Plan a trip and check out a Colorado Natural Wonder or two..or 10!
Considering all of the rock formations, beautiful vistas, waterfalls and so much more Colorado has to offer, the natural wonder options are endless. Some are easy to get to, others take a bit more effort But they're all worth seeing at least once. Here are our 10 must-see natural wonders of Colorado.
Rocky Mountain National Park
We talk about RMNP a lot here on OCN and for good reason. The expansive park is filled with tons of hiking trails, beautiful fishing spots, and tons of points of interest to simply drive up to. RMNP is the best spot to truly enjoy the beautiful natural wonder Colorado has to offer.
Last Dollar Rd. Telluride
Colorful, bumpy, and absolutely breathtaking. This hidden dirt road in beautiful and scenic Telluride has so much to offer. Last Dollar Road winds through a low valley surrounded by jagged peaks. This road is a bit hidden; as you’re driving from Telluride to Ridgeway you have your typical semi-circular route on highways 62 and 145. This must-see detour winds diagonally between the paved highways.
Here you can view a clear view of Wilson Peak, made famous by the Coors bottle label. You can also see the historic ranch from the OG “True Grit” western. The road slithers between Last Dollar Mountain and Whipple Mountain and is truly a spectacular drive. Take the trip right before fall to see the aspens change to their iconic yellow for an especially breathtaking experience.
Mesa Verde National Park
Spanish for green table, Mesa Verde offers a genuine look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made this place their home from AD 600 to 1300. The park protects close to 5,000 known archeological sites, including the ever-popular cliff dwellings. Mesa Verde is open year-round, but some areas are only seasonal. The sites at Mesa Verde are inspiring, allowing us to take a glimpse of the life and trials of the native peoples.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Diverse landscape, magnificent views, and the tallest dunes in North America! Sand Dunes National Park is a magical other-dimensional world about three hours away from Denver. Sane Dunes National Park is home to grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes and tundra. All nestled on the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range.
The Sand Dunes themselves are a testament to the immense impact our mountains and diverse ecosystems have. Researchers say the dunes started forming no less than 440,000 years ago. We visited the Sand Dunes in spring and it was beautiful to see. Even taller towering mountains back dropped the towering dunes. While there is no clear and defined path you can still hike your way up the sandy-sliding 700+ft dunes. You can even sled down if you brought one! Plus, its pet friendly! I do suggest you don't take your older pups up to the top, ours wasn't happy on the trip down...
Pawnee Buttes, Pawnee National Grassland
Just as Longs Peak is the iconic figure of the Front Range, and the Maroon Bells are the heart of the Rockies – The Pawnee Buttes are the icon of the plains. These 300 ft. buttes tower above the vast plains of the Pawnee National Grasslands. The buttes are what are left after the surrounding High Plains surface has eroded away. You can trek the Pawnee Buttes Trail, which is noted for its scenery and prime bird watching.
Paradise Cove (Cripple Creek)
Paradise Cove, or Guffey Gorge was once a quiet local swimming hole right outside of Guffey. Now it has become a major destination for those looking to cool off during the hot summer months. Paradise Cove is about 2 hours southwest of Denver, take about a ½ mile hike out and you’re at this natural wonder! This once-hidden treasure can typically see 300 people a day on hot summer weekends – so plan accordingly? Regardless of the people, if you catch it on a good day you can enjoy the beautiful naturally water-eroded cove and dip your toes in.
Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon was a part of our beautiful drive to Pretty Lights at Telluride and I have to tell you – the whole drive is beautiful, but Black Canyon is absolutely awe-inspiring. The steep walls of Black Canyon were formed as late as 1.7 billion years ago. The Ute Indians referred to the river that flows in the canyon “much rocks, big water,” and they actually avoided the canyon out of superstition. However, there is no curse. Black Canyon is actually really remarkable and I would absolutely suggest taking a weekend and driving down to check this natural wonder out.
Rainbow Falls (Manitou Springs)
While the coolest part of these falls (for me) is not so much its natural formation, as it’s the touches the locals have put into Rainbow Falls. Locals call this Graffiti Falls, known for (obviously) the large amount of graffiti covering the canyon walls. Now, there’s nothing worse than people ruining a natural wonder of our great state with garbage, carvings, etc. … but this spot has a local flare to it that wont make you itching to contact the nearest parks department. Rainbow falls has a great local touch to it making it a natural wonder that’s the towns own.
Ice Lake & Island Lake, Telluride
We could do an entire article on the San Juan’s… and most likely will… but this hike is truly something special. As my first official backpacking hike the trail to get to the ice lakes is nothing to scoff at. I was about 20 minutes in, begging for salvation and wanting to rip my pack off… BUT if you make it up to the meadow to unpack and hike up the rest of the way, the Ice Lakes are absolutely a natural wonder to see.
The whole hike has wildflower meadows, marvelous peaks, multiple waterfalls and of course the Ice Lake and Island Lake. The Ice Lakes got its name from the beautiful blue color of the water, most likely produced by reflecting the color of the sky because the water is SO.CLEAR. This hike changed my life. It sparked my drive to hike more and more intense trails, and it refreshed and regenerated me. Overall, the beauty of this hike and of Ice Lake and Island Lake is definitely bucket list material if you’ve never been.
La Garita Caldera
La Garita Caldera is a large volcanic depression, formed by the collapse of an emptied magma chamber. The eruption that caused La Garita Caldera was apparently among the largest known eruptions in Earth’s history, making it a prime contender for our Colorado Natural Wonder list. You can hike around the Caldera and around La Garita Wilderness for tons of nature and awesome sights. You can also go fossil hunting!
There you have it, our top Ten Colorado natural wonders. Thinking about planning a trip, I'm sure. Share with your friends and make it a group event!
