I Didn’t Have a Perfect Plan
I didn’t have a perfect plan for this trip. I didn’t even know what the best route to Colorado was. All I knew was that I had a long weekend, a few days of PTO if needed, and I wanted to get away for a few days. Being from Nepal, Colorado felt like an instinctive choice. Mountains have always been familiar to me, so when I started looking at the map, Colorado, as you would expect, caught my eye.
I talked to a few colleagues and eventually came up with an idea to make a loop through Colorado Springs, Buena Vista, Twin Lakes, Aspen, Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Denver.
It wasn’t a perfectly planned itinerary. I mostly had a direction, a few places I wanted to see, and the freedom to figure things out along the way. And honestly, that’s how I like traveling, at least for now until I’m married. Lol.
Friday Night: Kansas City to Colby
On Friday evening, I packed my things into a rented minivan and started driving west from Kansas City, Missouri. The first part of the journey was, as expected, boring; highway after highway. That is why I planned to leave late in the evening after work. That night was mostly about getting closer to Colorado, and I knew the scenery would get much better the next day.
I drove for about six hours and eventually stopped in Colby, Kansas, where I found a motel for the night. The motel wasn’t anything special, and it didn’t need to be. I just needed a bed, a shower, and a few hours of good sleep before the real adventure began.
Saturday Morning: The Tall Mountains Appear
I left the motel around 7 a.m. and started driving toward Colorado Springs.
Within a few minutes, I realized I had crossed into a different time zone, one hour behind. Even though I had left at 7 a.m., it felt like I had left at 6. Boom! I had just gained an hour to explore Colorado. Lol.
After a couple of hours of driving, the roads started becoming scenic for the first time on the trip. The view slowly opened up, and the mountains finally began to appear.
At that moment, I knew I had made the right decision.
Why Colorado Reminded Me of Nepal
Mountains feel different when you grew up in Nepal. I’ve lived in the United States for several years now, but Colorado brought back something familiar. The mountains reminded me of home, of being younger, and of the landscapes I grew up seeing. Those landscapes felt familiar even though I had never been to Colorado before, apart from the airport. Lol. After spending years away from Nepal, perhaps I was looking for a piece of home, which I was desperately missing.
I once read somewhere that we live our lives during childhood and then spend much of adulthood chasing something we experienced when we were young. I don’t know whether that is true, but it might explain why I keep going back to trails, hikes, and to the mountains.
My Perspective on Mountains
Growing up in Nepal, I had a slightly different way of looking at mountains.
If something is tall and steep, stands behind tall, lush green hills, and is fully covered with snow ‘almost’ throughout the year (almost, all thanks to climate change 😒), that is what I naturally think of as a mountain.
If the landscape is lush green, slightly smaller in height, sits in the foreground of the tall mountains, and gets occasional or no snowfall, I would usually call it a hill.
This picture probably explains what I mean better than I can with words. You can see the Himal (mountain), Pahad (hill), and Terai (plain land) all in the same landscape.
Of course, there is more to geography than just height and snowfall, but that is the way I grew up seeing and understanding the landscape. I think people in the U.S. call many of these rock formations mountains regardless of whether they are covered in snow or completely green, because they are tall and steep and get snow during winter. But for someone from Nepal, when that same landscape turns lush green during summer, we tend to call it a hill, not a mountain. So, in a funny way, the same landscape what we call mountain here would be called a hill if it were in Nepal. Lol.
Growing up in Nepal and now seeing the Colorado landscape made me realize just how different mountains and rock formations can be from place to place. In Nepal, we have two distinct types of terrain that naturally feel like mountains and hills. The U.S. has its own rock formations that can play both roles, depending on the season. Either way, both countries have their own unique mountains, and I feel lucky to have experienced both.
For another view of Nepal’s hills and snow-covered mountains, check out my Manung Kot visit.
Colorado Springs and Garden of the Gods
My first major stop in Colorado was Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. The huge red sandstone formations and their deep red color against the blue Colorado sky made the whole place feel less like a park and more like nature’s own sculpture garden.
I was amazed. Some rocks looked like giant walls; others stood like enormous slabs rising from the ground. I grew up seeing tall, snow-covered mountains, tall hills covered with greenery, and rocks with big caves, but these rocks were different.
I like the flexibility of many tourist areas in the United States. You can park and walk, or drive through and stop at several viewpoints. I prefer walking, but it was early September, the sun was out, and I had a long day ahead of me, so I drove through the park, stopped at viewpoints, and walked on the trails around the rock formations.
Garden of the Gods gave me my first real look at Colorado’s geological variety and made me rethink what I call a mountain.
A Memorable Indian Lunch
After Garden of the Gods, I stopped for Indian food. I had butter naan with paneer masala. The naan was among the softest I have eaten, and the paneer was one of the better Indian meals I’ve found in the United States. A good meal hits differently during a road trip. Fed and happy, I got back into the minivan and headed for Buena Vista.
The Scenic Drive to Buena Vista
The drive toward Buena Vista also reminded me of Nepal. The tall green hills, the narrow winding roads, and the mountains (as people call them here) appearing in the distance made the drive itself feel like part of the attraction.
With Nepal and my childhood on my mind, I felt like I arrived in Buena Vista in no time. I stopped and walked around downtown. It was a nice small town. It was probably late afternoon when I got there, and the bars and restaurants looked busy. People were enjoying their food, drinks, and the lovely weather.
For a moment, I wondered whether I should grab a Tuborg, and… oh wait, you don’t get Tuborg here. Lol. That is how much this small town in the lap of the mountains reminded me of home.
Twin Lakes: My Camping Plan
From Buena Vista, I headed toward Twin Lakes. I usually avoid booking hotels far in advance. I drive until I have had enough for the day, then find a hotel or motel.
Colorado was different. It was Labor Day weekend, and hotels around Aspen cost more than I wanted to spend for one night. The hotels in Leadville were fully booked too. I knew I might run into this situation, so I had brought a tent as my backup plan.
So I decided to camp at Twin Lakes.
I had done some research beforehand. Many campgrounds can be reserved through Recreation.gov, while others have first-come, first-served sites. I had arrived early, but apparently not early enough to get a spot inside the Twin Lakes Campground. One of the guys at the campground showed me where I could find other camping areas, so I kept driving uphill and eventually found one of the free camping areas.
To my great surprise, plenty of campers and RVs had already settled in for the weekend.
I found a spot and set up my tent.
As I was setting up my tent, I could hear nearby campers having fun. Suddenly, I saw one of the ladies coming over. The way she walked made it pretty obvious, her voice gave it away, and the smell confirmed it, she was fully drunk. She said she had gotten a dare that involved coming over to talk to me, and there she was. Appreciate the effort, Mam. Lol.
Back to my tent, one of the mattress inflators I had didn’t work, and now my mattress needed an electrical outlet. I had a tent and an uninflated mattress. I had a friendly conversation with the lady, even though she might not even remember it. lol. So, maybe I could have asked her or another nearby camper with an RV for help. But I tried to solve the problem on my own and went on a search for an electrical outlet.
I checked the restroom and the area around Twin Lakes, but found nothing. My search eventually took me to Leadville. Since I had driven all the way there, I decided to look around town too.
The museum I hoped to visit was closed. I was hoping to find a park with a restroom and an electrical outlet, but no luck. Then I looked at the map and found a big store called Big R. I went there, and outside, close to the parking lot, I saw the electrical outlet I needed. At that point, that outlet felt like the most valuable piece of infrastructure in Leadville.
I went inside and asked whether I could use it to inflate my mattress. The woman working there said yes, and I was so relieved. She even thanked me for asking before using it. I believe I was raised right 😉. I thanked her and went to inflate the mattress.
Leadville: The Mining City
With the mattress ready, I could finally enjoy Leadville. The city has a strong connection to Colorado’s mining history, and reminders of that history are still visible throughout downtown.
A mining bucket and track display caught my attention. Reading that a town grew around mining gives you one kind of understanding, but seeing the old equipment right in the center of town made the history feel much more tangible.
I walked around for a while and then started looking for something to eat. I was heading toward Chipotle when I spotted a Mexican food truck. The decision was easy. I bought two chicken burritos and drove back to Twin Lakes.
Twin Lakes Under the Stars
The night sky at Twin Lakes was beautiful. I sat there for a while, just looking at the stars. I don’t think I will ever get tired of seeing the stars and the moon. Then it became cloudy, with a light drizzle, and I headed back to my tent. The drizzle hadn’t soaked the ground, but it had certainly brought the temperature down.
I jumped onto my inflated mattress and tried to sleep. Camping always sounds better when you’re planning it than when you’re actually alone, cold, and missing the blanket you need.
The Night I Abandoned My Tent
The temperature kept dropping. I had enough clothes, but I didn’t have a proper blanket. All I had was what we call a polar back home in Nepal, a small woolen blanket. It helped, but it wasn’t enough.
Other campers were setting off fireworks that sounded like gunshots while I was trying to sleep. In the middle of the night, I finally admitted defeat. I left the tent, got into the minivan, turned on the heat, and slept there.
At that moment, I was glad I had rented a minivan instead of taking my car. It was long enough for me to stretch out my legs and actually sleep. The tent had been the plan; the minivan became the solution.
Independence Pass: Waking Up in the Mountains
The next morning, I packed up and drove toward Independence Pass. The road climbed through the mountains, and the scenery seemed to change around every turn. This was one of the best scenic drives of the trip. I just can’t put it into words.
I stopped beside the road and washed my face with cold stream water flowing down the mountain. It was cooooold, and trust me, it woke me up better than any coffee ever could.
As I climbed higher, the terrain grew steeper and the views opened up to exposed rock and distant peaks. I stopped at almost every overlook, walked around, and used my binoculars to look at the distant mountains.
Independence Pass wasn’t just one destination. The drive itself was the attraction: the tight corners, the winding road, and the breathtaking views. Every turn seemed to offer something different, and the scenery was honestly mesmerizing. I couldn’t take pictures of the best part of the road because it was too narrow to park. But I saw it, felt it, and stored it in my memory.
Aspen
After crossing Independence Pass, I continued toward Aspen. By this point, I had already driven through so much beautiful scenery that I thought the day couldn’t surprise me anymore. Guess what? I was wrong.
Aspen was the city I eagerly wanted to explore. First, I took the gondola up Aspen Mountain. As the gondola climbed, Aspen slowly disappeared below me and the mountains opened up all around. Once I got to the top, I walked around and took one of the trails into the woods.
It was a nice change after spending so much time behind the wheel. I had no particular plan. I just followed the trail and enjoyed being up there. The air was cooler, the trees were everywhere, and every now and then the view opened up to the mountains. It felt like I was back home.
Later, I drove to another trail with a lot of Aspen’s mining history. Beneath today’s luxury and tourism lies Aspen’s past as a mining town. I saw old mining equipment and other things left behind from the area’s mining days. It was interesting to see those old instruments sitting there and imagine people actually working in these mountains years ago.
Next, I went to walk another trail. On the way, there were a lot of cyclists on the road. And I mean a lot. The road was narrow and winding, and passing them on those tight curves didn’t feel safe. The scenery was beautiful, but I was also thinking, How am I supposed to get around all these bicycles?
Here too, I walked a few miles and captured breathtaking views along the trail. Then I came across a stream and decided to soak my feet in the cold mountain water. Believe me, that was therapy!
I wanted to stay and explore more, but my legs were tired from all the walking. So I got back into my rented minivan and started driving to Glenwood Springs.
Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs, a small mountain town famous for its hot springs, but visiting one in the middle of summer didn’t sound particularly appealing. Instead, what caught my attention was the Colorado River and the massive canyon surrounding it.
I had never seen rock formations quite like these before. Driving along I-70, with towering cliffs on one side and the river flowing beside the highway, was an experience in itself. I remember moving into the right lane and slowing down a little, just so I could get a few extra seconds to take it all in.
A Night in Longmont
After Glenwood Springs, my next destination was Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. I wanted to get as close to the park as possible, so I decided to stay in Longmont.
I booked a motel in Longmont, and it turned out to be really good. After the previous night’s camping adventure at Twin Lakes, a comfortable place to sleep felt even better. Lol.
Estes Park
I left Longmont and drove toward Rocky Mountain National Park, hoping to get there before 9 a.m. so I wouldn’t need a timed-entry reservation. But, as you might have guessed, I missed it. And it’s highly unlikely you’ll get one on the same day, particularly on Labor Day weekend. So I had until 2 p.m. to explore Estes Park and its surroundings. First, I went to Lake Estes, where people were fishing with a beautiful mountain view behind them. Then I explored the Estes Park area itself, where you can see elk and other animals up close.
Next, I went to downtown Estes Park. It was very lively. I did the Riverwalk, looked around the shops and streets, and enjoyed the small-town feel.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Getting Into the Park
I had a vehicle pass and shuttle access, but I didn’t have the timed-entry reservation I wanted. So I took the shuttle from Estes Park to the Park & Ride area and explored what I could until 2 p.m., after which no reservation was required.
After 2 p.m., I returned to my minivan. That was when I finally got to do what I had been looking forward to, the drive through Rocky Mountain National Park.
Driving Through the Park
Driving through Rocky Mountain National Park became one of my favorite parts of the trip. The Rocky Mountains are massive, and you really start to appreciate their scale when you drive through them. Mountains stretched in every direction, with deep valleys, forests, and peaks rising far above the surrounding landscape. And further I drove, more the scenery changed.
Rocks, Mountains, and the Wind
One thing that caught my attention was the variety of rock formations along the drive. Not all mountains looked the same. Some areas were smooth and massive, while others had exposed rocks with completely different shapes and textures. And then there was the wind. At some of the higher overlooks, it was unbelievably windy. If I were the guy I was a decade ago, trust me, I would have been blown away. Lol.
There was something about being surrounded by mountains and looking across those enormous valleys that reminded me of home. The difference was that I was experiencing all of this from the comfort of a minivan, driving on beautifully maintained mountain roads.
Alpine Lake: A Moment That Took Me Back to Nepal
I noticed what looked like an alpine lake in the distant mountains. It looked calm and beautiful through my binoculars. Yet I was reminded of how a lake nestled among the mountains can become a source of devastation when its water bursts free. I couldn’t help thinking about the recent glacial lake outburst that led to the Bhotekoshi flash flood in Nepal.
Growing up in Nepal, mountains and their beauty have always been part of what I call home. Standing there in Colorado, admiring their beauty, I couldn’t help thinking about how those same mountains and glacial lakes back home can also bring unimaginable loss. My thoughts drifted to the people back home who were grieving. My heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones ❤️. May the departed souls rest in peace.
I’ve also written about disaster preparedness in Nepal and the need to protect lives when infrastructure fails.
All the Way to Grand Lake
I continued along Trail Ridge Road toward Grand Lake. The landscape kept changing as I drove, from open alpine terrain to mountain valleys and eventually back into the forests as I descended. It was basically a long drive up into the mountains and then back down the other side.
Racing the Sunset Back to Bear and Nymph Lakes
After reaching Grand Lake, I turned back toward Estes Park. I wanted to catch the sunset around Bear Lake and explore some of the nearby lakes and waterfalls.
On my way to Bear Lake, I was stopped by some unusual traffic. Not cars, but elk! Honestly, I didn’t even know that was something I wanted to experience until it happened. 😄
I particularly liked the trails around the lakes. As I walked along, the views kept changing depending on where I was on the trail. The mountains, the water, and the surrounding landscape all looked a little different from each spot.
As evening approached, the fading sunlight added another dimension to the scenery. The mountains looked different as the light changed, and the yellowish-red glow made them look even more beautiful.
The Long Drive Back to Kansas City
I got back to the Bear Lake trailhead and took in my final views of the mountains and the lake. After several days with the mountains around me, I finally had to accept that the trip was coming to an end. I had crossed mountain passes, camped in freezing temperatures, explored Aspen, driven through Rocky Mountain National Park, and walked around mountain lakes.
The rough loop I had drawn on a map had actually worked. I was tired but very happy. As people say, the hardest part isn’t summiting the mountain but getting back down. I was in a similar situation now, with a long drive back to Kansas City ahead of me. I left Rocky Mountain National Park around 9 p.m. and decided to drive as far as I could.
The Animal on the Road
It was probably close to 1:30 a.m. and completely dark. I was driving in the left lane when an animal ran toward the road from the left. It looked like a big beaver but I am still not sure, everything happened so fast. I saw it coming but had no time to react. Boom! I hit the animal, and the impact damaged the rental minivan’s bumper. I’m not sure if I could have done anything better there. Anyway, I made it home, but the incident added a few hundred dollars to the trip.
Wildlife creates a serious risk on long nighttime drives. Sometimes you can plan and adapt. Sometimes an animal runs across the road in the middle of the night, and you have no safe move available.
What I Took Away From Four Days in Colorado
I remember this trip as a journey rather than a checklist. I remember leaving Kansas City without knowing how the next four days would unfold, the boring drive to Colby, and the first mountains appearing the next morning.
I remember the red rocks of Garden of the Gods and the night at Twin Lakes; the failed mattress inflator, the search for an outlet, the woman at Big R, the food truck, the stars, the drizzle, and the fireworks. I remember abandoning the freezing tent for the warm minivan.
I remember washing my face with cold mountain water, riding the gondola in Aspen, missing Maroon Bells, and seeing Colorado’s mining history. I remember the cliffs around Glenwood Springs and the road through Rocky Mountain National Park, that alpine lake that reminded me of Flashflood in Nepal.
I remember racing towards Bear Lake before sunset. I also remember the animal on the road. What a trip it turned out to be!
Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely, though I would change a few things. I’d bring a proper blanket, carry a mattress pump that works without an outlet, reserve popular destinations earlier, and avoid driving late through areas with wildlife.
I wouldn’t change the freedom of the trip. Traveling alone lets me change my mind, stop in a town that looks interesting, spend an hour staring at a mountain, eat at a food truck, and turn a failed camping setup into a night in a minivan.
That freedom made the Colorado trip feel like mine instead of an itinerary someone else wrote.
Colorado, I’ll Be Back
Four days wasn’t enough to see everything Colorado has to offer. It wasn’t even close.
I missed Maroon Bells, didn’t spend as much time as I would have liked in Colorado Springs, Aspen, and Denver, and barely scratched the surface of the trails, lakes, mountain towns, and scenic roads I could explore.
But maybe that’s a good thing. Now I have reasons to return.
Somewhere between the red rocks of Colorado Springs and the alpine landscapes of Rocky Mountain National Park, I realized that I wasn’t just traveling to see mountains. I was also chasing a feeling, the one I developed exploring Nepal in my early 20s. That brings me back to the idea I mentioned earlier, just chasing my childhood. Perhaps that’s why the trip felt so personal.
I left Kansas City with a rough plan and came back with stories about mountain roads, small towns, camping problems, unexpected kindness, beautiful scenery, and one very unfortunate animal encounter.
It wasn’t a perfect trip, but it was mine.
And yes, despite the freezing night at Twin Lakes, the failed mattress inflator, the missed reservations, and the damaged rental minivan, I’d do it all over again.
My Colorado Road Trip Route
Route: Kansas City → Colorado Springs → Buena Vista → Twin Lakes → Leadville → Independence Pass → Aspen → Glenwood Springs → Longmont → Estes Park → Rocky Mountain National Park → Grand Lake → Bear Lake → Denver → Kansas City
Trip length: 4 days
Travel style: Road trip, camping, hiking, and scenic drives
Friday night
Kansas City → Colby, Kansas
Saturday
Colby → Colorado Springs → Garden of the Gods → Buena Vista → Twin Lakes → Leadville → Twin Lakes camping
Sunday
Twin Lakes → Independence Pass → Aspen → Glenwood Springs → Longmont
Monday
Longmont → Estes Park → Rocky Mountain National Park → Trail Ridge Road → Grand Lake → Bear Lake → Denver → Kansas City
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