Grab your road trip partner and furry best friend, gas up the car, and get ready to hit the road! During this 5-day Texas to Colorado Road Trip, you will experience epic hikes, otherworldly landscapes, and unique dog-friendly attractions! You will surely be hooked on all Colorado has to offer, and find yourself planning many more Texas to Colorado Road Trips in the near future!
Note:: Although you could begin this road trip from alternative points, this particular road trip begins in Dallas, TX, and ends in Colorado Springs, CO. There is a bit of flexibility to switch days around and/or extend the trip.
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P.S.!!! If you love this itinerary, be sure to download this FREE printable copy. You can plan your perfect road trip and adjust accordingly!
Table of Contents
What if I do not live in Dallas? Where else could I start from?
The first stop on this trip is in Amarillo, TX so you could fly directly to the Rick Husband Amarillo International Aiport.
If looking for a cheaper flight, you could fly to…
- DFW Aiport
- Dallas Love Field
Or reverse your trip and start in…
- Denver International Aiport
- Colorado Springs Airport
Keep Reading:: Things to do on a Dallas, TX STAYCATION
When should I plan this Texas to Colorado Road Trip?
Although most will agree that winter is a pretty risky time to plan a road trip through Colorado, it turned out to work perfectly for us.
We did have to adjust some of our plans (switch some days around) due to snow, but with a flexible schedule a winter road trip can be magical!
Average Temperatures Palo Duro State Park:
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 57/28
- Spring (March-May): 77/45
- Summer (June-August): 95/67
- Fall (Sept-Nov.): 77/50
Most rain: May and June
Average Temperatures Great Sand Dunes National Park:
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 37/14
- Spring (March-May): 59/31
- Summer (June-August): 81/51
- Fall (Sept-Nov.): 62/34
- Most rain: July and August
- Snow?: 37 inches per year with March being the snowiest
Average Temperatures Colorado Springs:
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 43/18
- Spring (March-May): 65/34
- Summer (June-August): 83/55
- Fall (Sept-Nov.): 63/36
- Most Rain: July and August
- Snow?: 57.3 inches per year
Texas to Colorado Road Trip Quick Itinerary
- Day 1: Dallas —->Palo Duro Canyon State Park
- Day 2: Palo Duro—->Garden of the Gods
- Day 3: Manitou Incline and Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Day 4: Colorado Springs—->Royal Gorge Park and Tunnel Hike
- Day 5: Great Sand Dunes National Park
Highlights: Rock Lighthouse, 3,000 stairs, dog-friendly gondola, and sand -duning!
Follow along on Instagram for more adventures!
Texas to Colorado Road Trip Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Dallas to Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Driving Time: 5 hours 56 minutes (382 miles)
After driving for 5+ hours with NOTHING but flat lands around you, you will be pleasantly surprised when you arrive at the second largest canyon in the United States. YES, it’s in Texas… 🙂
Palo Duro Canyon State Park is home to 16 different hiking trails ranging from 0.5 miles-9+miles. If you prefer to just take a scenic drive, there are over 16 miles of paved roads that will take you down and around the canyon.
If you only have time for one hike, I recommend hiking the Lighthouse Trail. This is a 6+ mile moderate hike to the magnificent rock lighthouse (pictured above).
After your hike, be sure to check out Cadillac Ranch and grab a steak from The Big Texan Steakhouse.
Tip:: if you can finish a 72 oz steak, you get it for FREE?!? We struggled to finish a 32 oz… together….so if you accomplish this, please tell me about it 🙂
Palo Duro State Park Quick Facts:
- Physical Address: 11450 Park Road 5 Canyon, TX 79015
- Hours: 7:30 am-6:00 p.m (7:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays)
- Camping: 100+campsites and glamping!
- Other: The park hosts outdoor summer musicals Tuesdays-Sundays at the Pioneer Amphitheater
Other Dog-friendly Stays in Amarillo:
Day 2: Amarillo to Garden Of the Gods
Driving time: 5 hours and 38 min (365 miles)
After your 5 hour drive, you can spend the last few hours of daylight exploring Garden of the Gods. Garden of the Gods is a FREE park with unique rock features and 1,300 acres to explore.
While exploring you can hike, rock climb, rent a bike, take a segway tour, or join a guided informational hike. The best part about the park is that it is completely dog-friendly.
Insider Tip: The main trails near the Visitor’s Center can get extremely busy. If you are looking for a quieter trail, park at the Trading Post and hop on a trail from there. You will still get great views of the park, but away from some of the crowds. Here is a map to help!
Garden of the Gods Quick Facts:
- Physical Address: 1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
- Nature Center Hours: Mon-Thurs: 9am-3pm, Fri-Sun: 9am-5pm
- Events: Guided Walks, crafts, 5ks, and more!
Dog-friendly stays in Colorado Springs (for nights 2 and 3)
- Drury Inn & Suites (35 dollar pet fee per night)
- Eagle Fire Lodge and Cabins (15 dollar pet fee per night)
- Staybridge Suites (20 dollar pet fee per night)- Our pick!
Day 3: Manitou Springs
Driving time: 10 minutes (3 miles)
Stop 1: Manitou Incline
If you hate your legs and not be able to breathe, then the Manitou Incline is the hike for you!
Okay… maybe that was a bit dramatic.
BUT it is important that you are prepared for a tough hike. You will be walking up 2,763 stairs with a 1,992-foot elevation gain.
Where to park? We parked in the Barr Trail Parking Lot and received a parking ticket. I now know that you are supposed to park in Hiawatha Gardens lot (shuttle available) or the Iron Springs Chateau lot.
Do I need reservations to hike the Manitou Incline? Yes…but it’s free! You can do so here and then just show the attendant the proof. Reservations open up 7 days in advance.
Are dogs allowed? I am usually a biiiiggg-time rule follower. But, we did take Thor along on the stairs (there was not an attendant at the bottom). We knew he would be able to make it as it was cold out, we had a lot of water for him, and there were not many people on the trail.
I would NOT recommend bringing your dog when it is even remotely hot out or if they have any type of joint issues. REMEMBER you signed up for the hike, your dog did not.
Please remember to bring A LOT of water and go slow.
Alternate dog-friendly route: If you still want the famous picture at the top of the stairs, you can take the Barr trail to the top. This is an 8-mile round trip trail that goes up to the top of the stairs (it’s the trail that most people take on the way down).
The way down: We did see several people turning right around and taking the stairs down, but you can also take the Barr Trail down (recommended). It’s a beautiful decline, but can be tough on your knees.
Manitou Incline Quick Facts
- Length: 4.5 (1 mile up, 3.5 miles down)
- Elevation Gain: 1,992 feet
- Hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m., April-October, and 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m., November-March.
- Reservation? Yes, see above.
- Cost: Free
Stop 2: Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Driving time: 9 minutes (2.6 miles)
The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a super unique dog-friendly attraction. The perfect break after your climb. They are comprised of relocated Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings that you are able to tour and learn more about.
Your pups are allowed inside the homes, gift shop, and museum! It’s not very often you find a pet-friendly indoor museum!
Manitou Cliff Dwellings Quick Facts:
- Physical Address: 10 Cliff Dwellings Rd, Manitou Springs, CO 80829
- Cost: Adults ($12.00 + tax) Children ($7.50+ tax)
- Hours: May, June, July & August 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. March, April, September & October 9 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.November 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. December, January & February 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. (7 days a week)
Personal Reaction: Honestly, the cliff dwellings were cool to see…BUT if you are short on time and want to fit something else in, it would not be the end of the world. We were only here for about a half-hour before moving on to the next activity.
Alternative Plan (or extra if time allots): Drive to the top of Pike’s Peak—
Day 4: Colorado Springs to Alamosa, CO
After exploring all that Colorado Springs has to offer, this Texas to Colorado Road Trip takes you towards the Great Sand Dunes National Park….with a couple of pit stops along the way!
Stop 1: Tunnel Drive Trail – Canon City, CO
Driving Time: 55 minutes (47 miles)
Okay…we found this hike completely on accident. We typed in “Royal Gorge” into our GPS (instead of Royal Gorge Park)…and it took us to this empty trailhead parking lot.
We thought we better try it out since we were already there….AND it was the PERFECT UNIQUE hike!
An easy 3.8-mile trail (there and back) featuring 3 tunnels, epic overlooks (a railroad and river), and other unique rocks and plants.
Tip: The tunnels are pretty early on in the hike if you are looking for an even quicker hike. There are also bathrooms and doggy bags available at the bottom of the trail.
Stop 2: Royal Gorge Park– Canon City, CO
Driving Time: 21 minutes (12 miles)
After your hike, your next pit stop will be at Royal Gorge Park (the original destination). Here you can walk across the highest suspension bridge in the U.S., ride the gondola across the gorge (with your pup!) and try out the zipline or sky-flyer.
The dog-friendly gondola caught my attention right away! Look closely at the picture above and you can see the little tiny gondola!
Insider tip: You can get on the gondola from both sides of the gorge. I recommend walking across the bridge first, then up to the gondola as the line was much shorter than riding the gondola first.
Royal Gorge Bridge Quick Facts:
- Physical Address: 4218 County Road 3A, Cañon City, CO 81212
- Hours: Bridge only 8am-10am- Rides and Attractions- 10 am- (4-7pm Depending on Season)
- Cost: Bridge, Gondola, theater, and playland: $23/adult, $18/child, 5 and under free. Additional cost for rides.
- Other things to do: Zipline, sky coaster, theater, playland
After exploring the park, head towards Alamosa (2 hours 31 minutes) where you will spend the night before heading towards Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Other Dog-friendly stays in Alamosa, CO
- Comfort Inn (20 dollar pet fee)- Our pick!
- Best Western (20 dollar pet fee)
- See camping options below!
Side note about Alamosa: Alamosa does have an abnormally high crime rate. It is something I noticed/looked up while we were already there. SO just keep this in mind when booking a hotel 🙂
Day 5: Great Sand Dunes National Park
Driving time: 38 minutes (34 miles)
If you weren’t already blown away by the 2nd largest canyon, a dog-friendly gondola, or 3,000 stairs…Great Sand Dunes will likely do the trick. Located directly in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE you will find miles and miles of HUGE sand dunes.
What to do at Great Sand Dunes National Park?
Great Sand Dunes National Park offers 30+ miles of sand Dunes up to 700 ft high! Here, you can slide the dunes, hike freely, stargaze, horseback ride, backpack and MORE!
In the summertime, the Medona Creek will be flowing, making it the perfect place to splash around and cool off.
Where to rent a sandboard?
Although there are no rental shops inside of the park, there are several to choose from on your way in. Be sure to call ahead and do a bit of research as some do not rent in the winter or when it is too cold.
Find Sandboard Rental information here!
Insider tip:: Due to not being able to rent a sandboard on Thanksgiving, we made a quick pit stop at the Walmart in Alamosa before heading to the park. We picked up a snow sled to try out.
It worked out great on the dunes with snow, but not on the sand…sooo if there is snow on the dunes a sled is a great purchase!
Things to do near Great Sand Dunes National Park
Once again, this National Park is 45 minutes from the nearest town and 2+ hours from big cities. We did not find a lot of things to do near by, but the park is amazing enough to take up all your time!
If you do have a bit of extra time…
- Hike to Zapata Falls– We did not do this hike, but we did read that it requires a long bumpy dirt road to the trailhead and wading through water to get to the falls.
Where to stay near Great Sand Dunes National Park?
As stated previously… this national park is truly in the middle of nowhere. The closest town is Alamosa which is about a 45-minute drive. We stayed at Comfort Inn and Suites as it was dog-friendly and offered a hot grab-and-go breakfast (if you know me at all, you know I LOVE continental breakfast).
Camping Near Great Sand Dunes:
Pinon Flats Campground: Open April-October, Reservations are open six months in advance/$20 per night
See more campgrounds nearby here!
Great Sand Dunes National Park Quick Facts:
- Physical Address: (Visitor Center) 11999 State Highway 150 Mosca, CO 81146
- Hours: The park is open 24/7, Visitor Center Hours: Fall, Winter, Spring (Labor Day until Memorial Day Weekend): 9:00-4:30 daily Summer (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend): 8:30-5:00 daily- Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Hiking Trails: No designated trails, you are free to explore the 30+ miles of Dunes!
- Other things to do: Stargaze, splash in the creek (summertime), sandboard, hike the nearby Zapata Falls
What to pack on this Texas to Colorado Road Trip:
I won’t bore you with a complete packing list in this Texas to Colorado itinerary post, but if interested in my complete (and printable) packing list, check out The Ultimate Road Trip Planning Guide.
In the meantime, here are my 5 (+) essential items that I take with me on every trip!
- Keens––My favorite brand of hiking shoes. For this trip, I wore the boots (due to winter), but typically I LOVE the sandals.
- Waterpack–—this lesson was learned early in my hiking days. ALWAYS bring more water than you think you will need. This pack is a perfect size, extremely affordable (under 40 dollars!!), and super comfy. It is also proving to be very durable as well!
- Doggy Boots and collapsible water and food dishes- Okay doggy boots may not be essential for everyone, BUT Thor’s paws get cut up hiking without them so they allow us to hike for much longer!
- Travel first aid kit—-I always make sure to bring along a mini first-aid kit on any adventure. It’s better to be safe than sorry! This particular kit attaches to any bag and has all the essential supplies for minor injuries.
- SNACKS—If you know me at all, you know I will not be caught without snacks. I hate to admit it, but I am the queen bee of hangry. Sooo, I always have a protein bar or fruit bar with me…in case of an emergency of course 🙂
Dallas to Colorado Springs Road Trip Recap!
If you LOVED this itinerary, be sure to download this FREE PRINTABLE copy for your own personal use. There is room to add to it, change attractions around, and add your own stops! 11 pages to plan your perfect road trip!
- Day 1: Dallas —->Palo Duro Canyon State Park
- Day 2: Palo Duro—->Garden of the Gods
- Day 3: Manitou Incline and Manitou Cliff Dwellings
- Day 4: Colorado Springs—->Royal Gorge Park and Tunnel Hike
- Day 5: Great Sand Dunes National Park
Highlights: Rock Lighthouse, 3,000 stairs, dog-friendly gondola, and sand -duning!
Save for later!
Make sure to follow along in more of Thor’s adventures and road trips on Instagram!
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