Red Rocks is the one place within reach of this hotel that earns the word extraordinary without apology. Those 300-foot sandstone monoliths rose from ancient seabeds and tilted skyward over millions of years, and standing between them, you feel the scale of that in your chest before your mind catches up. The rock glows a deep, oxidized red against the sky, and the natural bowl of the amphitheatre frames the foothills in a way that feels almost architectural. Drive out on Highway 285 toward Morrison, follow the signs up into the hogback, and give yourself time to simply walk the trading post loop and let the formations do what they do. About 25 minutes from your door.
Within 25 miles · ranked by scenic score
12 Places Worth Seeing
Denver, CO
Denver Union Station
A Beaux-Arts train station built in 1881 and renovated in 2014, featuring the iconic 'Travel by Train' neon sign on its facade. The interior Great Hall features original architectural details with modern design elements, creating a blend of historic and contemporary aesthetics. The exterior plaza includes fountains and the iconic sign that glows at twilight.
Denver, CO
Confluence Park
Located at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, this urban park marks the site where Denver was founded in 1858. The park offers views of the downtown Denver skyline, river features, and the REI flagship store in a renovated historic building. Kayakers and tubers in summer add dynamic foreground elements.
Denver, CO
Denver Botanic Gardens
A 24-acre botanical garden in the Cheesman Park neighborhood featuring over 50 themed gardens and collections adapted to the semi-arid climate. The Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory and the iconic Monet Pool provide year-round photography subjects. The gardens display over 33,000 plants from regions around the world.
Denver, CO
City Park and Ferril Lake
Denver's largest urban park features Ferril Lake, which provides one of the most iconic reflection shots of the Denver skyline with the Rocky Mountains behind it. The 330-acre park was designed in the City Beautiful tradition and includes mature tree-lined paths. The lake's calm morning surface creates mirror-like reflections of the skyline.
Morrison, CO
Matthews/Winters Park
A Jefferson County Open Space park on the Dakota Hogback featuring the Red Rocks Trail that passes through tilted red sandstone formations. The park preserves remnants of the 1859 townsite of Mount Vernon and includes both foothill grasslands and riparian areas. Views extend from the hogback formations across the plains to Denver.
Morrison, CO
Dinosaur Ridge
A section of the Dakota Hogback containing over 300 dinosaur footprints and Jurassic-era fossils exposed along a tilted rock ridge. The site features visible dinosaur tracks, bones, and trace fossils embedded in the rock surface. The ridge provides views of the Denver Basin to the east and the foothills to the west.
Golden, CO
North Table Mountain
A flat-topped mesa formed by lava flows 63 million years ago, rising about 600 feet above the city of Golden. The mesa top offers views of the Continental Divide, Denver skyline, and the town of Golden below. Wildflower displays on the mesa top are notable in late spring and early summer.
Morrison, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
A naturally formed amphitheatre surrounded by 300-foot red sandstone monoliths that date back 290 million years. The venue sits at 6,450 feet elevation and is surrounded by a park with hiking trails offering views of the rock formations and Denver skyline. The red sandstone glows intensely during golden hour light.
Golden, CO
Lookout Mountain
Lookout Mountain rises to 7,379 feet and provides panoramic views of the Denver metro area to the east and the Continental Divide to the west. The summit area includes the Buffalo Bill Museum and grave site. The Lariat Loop road ascending the mountain is a historic scenic drive.
Morrison, CO
South Valley Park
A Jefferson County Open Space park featuring dramatic red sandstone hogback formations similar to but less visited than nearby Red Rocks. The Coyote Song Trail passes through a gap in the hogback offering views of both the foothills and the plains. Deer Creek flows through the park, attracting wildlife including mule deer and raptors.
Morrison, CO
Mount Falcon Park
A Jefferson County Open Space park featuring the ruins of John Brisben Walker's castle and the foundations of a planned Summer White House for the President. The park sits atop a mesa at approximately 7,700 feet with views of Mount Evans, the Continental Divide, and the Denver metro area. Remains of the Walker castle provide unique architectural foreground elements.
Golden, CO
Clear Creek Canyon
A narrow canyon carved by Clear Creek through Precambrian metamorphic rock west of Golden along U.S. Route 6. The canyon walls rise steeply on both sides, creating dramatic light conditions throughout the day. The creek provides opportunities for long-exposure water photography among the boulders.
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