One Week in Colorado: Hanging Lake, Aspen, Maroon Bells, Manitou Springs, Denver, and Red Rocks: Trip Summary
United flight at 8:45am from Chicago to arrive in Denver at 10:30am
Picked up the rental car around 11:30am
Checked into Days Inn by Wyndham Carbondale
Arrived at 3:30pm
Changed into hiking clothes and headed back out to hike Hanging Lake
Left the hotel at 4:30pm
Hiked Hanging Lake
Arrived just after 5pm
Reached the top at 6:30pm
Left at 8pm
Got supplies for the week
Monday, August 12, 2024: Spend the day in Aspen
Hotel Jerome
Wheeler Opera House
Mill Street Fountain
Wagner Park
Walked on Hyman, Cooper, Galena Plaza, Galena
Silver Queen Gondola
Lunch at White House Tavern
Crispy chicken sandwich
Aspen Brewing Co blonde ale
W Aspen to check out the rooftop
Herron Park
Walked on the Rio Grande Trail to the John Denver Sanctuary
Tuesday, August 13, 2024: Hike Maroon Bells
Arrived at Maroon Bells for sunrise
Hiked Maroon Bells Scenic Loop
Hiked Crater Lake
Wednesday, August 14, 2024: Iron Mountain Springs
Went to Iron Mountain Springs
Checked out of Days Inn by Wyndham Carbondale
Drove to Mount Elbert trailhead
About a 3 hour drive
Left the hotel by 12am. Arrived by 3am
Hiked Mount Elbert from the Mt. Elbert (North) Trailhead
Hiked from 3:30am - 7pm
I had hurt my leg while descending from Crater Lake in Maroon Bells. I shouldn’t have hiked Mount Elbert, since I wasn’t 100%, but did it anyway, unfortunately making the hike take much longer than it should have
Drove from Mount Elbert to The Cliff House at Pikes Peak
Friday, August 16, 2024: Broadmoor Seven Falls and Garden of the Gods
Visited Broadmoor Seven Falls from 1-3pm
Visited Garden of the Gods from 4-7pm
Dinner at The Cliff House at Pike’s Peak
Saturday, August 17, 2024: Pikes Peak and Denver
Checked out of The Cliff House at Pike’s Peak
8:40am reservation on the The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Drove from parking lot to Denver Airport to drop off the rental car
Took public transit to 11th Avenue Hostel
Dropped off bags, relaxed for a bit, and headed back out to River North Art District neighborhood
Improper City
14er Brewing
The Ramble for Death & Co
Headed back to the hotel
Sunday, August 18, 2024: Denver and Red Rocks
Walked around Union Station neighborhood
The Capitol
Walked on 16th Street Mall
Confluence Park
Blue Agave
Union Station
Thirsty Lion Union Gastropub
Shuttle from Thirsty Lion Gastropub to Red Rocks
Check in for the shuttle at 3:30pm
Shuttle leaves at 5pm
O.A.R. at Red Rocks
Doors at 5:30pm
Show at 6:30pm
Shuttle back to Denver
Shuttle departs from Red Rocks 30 minutes after show wraps up
Monday, August 19, 2024: Flight to Chicago
Checked out of 11th Avenue Hostel
Public transit to the airport
United flight at 3:22pm from Denver to arrive in Chicago at 6:55pm
