Centennial State Road Trip: A Four-Region RV Adventure Through Colorado

Western Colorado: Grand Junction, Mesa, and Dinosaur Discoveries

Grand Junction’s Museum of the West

Located in the historic C.D. Smith Warehouse, a wholesale pharmacy company, The Museum of the West is home to exhibits detailing the region’s rich history. Artifacts and interactive experiences include stagecoaches, antique firearms, aircraft, and an observation tower with views of the Old Spanish Trail.

Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests

Colorado is known for its abundance of outdoor activities, and this trio of national forests is no exception, with more than 3,000 miles of hiking trails for all skill levels across mountains and plateaus. The 500-square-mile Grand Mesa is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world and offers a quick (or long!) leg stretch in between museum sightseeing.

Fruita’s Dinosaur Journey Museum

The region of western Colorado that borders Utah is home to an abundance of fossilized dinosaur remains and active dig sites. You may not be able to visit Jurassic Park in real life, but the Dinosaur Journey Museum offers enthusiasts of all ages a chance to see bones, artifacts, and learn more about the now-extinct and not-always-gentle giants.

Million Dollar Highway and Telluride

Million Dollar Highway

The section of U.S. Route 550 spanning between Silverton and Ouray is known as the Million Dollar Highway due to its sweeping views. But timid drivers beware: travelers must earn their vistas by navigating a precariously narrow, two-lane mountain road carved into steep cliffs, often without guardrails, and because of this terrain, we recommend leaving large travel trailers at the campground and tackling this road in a tow vehicle, Class B, or a motorhome you’re confident driving.

Telluride Historical Museum

This Smithsonian-affiliated museum features exhibits ranging from the region’s Native population, through its mining history, and into its modern day reputation as a skiing and festival destination. The museum also hosts historic walking tours of Telluride, educational lectures, and group hikes.

Northern Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park and Loveland

Rocky Mountain National Park

No Rocky Mountain state RV road trip is complete without visiting Colorado’s most famous national park. With more than 300 hiking trails set among mountain peaks, lakes, and scenic valleys, Rocky Mountain was the fifth most-visited national park in the U.S. in 2024. It’s also perfect for RVers because it has 538 RV-friendly campsites across four front-country campgrounds, giving you so much to access just beyond your door. Campgrounds operate seasonally, so it’s best to call and check availability.

Loveland

With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, 500 public works of art, and countless parks and restaurants, there is plenty to love in Loveland, CO. And thanks to its romantic name, Loveland has been known for its Valentine re-mailing program since the 1940s; today, more than 150,000 people per year route their love letters through Loveland’s Chamber of Commerce program for their unique postmarks and caches, which change every year

The Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave

Pay your respects to one of the most famous real-life figures from the Wild West, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. He had chosen Lookout Mountain as his final resting place, and after he died in Denver in 1917, his wife, Louisa, made sure his wishes were honored. A museum opened nearby four years after his death, with artifacts from Cody’s life donated by his friends, family, and former colleagues. 

Central Colorado: Denver, Leadville, Pikes Peak, and Santa!

National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum

Denver may be the mile-high city, but Leadville, CO, holds the record for the highest incorporated city in the U.S., with an elevation of 10,119 feet above sea level. Leadville is also home to the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, with exhibits detailing the area’s rich mining history, a gallery of rare minerals, and a walk-through replica mine.

Pikes Peak

There are many ways to enjoy Pikes Peak, one of the most iconic mountain summits in the U.S. Intrepid hikers can ascend on foot via the strenuous Barr Trail; if you’re short on time or endurance, you can ride the world’s highest cog railroad, or drive the 19-mile-long Pikes Peak Highway to the summit, which features a newly-renovated, fully-accessible visitor center.

North Pole Colorado Santa’s Workshop

Designed by a former-Disney artist, Santa’s Workshop has been enchanting visitors on the slopes of Pikes Peak since 1965. Modeled after a similar theme park in Lake Placid, New York, the seasonal park (open May through the holidays) has more than 20 rides and a dozen alpine-style buildings, including a reindeer enclosure, chapel, nativity, and souvenir shop.

Forney Museum of Transportation

This museum, one of the largest collections of transportation-related artifacts in the world, began as the private collection of businessman J.D. Forney. Today, the museum is home to more than 800 historical vehicles, artifacts, and other moving objects both big and small, including Amelia Earhart's 1923 Kissel Speedster, a 1916 Detroit electric Opera Coupe, and a 500 piece collection of Matchbox cars.

Southern Colorado: Great Sand Dunes and Unique Stops

Great Sand Dunes National Park

The Great Sand Dunes are the largest dunes in North America, and although this park gets overshadowed by the Rockies a few hours away, visitors often rank it as one of their favorite national park experiences. It’s also particularly kid-friendly, offering opportunities to sled down enormous sand dunes and cool off by tubing in the waters of Medano Creek.

World’s Longest Fork

Resting at a 45-degree angle, this 40-foot-long, 600-pound aluminum fork sculpture was made by a pair of artists as a birthday gift for the owner of Creede’s Cascada Bar and Grill. While its record-holding status may be unknown, its appeal as a photo-op and beloved public art piece is undeniable.

Koshare Museum

This three-level museum is located on the Otero Junior College campus in La Junta, Colorado. Just as famous as the Native artwork contained within is the site’s Kiva, which features a self-supporting, architectural marvel known as the “impossible ceiling,” constructed from more than 600 logs, weighing more than forty tons and spanning the 60-foot room.