Easily one of the most beautiful states in the United States and arguably one of the most amazing naturally beautiful places in the world, Colorado has so much to offer.
A true haven for outdoor enthusiasts, Colorado has a rich landscape covered with snow-capped mountains, arid deserts, charming ski towns, and river canyons. The state’s diversity and beauty draw millions of people every year.
Whether you simply want to admire the views, ski down one of the slopes, camp in the dense wilderness, hike up a mountain, or relax in a charming town, Colorado has something for everyone.
To make sure you don’t miss any of the most beautiful places in Colorado, we’ve listed 23 of the most beautiful in this article.
If you’re looking for some Colorado vacation inspiration, keep reading!
There really is no other place to start this list than with Rocky Mountain National Park. Probably the most iconic place in Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park is up there with the most beautiful places in the United States.
Famous all over the world, Rocky Mountain National Park is perfect for outdoor adventuring. Found between Grand Lake and Estes Park in the north of Colorado, this vast national park has the most majestic peaks and stunning scenery.
Snow-covered at times, the park is a great place to hike, camp, and explore. You’ll be treated to the most amazing views, and you might even spot some local wildlife.
For those of you that love a hiking challenge, you’ll find plenty here, as the Rocky Mountain National Park has more than 300 miles of hiking trails.
This national park is also one of the best places to watch the night sky.
Telluride is one of the most charming places you can visit during your vacation in Colorado. Tucked away in the San Juan Mountains and nestled in a canyon, Telluride is probably the best place you can visit if you’re seeking an alpine experience.
A beautiful part of Colorado, This mountain town offers tourists a one-of-a-kind escape to the mountains. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, idyllic lakes, and beautiful waterfalls, visitors are spoiled with awesome views wherever they look.
The town itself is beautiful too. Rich in history, Telluride is a vibrant town with a fantastic atmosphere, historic downtown, and wonderful locals.
When it comes to things to do, visitors can hike through the dense landscape, try their hand at skiing, explore the picturesque town, or simply enjoy some downtime with a good view.
It isn’t just the natural landscape that makes Colorado a beautiful state. The state also has a wide range of impressive cities too.
One of the best would have to be Denver. Offering everything you’d expect from a large city, Denver has plenty of things to do and some of the most amazing architecture.
One of the most beautiful locations in the city is actually the train station. This quirky, old-fashioned train station looks incredible. It’s a place a lot of people visit regardless of if they need to take a train or not.
Another lovely part of the city can be found in Downtown Denver. Here, you can find a 330-acre area that features lush gardens, walking trails, playgrounds, and more. There’s even a zoo, concert venue, museum, and planetarium.
Denver also has amazing natural beauty thanks to its rugged mountain backdrop.
One of the state’s most beautiful towns is Aspen. Aspen is very different from Denver. Instead of having more man-made beauty, Aspen is crammed with natural beauty.
A truly luxurious mountain town, Aspen boasts some of the most amazing views in the whole of Colorado.
A popular skiing destination, Aspen boasts a rich landscape covered with snow-capped mountains, forests, hiking and biking trails, and a small, quaint town square.
A tourist’s typical day in Aspen involves hiking, skiing, admiring the views, and enjoying a delicious dinner in one of the town’s wonderful restaurants.
Whilst the town looks great when covered in snow, we highly recommend visiting in the summer too, as the landscape comes to life with vibrant colors.
Boulder is a busy student town that sits in front of the Front Range Mountains. Charming, laid-back, and lively, this town has a lot of things to do.
However, despite the abundance of entertainment options, high-quality restaurants, and lively beer scene, it is the surrounding natural landscape that makes Boulder one of Colorado’s most beautiful places.
It is near Boulder where tourists can find The Flatirons. This unique rock formation is incredible. A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, tourists also love exploring the mountains that surround the town.
Hiking, tubing, and cycling are all very popular.
Boulder reservoir is also a must-visit part of the town. Super scenic, this reservoir is where most locals come to play or swim in the water.
The next location on our list of the most beautiful places in Colorado is Red Rocks Park. This is an extraordinary Colorado beauty spot that offers some of the most unique rock formations in America.
Found in Jefferson County, this renowned mountain park has a Mars-like appearance. The landscape here is scattered with towering red rock formations.
Some of the most famous rock formations in the park are Ship Rock, Creation Rock, and Stage Rock.
Attracting visitors from all over the world, these rock formations also offer unparalleled views of the Great Plains and Denver. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the variety of hiking trails found here.
Red Rocks Park also has one of the most beautiful outdoor venues too. Set amongst the rock formations is Red Rock Amphitheater. This is a unique setting for a live music concert.
Garden of the Gods isn’t only one of Colorado’s most beautiful places but it’s also one of the most magical. Situated in Colorado Springs, this part of Colorado is covered with carved red rock formations.
This unique landscape represents everything the state is about. The towering sandstone rock formations, complete with a snow-capped mountain backdrop offer some of the most dramatic views you’ll ever find.
There’s something quite mystical and mysterious about this location.
The mountains that sit behind the rock formations are crystal blue skies and Pikes Peak. This mountainous region is also well worth exploring if you get the chance.
It’s worth noting that Gardens of the Gods has a museum that tells you more about the rock formations.
Next up, we have Crested Butte. This part of Colorado was once a coal-mining center. Today, it is one of the most popular mountain settings in the state.
Found at the base of Mount Butte, this charming part of Colorado will transport you to the Swiss Alps.
Despite being most famous for its ski slopes and ski resorts, Crested Butte is a beautiful place to visit all year round. When you’re not skiing, you can explore the diverse forests and large peaks.
Crested Butte actually has some of the most beautiful nature spots in Colorado too. This includes the Raggeds, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area, and West Elk.
Interestingly, this part of Colorado is also well-known for its impressive abundance of wildflowers.
One of the best ski towns in Colorado is Breckenridge. This town has some of the best slopes in Colorado. That’s not all it’s famed for though.
Breckenridge is also one of the most adorable towns in Colorado. Well-known for its vibrant architecture, relaxed atmosphere, and charming surroundings, this town is up there with the very best towns the state has to offer.
Breckenridge is also one of the most photogenic towns in Colorado. Aside from having lovely architecture, this town is blessed with a beautiful backdrop. Impressively, this town’s backdrop is the famous Rocky Mountain National Park.
As you can imagine, this makes for some pretty serious views. If you’re not skiing, make sure you sit outside a coffee shop with a fresh coffee so you can admire the surrounding landscape.
Anyone road-tripping around Colorado has to spend some time in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs is Colorado’s second-largest city. The city makes our list for a number of reasons.
For starters, Colorado Springs is set in the most amazing natural landscapes. Found at the base of Pikes Peak, this city has awesome views in every direction. It also sits at the base of the Southern Rocky Mountains.
Aside from offering extremely beautiful views, this rich mountain landscape also makes Colorado Springs a great place to visit if you enjoy hiking, climbing, camping, or anything else outdoors.
The city itself is also a beautiful place to visit. Voted one of the best places in America to live, the city has a wide range of historical and cultural attractions. The heritage Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum is well worth visiting.
With a name like Grand Lake, you probably already know what we can expect. Named after the largest natural lake in Colorado, the small town of Grand Lake offers tourists a soothing escape from busy city life.
A firm favorite with families, the quaint town sits on the lake, where visitors can take in the views and try out a variety of watersports. One of the most popular watersports here is kayaking.
Other popular attractions here include the Wild West boardwalk and the Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater. Of course, the main draw to the town though is its natural beauty.
You can spend the night in accommodation that sits on the lake, overlooking the beautiful Colorado landscape.
The next Colorado location on this list is Crestone. If you’re looking for a quiet escape in a stunning setting, this town takes some beating. Home to approximately 150 people, this part of Colorado is perfect for anyone seeking an escape.
Even though Crestone is only a small town, it boasts some of the most beautiful views in Colorado. Tucked away in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range, Crestone offers impressive, undisturbed mountain views.
Crestone overlooks San Luis Valley. It is also only an hour or so away from the Great Sand Dunes National Park. As a result, this town is a great place to visit if you’re looking for the most beautiful sites in Colorado.
You can explore what the town has to offer before venturing out to explore the vast wilderness that surrounds it.
Seeing as though we’ve just mentioned it above, it seems only right that we now tell you a little bit more about Great Sand Dunes National Park. Great Sand Dunes National Park is one of Colorado’s vast national parks.
Compared to the other national parks on our list so far, this one is very different. Instead of being famous for its ski resorts and vibrant forests, Great Sand Dunes National Park is famous for its enormous sand dunes.
Extremely baron and almost quite scary, this beautiful park shows how unique and versatile the Colorado landscape is. The park is popular with tourists and locals that enjoy hiking, sandboarding, and sledding.
The park is well-equipped with cycling and hiking paths, so be sure to stop by. You’ll also find the stunning Medano Lake at Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Leadville is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in Colorado. Sitting over 10,000 feet above sea level, this city is the highest city in the whole of the United States.
Aside from giving the city historic status, this high altitude above sea level also guarantees impressive views.
As you can probably imagine, a city that sits 10,000 feet above sea level is very mountainous. Leadville is no exception.
A truly beautiful place to visit, Leadville is surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountain scenery you’ve ever seen.
In fact, two of the state’s tallest peaks can be found here. These peaks are Mount Massive and Mount Elbert. You are treated to stunning sweeping views of both of these peaks from the city.
The city itself is very charming too. It has a laid-back atmosphere, vibrant architecture, and lovely locals.
The next place in Colorado you don’t want to miss if you’re trying to visit the state’s most beautiful places is Mesa Verde National Park. As far as Colorado’s national parks go, Mesa Verde National Park is probably the most unique.
Unlike most national parks in Colorado, Mesa Verde National Park’s focus moves away from nature. Despite having a vibrant natural landscape, this national park focuses on anthropological and architectural wonders instead.
Visitors to the national park are given the opportunity to explore the magnificent Cliff Palace ruins. Like something out of Indiana Jones, these ruins offer a one-of-a-kind insight into how the Ancestral Pueblo used to live.
Nobody actually knows what caused the downfall of this ancient civilization, but through various hiking trails, we can take a look back into the past.
Whilst hiking through mesa tops, canyons, and ridges, you’ll be spoilt with impressive sites and views.
There are more than 700 years of Ancestral Pueblo history to explore.
Including a road on a list of the most beautiful places in Colorado might seem a little strange, especially when you consider how vast and lush the state’s mountainous landscape is.
However, once you get a glimpse of Trail Ridge Road, you’ll understand completely.
Trail Ridge Road is a 48-mile stretch of paved U.S. Highway 34. The road traverses from Grand Lake, Colorado in the west, all the way to Rocky Mountain National Park in the east.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to drive the entire stretch of road. Having said that you might want to.
An 11-mile stretch of this paved highway is what you have to drive. 11 miles of the road sit above the treeline, offering the most amazing views of the rich mountainous landscape and lush forests. You’ll feel like you’re driving in the sky.
The panoramic views on offer along this road display Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado mountain meadows, subalpine forests, Aspen forest, and alpine tundra in all their glory.
The next place on our list is Weminuche Wilderness. Covering just under 500,000 acres of land, Weminuche Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in Colorado.
To put its size into perspective, this area would cover almost 75% of Rhode Island.
Found near Silverton, Weminuche Wilderness is a large forested area perfect for exploring. A popular tourist hotspot for camping, hiking, running, cycling, and much more, this forested area is gorgeous.
Dense, vast, unique, and vibrant, the wilderness offers you the perfect chance to take in impressive views of the Colorado landscape.
From various viewpoints, you’ll see large crystal clear lakes, thick forests, lush flower beds, natural rock formations, and towering peaks.
We highly recommend staying in Weminuche Wilderness or nearby for a couple of days because there’s no way you can make the most of this area in one day. In fact, you could quite easily spend a week here and not get bored.
Despite having some of the best natural landscapes in the world, Colorado isn’t blessed with that many amazing waterfalls. However, the waterfalls Colorado does have are pretty special, and one of the best is Bridal Veil Falls.
A surprisingly unique sight in Colorado, Bridal Veil Falls is a 365 feet tall waterfall that hangs over the edge of a canyon.
By far the most popular waterfall in the Telluride region, if not the whole of Colorado, the sight of this waterfall will take your breath away.
You won’t be surprised to hear that it is also the tallest waterfall in Colorado. The waterfall can be accessed in a number of different ways.
These include hiking, driving, and biking. We recommend hiking to the waterfall as this will give you the best views.
You’ll also be able to get up close and personal with nature.
In the winter, the waterfall freezes completely. Aside from offering a more unique appearance, the waterfall is also an ice-climbing challenge during this time of year.
Another beautiful spot where you’ll find waterfalls in Colorado is Hanging Lake. One of the state’s best hiking destinations, Hanging Lake is a stunning natural area that’s home to a rare geological formation.
That formation is travertine. For those that don’t know, a travertine formation is a unique formation of limestone that builds up around mineral springs. This is one of the most popular attractions at Hanging Lake.
Situated in the Glenwood Canyon, this National Natural Landmark is also home to emerald waters and gorgeous gentle waterfalls.
The surrounding cliffs are magical too. You should take the Hanging Lake trail if you’re looking for an impressive experience.
Simply sitting alongside the waterfalls with a picnic is a delightful experience.
During your visit, be sure to check out the park’s rocky hideaways too. They are epic.
The Royal Gorge isn’t for the faint-hearted. At this postcard-like location, you’ll find a long bridge that stretches across the 10-mile-long canyon.
As you can probably imagine, this is a nerve-wracking experience and one that will get your blood pumping.
If you’re brave enough to walk across the bridge, you’ll be treated to the most amazing views of the canyon. You’ll be able to see all the way up and down the canyon, with beautiful views of the Arkansas River on offer too.
Easily one of Colorado’s prettiest locations, this impressive landscape will blow you away. We must warn those with a phobia of heights though because the suspension bridge that crosses the canyon is the highest of its kind in America.
Those of you that love an adrenaline rush and have no fear of heights might enjoy the zip line that takes you through the canyon too.
The next place we have for you is the Colorado National Monument. As the national monument of the state, you can only expect great things from this location.
It also won’t come as a surprise that the monument is one of the most scenic places in the whole of Colorado.
An other-worldy-looking natural monument, this unique and quite staggering rock formation can be found near Grand Junction.
Representing everything Colorado has to offer, the vast expanse of red rocks and towers is simply phenomenal.
The surrounding area is pretty spectacular too. Deep canyons and smaller sandstone towers surround the monument, helping create a scenic and very bold landscape. Visitors can take a trip along Rim Rock Drive to visit the monument.
The journey includes canyon walls, mesa tops, monoliths, and so much more. The monument itself has a number of key things to look out for too.
These include Monument Canyon, Coke Ovens, Window Rock, and Independence Monument.
The penultimate location on this list is Crystal Mill. Crystal Mill is an excellent place to visit if you’re looking for a great place to take photographs for your blog or social media pages.
Crystal Mill is also one of the best places to visit if you prefer tourist attractions that are a bit quieter.
If you’ve not heard of Crystal Mill before, you’re seriously missing out. Crystal Mill is an old wooden mill that sits right on the edge of the Crystal River.
With its unique, old-fashioned appearance and stunning surrounding landscape, it really is a place you should visit.
The base of the mill is rocky and the river flows past. In the backdrop, you are treated to amazing views of the mountains and the lush forestry. If you visit at the right time of year, this area is also incredibly vibrant.
You can reach the mill via a 4×4 or hike along the 9-mile out-and-back trail.
The final place on this list of the most beautiful places in Colorado is Paint Mines Interpretive Park. Paint Mines Interpretive Park is just another one of Colorado’s stunning locations that looks like it belongs on another planet.
Super vibrant and incredibly unique, this park is best described as a labyrinth of hoodoos. Leaving tourists in awe, the most impressive thing about the mines is their colors.
The mines are bright pink, orange, yellow, purple, and white in color.
This variety of different colors helps create a totally unique, unbelievably beautiful landscape. More than 9,000 years old, exploring the rock formations is a must.
There are various hiking trails and paths that will show you the best locations the site has to offer.
Incredibly there are more than 750 acres of land to explore.
Final Thoughts
That concludes our list of the most beautiful places in Colorado. The locations on our list are the places you really don’t want to miss during your visit to the state.
Whilst our list could have gone on and on with more beautiful Colorado attractions, we believe we’ve done an excellent job at showing you the very best. We’ve been sure to include places everyone can enjoy.
All you have to do now is plan your trip to Colorado, making sure you include as many of these places as possible.
Hi, my name is Alex Kallen and I love to travel. Ever since I could afford the ticket, I hopped on a plane and never looked back. I’ve made a living writing travel guides and blogging my experience all over the world.
I want to encourage and inspire others to travel around the US like I am. There’s no need to go on vacation overseas when there is an amazing land of opportunity right on your doorstep. Enjoy my website, I hope to see you out here one day.
