
Stop for fuel or food if you need, then exit onto the US-160 West and drive about an hour to Fort Garland, a small town named for the historic fort situated at the base of the imposing Mount Blanca. For a true outdoor adventure experience, definitely make a stop here.įrom Pueblo, drive an additional 45 minutes on the I-25 South until you reach the small city of Walsenburg. You can even opt to go white-water rafting with an experienced guide in the Arkansas River beneath the suspension bridge if you want to get in the water. The Royal Gorge is a huge canyon on the Arkansas River, that is not only home to one of the world’s largest suspension bridges above a body of water, but also to highest zipline in the country! Looking for other road trips from Denver? Check out our Denver to Aspen drive, Denver to Phoenix drive, Denver to Telluride drive & Denver to Durango drive articles! Royal Gorge Bridge and Parkįrom Manitou Springs, consider making a stop a bit off course of the planned route for your Denver to Albuquerque drive, but absolutely worth it for adrenaline junkies! About an hour and fifteen minutes from Manitou Springs down the CO-115 South, you’ll find Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.

Allocate a few hours to the Manitou Springs area and you’ll be glad you did- there is truly something for everyone to enjoy here! Here, you can take a tour of the stunning natural caves, zipline through breathtaking mountain terrain, rock climb, and even embark on a high ropes course.Īdditionally, about eight miles east of Manitou Springs you’ll find Red Rock Canyon, a beautiful stretch of stunning canyons and ridges with plenty of hiking, mountain bike, and horseback riding trails throughout. Just about eight minutes up into the mountains surrounding Manitou Springs, you’ll find the Cave of the Winds Mountain Park. I guarantee they will love the big old arcade. Manitou Springs is definitely worth a stop, particularly if you are travelling with children.

It is home to a huge retro Penny Arcade, quaint sweet shops, and 8 different mineral springs that are said to have healing powers. Sunny Day in Downtown Denver Manitou Springs, Red Rock Canyon, and Cave of the Windsįrom Denver, you’ll get on the I-25 South and drive for about an hour and a half before making your first stop, in wonderfully kitschy Manitou Springs, a small town that is often overlooked due to its proximity to Colorado Springs. Stroll down 16 th Street Mall in the heart of downtown, eat at a trendy restaurant on Larimer Square, Denver’s oldest city block, or check out some of the craft breweries in the River North district before hitting the road! There is so much to do and see in this unique metropolitan city, so make sure to give yourself some time to explore Denver. You’ll begin your road trip in the beautiful capital city Denver, Colorado. Looking for other road trips from Albuquerque? Check out our Albuquerque to Phoenix drive article! Best Stops on the Denver to Albuquerque Drive Denver The total Denver to Albuquerque drive time along the route described above is about 7 hours, so if you split it up into a few days, you won’t have to be in the car for long stretches of time uninterrupted. The distance from Denver to Albuquerque is about 420 miles, so you could easily do the entire trip in one, long day of driving, but I would definitely recommend breaking it up over two or three days so that you can see all the best stops along the way. You can also browse Outdoorsy if you prefer to save on accommodation costs and hire an RV or campervan.Īlbuquerque, New Mexico. If planning on renting a car for this drive, you’ll find a number of options by browsing which aggregates deals across many major car hire companies. Regardless of which route you choose to take, you’ll be travelling on pretty major freeways for the majority of the trip, so there will be plenty of opportunities to stop for gas or food along the way. This is just one possible idea of a route, and if you’d prefer to make fewer stops and arrive in New Mexico more quickly, stay on the I-25 for the entirety of the Denver to Santa Fe drive before heading into Albuquerque. There are a few possible routes you can take between these two cities, but in this guide, we’ll be focusing on stops along I-25 from Denver until Walsenburg, then cutting West to Fort Garland before heading South into New Mexico. When planning a drive from Denver to Albuquerque, it is important to make sure you know your route and where you plan to stop ahead of time. Planning a Denver to Albuquerque Road Trip

Best Stops on the Denver to Albuquerque Drive.Planning a Denver to Albuquerque Road Trip.
