The Colorado Rockies featuring National Parks and Historic Trains -w Airfare

# The Colorado Rockies

featuring National Parks and Historic Trains

#### July 10 — July 18, 2026 • 9 Days • 12 Meals

### Highlights

MORE INFO HERE:

The Colorado Rockies with Gilligan's Adventures & Travel with Sue

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado National Monument, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO), Pikes Peak Cog Railway
Journey aboard the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway to the top of Pike’s Peak.
Spend two nights in Durango, a fun-filled cowboy town where you can relive the excitement of the Old West.

• Included in Price: Round Trip Air from Newark Intl Airport, Air Taxes and Fees/Surcharges, Hotel Transfers

#### Day-by-Day Itinerary:

#### Day 1

#### Jul 10, 2026: Denver, Colorado

Adventure awaits as you explore the towering peaks and rolling meadows of Colorado. As traveler’s arrival times vary greatly, we have no group activities planned during the day. This tour (which features four national parks) opens in the “Mile High City” of Denver where you will gather for a welcome dinner with your fellow travelers.

##### Included Meals Dinner

#### Day 2

#### Jul 11, 2026:

#### Denver - Rocky Mountain National Park - Denver

Travel through Boulder, a scenic university town known for its iconic landmark... the striking, reddish-brown foothills known as the Flatirons. Stop in Estes Park, a mountain resort town and home of the Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. Your adventure in Rocky Mountain National Park starts on the Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved, continuous highway in North America. It’s a drive that should be on everybody’s bucket list. At Rainbow Curve, marvel at the majestic mountains that stand in contrast to deep, rugged canyons. Later, return to Denver for a free evening in this dynamic city.

##### Included Meals -Breakfast

#### Day3

#### Jul 12, 2026:

#### Denver - Colorado National Monument - Grand Junction

The spectacular Rocky Mountains are your traveling companion. Make a scenic drive from Denver to Grand Junction, passing through many of Colorado’s famous ski resorts. This journey also takes you to one of the grand landscapes of the American West – Colorado National Monument. Continue along the monument's historic Rim Rock Drive to see a colorful panorama of deep, sheer-sided canyons and high rock towers. Gather for dinner at a favorite local hangout in Grand Junction, a town that attracts outdoorsmen, foodies and all manner of free spirits.

##### Included Meals Breakfast-& Dinner

#### Day 4

#### Jul 13, 2026

#### Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Grand Junction

Today, venture to another amazing national park – Colorado’s own “Grand Canyon”! Marvel at the steep-walled gorge and dramatic views of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park while travelling along its South Rim. Pause at one of the scenic viewpoints to soak in this stunning wilderness of rock, water, and sky. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking some of the steepest and oldest rock walls in North America, carved over 2 million years by the Gunnison River. Perhaps you’ll even spot a peregrine falcon. Then, immerse yourself in the stories of the American west during a tour of the Museum of the Mountain West, a preserved and re-created pioneer town that captures life as it was over a century ago. Return to Grand Junction for an evening at leisure.

##### Included Meals Breakfast-Lunch

#### Day 5

#### Jul 14, 2026: Grand Junction - Silverton - Durango

Head south to Silverton, a former silver mining town and now a National Historic Landmark. Hidden high in the San Juan Mountains, this town blends spectacular scenery, Victorian charm and historic architecture. Then it's “all aboard” the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This 1881 coal-fired, steam-powered locomotive made its name hauling silver and gold ore from the San Juan Mountains, but you will soon realize it is the view that is its most precious asset.

##### Included Meals -Breakfast

#### Day 6

#### Jul 15, 2026:

#### Durango - Mesa Verde National Park - Durango

An incredible day awaits in Mesa Verde National Park (UNESCO), home of the ancient Ancestral Puebloan civilization. Join a local guide on a drive through the park making several photo stops including views of the famous Spruce Tree House, one of Mesa Verde’s best preserved cliff dwellings and Cliff Palace, the largest in the park. This evening, experience a farm-to-table dinner on a family-owned ranch surrounded by red mountain peaks and lush green pastures.

##### Included Meals -Breakfast-Dinner

#### Day 7

#### Jul 16, 2026:

#### Durango - Colorado Springs

Sit back and relax during a scenic ride to Colorado Springs. En route, marvel at the landscape as you make your way from the San Juan National Forest and across Wolf Creek Pass, a section of the Continental Divide that would take pioneers two to three weeks to cross. Continue on through the Rio Grande National Forest, a vast expanse of wilderness named for the 1,800 miles of Rio Grande River that cuts through the forest. Your day concludes in Colorado Springs, an artistic and cultural hub.
Included Meals-Breakfast

#### Day 8-

#### Jul 17, 2026:

#### Colorado Springs - Manitou Springs - Colorado Springs

Depart for Manitou Springs, home of Pike’s Peak – the legendary symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush. Embark on a journey aboard the Pike’s Peak Cog Railway, the world’s highest cog railroad, for an 8.9 mile trip to the top of Pike’s Peak. During the journey you will see magnificent views and perhaps animals in their native habitat. Later, travel to the Garden of the Gods to take in the view of towering sandstone formations that dot the landscape set in the backdrop of majestic Pikes Peak. Tonight, join your fellow travelers for a farewell dinner and celebrate your adventure.

##### Included Meals-Breakfast-Dinner

#### Day 9

#### Jul 18, 2026: Colorado Springs -

#### Tour Ends

Your tour comes to a close in Colorado Springs.
The Colorado Rockies with Gilligan's Adventures & Travel with Sue-Z

QUESTONS?
ROBBGILL@YAHOO.COM

Cheers,
Robert