Help Plan Trip To Colorado in October

Maroon Bells, near Aspen. Busy like Disney on summer weekends. Supposedly the most photographed place in CO.

You may want to consider Aspen for a few nights rather than Colorado Springs. Hanging Lake looks about an hour away.

Ouray is probably the town you are thinking of. Southwest CO, in the San Juans. Another beautiful spot.

There is someone here who lives in Ouray, forget the name. Town is smack in the middle of mountains and forests full of trails and 14ers. Also home of world class ice climbing, probably not open in October.

Be careful planning in RMNP, trail ridge road typically closes in late October and it's possible anything you want to do is going to involve snowshoes.

I lived in Boulder for a decade. I stay up the hill at the Renaissance Boulder FlatIron Hotel in Superior when I visit. The Boulderado is great if you want to be in the thick of it. GREAT bar and people watching. But for cheap stay off the Boulder turnpike in Superior, Lafayette, Westminster, Broomfield etc and just take the very short drive in every morning. The Springhill Suites in Westminster would work and be in that $100 dollar range.

The Pearl Street Mall is where you want to be in the evening-preferably on a Friday or Saturday. The Boulder Creek is cool as is the bike path along it. Chautauqua for hiking (Mesa Trail for relaxing hike Saddle Rock or Second Flatiron for more strenuous Green Mountain if you are very fit or Mt Sanitis (my fave) if you want short and steep) . You can drive up to Boulder Falls or just enjoy driving through the Boulder Canyon or Sunshine Canyon. Great Bars and restaurants along Pearl Street Mall. The Farmers market, the Tea Room, etc. It's a great place. Give yourself a few days just for Boulder before doing Estes or driving South to Colorado Springs.