Estes Park
A bronze sculpture of an elk-Samson-welcomes visitors to Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Take a ranger-led tour to look for these majestic creatures (hear elk bugle in the fall), hike to alpine lakes and waterfalls, and take an amazing car trip over the Continental Divide.
Ouray
Once a silver-mining boomtown, Ouray is a fascinating place to explore. Take a walking tour of the historic downtown (on the National Register of Historic Places), tour old mines and nearby ghost towns, and go 4-wheeling in the San Juan Mountains. Take the scenic route (I-550) from Ouray to Durango through the San Juan National Forest.