sixty million years ago, lava flowed through the region, leaving behind hanging cliffs and sloping hills, out of which we carved many trails for hiking and cycling.

With its history of gold mining (hence the name), Golden reminded me of the gold rush towns in New Zealand… charming, quiet and surrounded by nature.

things to do in 24 hours — Me and my baby sister, Jamie

The North Table Mountain trailhead started with an upward shoot to the top of the mesa. It was a slog with my heaving lungs, but views from the top made it worth my while. The city hummed below, and land unfurled in all directions. I marveled at crumbling cliffs, pretty wildflowers, and green mountains in the distance.

Here, we were ambushed by family and friends and my brother dropped to one knee and asked his soulmate to marry him forever. This trail already held significance to them, and now it is special to me too, being the day I photographed my brother become an engaged man.

Pit stop at Idaho Springs

After the upward trek, the group decided we were positively hungry. Thirty minutes away sat the municipality of Idaho Springs, where we headed for lunch.

Named for its hot springs, Idaho Springs is another mining town turned tourist destination. The town centre is a quaint collection of historic buildings refurbished into shops and restaurants. We ate at MTN Prime, and although I’m not a steak enthusiast, I enjoyed the aggressively American decor and old west flair.

The table ordered burgers and French fries and my mother poured Baileys into her coffee. Food came in abnormally large portions and things never felt so ‘Merica.

Swimming at scenic Lake Granby

With food in our bellies, we set off for Lake Granby and this perked me right up. I enjoy lakes more than steaks, and I was ready for a plunge.

Driving past one mining town after the next – which I’m sure would look exceptionally charming in the winter snow – we finally arrived at Lake Granby, the third largest body of water in Colorado. The lake was created by a dam as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project… a collection of reservoirs utilising snow melt and gravity to deliver water to Colorado residents.

So Lake Granby is a giant pool of melted snow. With my experience swimming in the alpine lakes of New Zealand, this didn’t much faze me. Out of our screeching group, I spent the longest bopping in the water. Though I will admit it was so cold my skin felt like it was burning.

Encircled by mountains, Lake Granby felt like home. We erected tables and chairs on a little beach, and popped the champagne. The sun burnished our skins as we told stories of home, each of us having come from somewhere far away. We indulged in Colorado’s favorite snack, which opened the heart and loosened tongues.

Laughter ran across the icy waters, and I felt like myself again since landing in the country.

Trail Ridge Road: the highest paved road in the USA

As the sun dipped in the sky, the group was ready for the evening feed. To my excitement, we decided we would spend golden hour driving through Rocky Mountain National Park on scenic Trail Ridge Road.

Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved road in the United States, earning itself the moniker “Highway to the Sky”. It’s only open from end of May to mid-October; an inconceivable amount of snowfall makes the road too dangerous to drive. Even in summer, the alpine tundra was capped in snow, stretching on both sides of the road with no end in sight.

Having lived in New Zealand for so long, I have high standards for scenery. And I can confirm this drive took my breath away. I didn’t know where to look, aiming my camera out both windows and firing away.

First, we moved through green meadows and murmuring rivers with a stunning backdrop of mountains. I had hoped to see a bear, though I settled for a big daddy moose grazing peacefully in the grass.

Slowly we climbed the road, and the views became more dramatic.

At high elevation, no trees grew across the craggy landscape, offering sweeping views of valleys, summits and open sky. Spires shot into the heavens, and plateaus stretched endlessly, packed heavy with snow. At every stop, I breathed the crisp, clean air and admired the textured slopes drenched in sunlight.

This road was described to me as the crème de la crème of Colorado views, so I highly recommend this drive if you have a day to spend in the mountains of Colorado during summer.

Dinner at historic Stanley Hotel, Estes Park

Trail Ridge Road links Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park, where resides the historic Stanley Hotel. You may have heard of the haunted hotel, famous for inspiring Stephen King’s the Shining and the resulting film featuring Jack Nicholson.

I’m not a fan of horror or scary little children. But I do love old places with stories to tell. With a proper maze in the courtyard, the Stanley Hotel is an impressive colonial estate, equipped with historic luxury suites, a concert hall, and a bell tower.

If you get in your head about it, the estate certainly feels ominous. There’s something about the colonial grandeur, the ghostly white siding and rusty red rafters. Yet its rooms are bustling with visitors, drinking, eating, and admiring its many sophisticated rooms.

Because the Cascades – the restaurant inside the main building – was too busy for a party without a reservation, we had dinner at The Post Chicken and Beer. Here, the mood was far less pretentious and the patio commanded views of the rolling valley.

In a celebratory mood, my brother and sister ordered a heaping pile of chicken and waffles. If it weren’t for an engagement and driving through the highest road in USA, this could’ve been the highlight of the trip. Again, the portions were abnormally large, and it became clear this was the tastiest thing to grace our table. My salmon was delicious, but I couldn’t help eyeing the drizzling syrup and crispy chicken as my siblings stuffed their faces.

Despite my sensitive stomach, I stole a bite of waffle off my sister’s plate. And it was delectable.

Final thoughts: a perfect summer day in the mountains of Colorado

The sky faded to pink to blue to black, and we trundled back into Denver with weary bones. My soul felt quenched, having seen so much in little time.

The day’s tour embedded a deeper understanding of the Colorado magic… of its adventurous residents and why they love this land so much.

I could understand why my brother moved here. We connected in that way, both of us designing a lifestyle that brought us closer to nature. Both of us on a healing journey to ease our restless souls by falling in awe with the natural wild, with trees and mountains and murmuring rivers. And I was ever so happy that he found a partner to facilitate this for him, as I did just the same in New Zealand.

It brought me peace to witness their Colorado lifestyle and to know that, even if far away, he and I are on the same journey of reconnection with ourselves and with Mother Earth.

Patrick and Tori, I love you heaps. And biggest congratulations to you both. I’ll be flying back in for the wedding, this time with a better amount of chapstick.