July 2026 Family Vacation — Colorado/Wyoming road trip

[hoosierhunter11]

Hey folks,

My wife and I are wanting to take our daughters (ages 3 and 4) on a trip out west this coming summer. I have spent a decent amount of time in the mountains and love it and want to share that experience with my young family. We live in Indiana. I’ve considered road tripping from here but also exploring flying out and renting a camping rig of some sort.I’ve done some preliminary searches on Google and found companies that provide this type of experience, but does anyone here have firsthand experience or tips?

Open to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. Prefer to be outside of Grizz country.

Our desire is to spend 5-6 days with minimal itinerary. Main activities:
- day hikes
- fishing in streams and lakes
- stopping in mountain towns for a meal / shopping (keep the wife happy)
- glassing animals
- camp time / letting the kids slow down and experience the grandeur

Appreciate any input y'all might have. Thanks!

 

[kfili]

Following along this one!

 

[wesfromky]

Grizzly country is some of the best for the things you listed. Is there a specific reason to exclude it?

 

[TaperPin]

You might find the RV rental to be a bunch. I’d also consider a vacation rental set up with camp chairs, a cooler, and books/maps of the local spots. Going out every day to fish, roast marshmallows/hotdogs, and lounge around is still fun, even if you do get to shower every night and sleep on a bed.

 

[hoosierhunter11]

Scratched the RV rental idea. Current plan is to do mix of Airbnb/VRBO and truck and tent camping. Looking at either doing northern CO and Wyoming or staying in CO and working our way towards the southwestern part of the state before heading home.

My wife and daughters are going to fly into Denver (updated plan and booked flights to Montrose) while I drive out in my truck. Looking forward to this. Need to start booking some stuff. Open to ideas from yall!

 

[hoosierhunter11]

Grizzly country is some of the best for the things you listed. Is there a specific reason to exclude it?

I agree. I have not spent any time in grizzly country and don’t feel 100% comfortable or confident with the idea of hiking and camping with them there without getting some experience myself.

 

[grfox92]

Hey folks,

My wife and I are wanting to take our daughters (ages 3 and 4) on a trip out west this coming summer. I have spent a decent amount of time in the mountains and love it and want to share that experience with my young family. We live in Indiana. I’ve considered road tripping from here but also exploring flying out and renting a camping rig of some sort.I’ve done some preliminary searches on Google and found companies that provide this type of experience, but does anyone here have firsthand experience or tips?

Open to Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. Prefer to be outside of Grizz country.

Our desire is to spend 5-6 days with minimal itinerary. Main activities:
- day hikes
- fishing in streams and lakes
- stopping in mountain towns for a meal / shopping (keep the wife happy)
- glassing animals
- camp time / letting the kids slow down and experience the grandeur

Appreciate any input y'all might have. Thanks!

You arent going to visit grizzly country on a cross country road trip in an RV and have problems with grizzly bears. I wouldn't make that a limiting factor.

Sent from my SM-S931U using Tapatalk

 

[Steve O]

20 years ago but always one of my fondest family memories as a Dad was a circle tour from Michigan with the furthest point Devils Tower WY. Stops at John Deer Museum, John Wayne’s birthplace in Iowa (thought it would be hokey but was awesome!), Iowa covered bridges for my wife, Laura Ingals Wilder first homestead (simply amazing what they lived in/thru), Mount Rushmore (awesome-stay for lowering of the flag ceremony and maybe time it for fireworks), Needles Hwy and Badlands, North Dakota Badlands and both Teddy Roosevelt national parks, tip of Lake Superior in MN, headwaters of Mississippi, Wisconsin Dells.

 

[The_Jim]

Looking at either doing northern CO and Wyoming or staying in CO and working our way towards the southwestern part of the state before heading home.

That may be a lot for 5 days. SW Colorado is a 5 hour drive from Denver. I think you’d be best picking one or the other.

 

[Sizthediz]

Rocky mountain national park
Yellowstone
Glacier

 

[hoosierhunter11]

Scratched the RV rental idea. Current plan is to do mix of Airbnb/VRBO and truck and tent camping. Looking at either doing northern CO and Wyoming or staying in CO and working our way towards the southwestern part of the state before heading home.

My wife and daughters are going to fly into Denver while I drive out in my truck. Looking forward to this. Need to start booking some stuff. Open to ideas from yall!

All good advice folks. I've narrowed it down. Just booked flights for the girls from Indy to Montrose. That will get us to where we want to be. We'll focus on Colorado this time around and hit Wyoming a summer in the near future.

I have fond memories hunting around Gunnison so will venture over there to show the family and be sure to hit the San Juans and nearby towns... Ouray, Durango, Silverton, etc. Will probably be able to hit Pagosa Springs on the way home.

 

[Steve O]

Pikes Peak is worth a ride.

 

[betelgeuse]

It's gonna be fun I bet. I stay away from Grizzly country myself.

Grizz don't care how much you gave to the Sierra Club.

 

[Luke S]

I think it's wise not to over plan with little kids along. To much driving will not be fun with them. Keep an eye on the altitude sickness issue. Kids aren't as good at articulating symptoms.
If they can see animals that will be a hit. I remember going to Colorado when I was 5. I don’t remember the mountains. But I remember it being cold and I remember a chipmunk eating my crackers (probably illegal but i think the statute of limitations has run out) and I remember seeing bighorn sheep. Maybe find a little creek to play in to.

 

[Tobe_B]

Lots of neat stuff around the Durango Silverton area that’s kid friendly and easy to access. Expect it to be slightly busier, but very enjoyable.

 

[Winnie]

You absolutely have to do the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Your whole family will love it. We did this exact same trip and that was the highlight for everyone. Please look into it, you will not be disappointed. Especially kids that age!

 

[Gman12]

I took my family to SW CO a few years ago and it was a really fun trip. There is so much to do and see in the area and some of the prettiest country in the country IMO. We had a VRBO north of Durango near Purgatory resort. Definitely ride the train from Durango to Silverton. Don't do the round trip on the train, ride the bus back. Walk around and check out Silverton and grab lunch. Very cool town. Purgatory has an alpine slide and mountain coaster that the kids will like if they are old enough along with some other things for children. Don't go to SW CO without taking a side trip to Telluride. It rivals Jackson, WY as the prettiest town in America IMO. They have a free gondola there where you can ride to the top of the mountain. The views are spectacular. We didn't see a ton of wildlife in the area but did see some elk and deer. Ouray is another really cool town to see. There are several rivers and lakes in the area as well and tons of public land. If seeing lots of wildlife is most important, then I would go to Yellowstone or RMNP/Estes Park. No grizzlies in SW CO. We caught a bunch of trout in a tiny little stream behind the house near Purgatory.

 

[MuleyFever]

All good advice folks. I've narrowed it down. Just booked flights for the girls from Indy to Montrose. That will get us to where we want to be. We'll focus on Colorado this time around and hit Wyoming a summer in the near future.

I have fond memories hunting around Gunnison so will venture over there to show the family and be sure to hit the San Juans and nearby towns... Ouray, Durango, Silverton, etc. Will probably be able to hit Pagosa Springs on the way home.

If you are starting in Montrose you are only 3 hours from Moab too. May be worth a day.