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TripSavvy / Marina Li
Are you planning a road trip from Denver, Colorado, and want to include National Parks and Monuments? You will want to know how far away they are and how long it will take you to drive there.
If you live in Denver, you can plan a day trip or a longer vacation road trip. Those who live elsewhere can plan a fly/drive vacation taking advantage of flights into the Denver International Airport. You can rent a car or SUV that will take you through the mountains and plains of Colorado.
When planning any visit to these destinations, check to see if the park is open on the dates you plan to visit. Weather may close roads in winter, or even in spring and fall, or cause significant delays in driving through the Front Range and the Rocky Mountains.
Use table below for information on driving distances and approximate drive time from Denver, Colorado to selected US National Parks.
| Denver, Colorado | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Destination |
Driving Distance (In Miles) |
Approximate Drive Time |
Notes |
| Arches National Park, Utah | 355 miles | 5.5 hours | Located in eastern Utah, on the other side of the Rocky Mountains, near Canyonlands National Park. |
| Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, La Junta, Colorado | 184 miles | 3 hours | Located in southeastern Colorado, east of Pueblo. |
| Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado | 254 miles | 5.0 hours | In west-central Colorado, a scenic destination if you're going to circle through the Rocky Mountains. Could combine with a visit to Curecanti National Recreation Area. |
| Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 355 miles | 5.5 - 6 hours | Spectacular scenery, in eastern Utah, next to Arches National Park. |
| Capitol Reef National Park, Utah | 450 miles | 8 hours | In central Utah, further east from Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. |
| Colorado National Monument, Colorado | 256 miles | 4 hours | On the western edge of Colorado, could be a stop on the way to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. |
| Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado | 217 miles | 4 hours | In central Colorado, not far from the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. |
| Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado | 284 miles | 5 hours | In the northwestern corner of Colorado, with a visitor center off US 40. |
| Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado | 105 miles | 2 hours | In central Colorado, not far from Pike's Peak. |
| Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado | 234 miles | 4 hours | Located in southern Colorado, south of Denver |
| Hovenweep National Monument, Utah | 385 miles | 7 hours | In the southwestern corner of Utah, near the Colorado border. It could be visited on a trip to Arches and Canyonlands if you go by the southern route, or combine it with a stop at Mesa Verde National Park. |
| Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado | 383 miles | 7.5 hours | In southwestern Colorado, you may want to visit Hovenweep National Monument on the same trip. |
| Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 70 miles | 1.5 hours | The closest to Denver, this park has spectacular, iconic scenery. It can be enjoyed as a day trip from Denver, or spend your time to explore it. |
| Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Colorado | 171 miles | 3 hours | Located in eastern Colorado. |
| Yucca House National Monument, Colorado | 397 miles | 7 - 7.5 hours | Located in the southwestern corner of Colorado. You could combine it with a trip to Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument. |
