When visiting Colorado, you gotta aim high right? After all this is the home of the Rocky Mountains and a state capital – Denver – nicknamed the Mile High City due to its official elevation a mile above sea level (5,280ft).
At 14,115ft high, Pikes Peak is known as “America’s Mountain” and is the second most visited mountain in the world (behind Mount Fuji in Japan). We were travelling right up to the top of it on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway on a beautifully warm, sunny day.
I had envisaged a rickety old railway, but a picture-perfect station greeted us and shiny red carriages that were modern and spotlessly clean carried us nine miles to the summit.
The conductor on board was entertaining, combining wise cracks with local knowledge and trivia. “He’s like the conductor from The Polar Express,” one of our party whispered. “Who writes your scripts?” someone else asked. There are viewing platforms at the top and on a clear day you can see five different states.
Catching my breath slightly, we split up to explore the views and to take the odd selfie. The drop in temperature was noticeable – it felt chilly and this was only September.
There’s a summit visitor centre telling the history of the peak, as well as the obligatory gift shop and restaurant. Back at the bottom, the town of Manitou Springs, a few minutes’ drive from the railway, has a certain folksy charm with an interesting collection of independent shops that are well worth a stop off too.
Our guide for exploring the great outdoors was Jeff from Denver-based Aspire Tours. Nothing was too much trouble and we could not have asked for a more friendly, down-to-earth guide. Earlier we took in another of Colorado’s famous attractions, The Garden of the Gods. These are giant red columns of sandstone rock shooting up into the sky, which are seriously impressive and make for a stunning vista.
We also spent another day in the Rocky Mountain National Park, again with Jeff as our guide, starting off at Horseshoe Falls with its delightful streams and waterfalls. We also ventured up to the alpine tundra, which covers one third of the park and where winter lasts nine months a year.
It’s a harsh, desolate environment that could be the backdrop for a post-apocalyptic film. We only managed a snapshot of the park, however, which is vast and receives more than four million visitors each year.
I’d packed binoculars hoping to catch a glimpse of some wildlife which was a largely fruitless venture, but – Jeff to the rescue – he’d received a tip-off on where elk could be found. A short drive followed before we found ourselves in a valley peering at a male elk, complete with fearsome-looking antlers and his harem (the name of a group of female elks, who knew?)
The Maven, a boutique hotel on Wazee Street in downtown Denver, provided our accommodation while in Colorado. The standout feature of my spacious room was undoubtedly the bathroom which boasted a huge round bath, while a large walk-in shower was
pleasingly powerful.
We also liked the tokens offered by reception which entitled guests to free cocktails during a daily happy hour served from a mini Airstream caravan. Apparently alcohol packs more of a punch above sea level and Denver is extremely dry with 300 days of sunshine. So it’s a good idea to drink lots of water and pack plenty of sunblock.
To say we were well fed would be an understatement, and we visited a number of quality restaurants in Denver for dinner. The classy A5 Steakhouse on 15th Street stood out with a nice vibe.
The seafood was fantastic, particularly the crab, while two of my more adventurous travel companions shucked a variety of oysters
which received equal praise. The table service was also excellent wherever we went – does anyone do it better than in the US? Breakfast-wise, The Lobby on Arapahoe Street also did a great job of helping us refuel after a late night on the town, and the Southern biscuits and gravy (a savoury dish, not as we’d imagine it) and a separate serving of French toast were delicious.
A must for foodies is Denver Central Market on Larimer Street, a gourmet food hall and grocery market where we hung out for a few hours. I had a Coco Banana smoothie from the Green Seed, which consisted of banana, coconut, cocoa, peanut butter (it had to be done, this being America after all), yogurt and almond milk.
Another stall, Temper Chocolates, provided treats to take home to my partner and children (although I confess I later ate some of
them myself).
There’s a thriving arts scene in Denver and there was time for quiet contemplation when calling at the Clyfford Still Museum.
Still, who was born in North Dakota in 1904, was one of the first abstract expressionists and is considered one of America’s most important painters. Denver successfully bid for his artwork collection after his widow sought a new home for it and the museum now has more than 3,000 pieces.
Unconventionally, Still believed the colour black to be life-affirming. He was also a difficult man who fell out with his contemporaries, accusing one nfellow artist of plagiarising his work and even sending nappies in the post to one critic who displeased him.
The Denver Graffiti Tour is a great way to see another side of the city and is situated in the RiNo (River North) Art District. It covers about 20 blocks, lasting up to two hours, and explores street art, murals and graffiti, and the stories behind them.
It was a bit of an eye-opener, showcasing both the creativity of the artists involved and how people can come together with collaborative efforts, but also the tensions going on within local communities.
Our guide, who was happy to answer any questions we had, relayed how one artist tragically lost her life after being targeted by a gunman. It was a solemn note on an interesting tour.
Located near Denver Broncos’ Mile High Stadium, Meow Wolf is a must-see attraction consisting of other-worldy interactive art installations that defy description. Imagine Doctor Who crossed with Blade Runner and Total Recall. It is apparently the first multi-versal transit station serving Earth, whatever that means.
It’s a multi-sensory, slightly nightmarish experience in places and you can’t help but be wowed by the imagination on display. As a sci-fi fan, it was a heady highlight on this trip to a city miles ahead in its offering.
Book the holiday
- Aer Lingus flies to Denver, Colorado, from March to October. Connect from 10 UK cities via Dublin (US Immigration pre-clearance), with 23kg baggage, from £549 return. aerlingus.com
- Rooms at The Maven hotel in Denver start at around £198 a night. themavenhotel.com
- More info at denver.org
