Drive the Peak to Peak Highway

The Peak to Peak Highway is a 55-mile stretch of road that winds its way from Nederland to Estes Park (or Estes Park to Nederland). This road connects to many points of exploration, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and Rocky Mountain National Park to name a couple, but the drive itself is an adventure on its own. During the fall, the road is engulfed in yellow and orange thanks to the changing leaves of aspen trees.

From Boulder, drive up Boulder Canyon until you come to the town of Nederland. In this quaint little town you can grab a cup of tea and a scone before continuing on your drive. At the roundabout, take the W 2nd Street turn and continue on this road, it will become the Peak to Peak Highway. It's really as simple as that - drive, revel in the beauty, take a few photos, and pop out on the other side in Estes Park for a tea refill. Repeat in reverse if you so choose.

If driving with the windows down on a crisp fall day doesn't quite do it for you, feel free to detour to Brainard Lake Recreation area and enjoy a nice hike, or do the same in Rocky Mountain National Park with the sound of bugling elk in the distance. In any permutation of this adventure, you can't go wrong.