Things to do / Travel Guide
Whether you prefer tracks, or public or private wheels, Colorado Rockies communities have thought long and hard about how to get you to their beloved destinations. So convenient is the local transportation, skiers and non-skiers alike find themselves ditching the car and going along for the ride.
By Bus and Shuttle
Good news for visitors to the Colorado Rockies region, particularly those headed to the popular ski resorts (Aspen, Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, and Vail) - public transportation is outstandingly convenient and occasionally even free!
Rather than worry about parking and driving hazards, during the winter ski season many people prefer to just rely on these free or inexpensive shuttles that travel between ski areas, resorts, and downtown. Even if you are not staying right near the slopes, most shuttles and buses will take you right to the base of the lifts. If this sounds like your style, you'll be happy to know that you can easily manage without a car in the Northwest Colorado towns and ski resorts of Aspen (Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass), Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge (and to the ski resort areas in Frisco, Copper Mountain, Dillon, Silverthorne, and Keystone), and Vail, and in the Southwest Colorado towns of Crested Butte (and the Mt. Crested Butte ski area), Telluride (and Telluride Village), and Durango (and Purgatory Ski Area).
Free shuttles service downtown destinations and the ski resorts (during ski season). They run frequently from very early in the morning until past midnight and are available in the Northwest Colorado towns of Aspen, Breckenridge, and Vail, and the Southwest Colorado towns of Crested Butte and Telluride.
In Northwest Colorado, Steamboat Springs Transit has several routes that will take you both to the ski areas and downtown running from early in the morning to very late at night. Ride Glenwood Springs offers convenient service to popular destinations throughout town. Roaring Fork Transit Authority runs free buses within Aspen (and to the ski areas) and offers a paid service to and from Glenwood Springs, leaving from Aspen's Rubey Park Bus Station on Durant Avenue. Grand Valley Transit offers nine routes servicing the areas in and around Grand Junction, including Palisade. The buses are convenient and easy to use, and stop at most of the places that you will want to get off. In Southwest Colorado, Alpine Express provides frequent ground transportation between Gunnison and Crested Butte, and, when in Durango, you can take the Durango Lift public transportation authority throughout town and to the Purgatory Ski Area during the winter.
By Train
Amtrak's California Zephyr line, which travels daily westbound from Chicago and eastbound from Emeryville, California (near San Francisco), stops in both the Northwest Colorado towns of Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. Thus, the California Zephyr line service can be a good way to travel between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction. The train takes about 24 hours to reach Glenwood Springs from Chicago, another 2.5 hours to hit Grand Junction, and another 24 hours or so to reach Emeryville. Grand Junction's Amtrak station is located on Second Avenue, while the Glenwood Springs station is on Seventh Street.
By Car
You should be mentally and logistically prepared, especially during the icy winter, to handle the Colorado Rockies' winding, twisting mountain roads, as you'll be driving on some of the United States' highest and most precariously-perched passes and byways. You can get to many sites and attractions in the region without a four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle, but if you hope to see some of the more scenic back roads and mountain passes, you will need to have that extra engine power and traction.
Parking in the Northwest Colorado towns of Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, and the Southwest Colorado community of Telluride during the ski season may be more of a challenge than in other communities and than in other times during the year. Local authorities encourage the use of public transportation and shuttles and have placed a strict time limit on street parking. You can, however, find affordable parking garages and lots that will allow you to leave your car for several hours or the day.
The only Interstate Highway running through the Colorado Rockies region is the east-west I-70, connecting Grand Rapids with the Northwest Colorado town of Vail, with Glenwood Springs, also in Northwest Colorado, sitting at about the midway point between the two. I-70 is also the departure point for roads that will take you to the South-Central Colorado community of Leadville (U.S. Highway 24) as well as Aspen and the (South-Central Colorado) Twin Lakes area (State Road 82). U.S. Highway 50 is the route you'll need to take to get from Northwest Colorado's Grand Junction to Salida, in South-Central Colorado, or vice versa. Other places in the region along this route include Delta, Montrose, Curecanti National Recreation Area, and Gunnison, all of which are located in Southwest Colorado. U.S. Highway 550 is the artery connecting Montrose to Durango, with Ouray and Silverton situated along the route; the towns of Montrose, Durango, Ouray, and Silverton are all in Southwest Colorado.
The following are approximate distances and driving times to Grand Junction from other destinations within the Colorado Rockies region:
- Steamboat Springs: 200 miles, 3 hours 20 minutes
- Vail: 150 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes
- Breckenridge: 185 miles, 3 hours
- Aspen: 130 miles, 2.5 hours
- Leadville: 175 miles, 3 hours
- Salida: 190 miles, 3.5 hours
- Crested Butte: 155 miles, 3 hours
- Gunnison: 125 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes
- Telluride: 130 miles, 2.5 hours
- Silverton: 120 miles, 2 hours 40 minutes
- Durango: 170 miles, 3 hours 40 minutes
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