Driving Distance From Denver to US National Parks

Written by
Darren Smith
Darren Smith is an editor and writer specializing in the national parks found in the United States and Canada
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Darren Smith

Updated 01/22/20

Driving distance to National Parks

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.
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