Take This Hidden Gems Road Trip When You Want To See Some Little-Known Places In Colorado

Garden of the Gods. Mesa Verde. The Great Sand Dunes. The Centennial State is home to more incredible attractions than we can count. But if you have been there, done that, and are wanting to see and do something new, there are plenty more hidden gems in Colorado. Check out these unique places to visit in Colorado on a hidden gems road trip:

A link to the interactive map can be found here.

1. Cano's Castle (Antonito)

It's larger than life! It's majestic! It's... a castle constructed from metal scrap? Welcome to Cano's Castle, a 4 tower palace constructed from hubcaps, beer cans, and other recyclables. What's the inspiration behind such a unique structure? Entirely built by Vietnam veteran Donald Espinoza, Cano's Castle was inspired by his love of Jesus and cannabis. (We aren't kidding.)

2. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (Cortez)

You know all about and have visited the extraordinary Mesa Verde, but did you know that the Centennial State is home to even more Ancestral Puebloan ruins? Case in point: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, which is home to a whopping 6,000 archaeological sites!

3. Blue Lakes (Ridgway)

They don't call them the Blue Lakes for nothing! Tucked away in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, the Blue Lakes are not only stunning from their turquoise color, but surrounding cliffs, trees, and wildflowers.

4. Lizard Lake (Marble)

Another lake, you ask? You betcha! (Seriously though, is there such a thing as too many lakes?) Featuring jaw-dropping views of Whitehouse, Sheep, and Hat Mountains, Lizard Lake is quite possibly one of the best hidden gems in the state.

5. Dotsero Volcano (Dotsero)

As if Colorado couldn't get any more remarkable, it just so happens that we also have an active volcano (active = it has erupted within the last 10,000 years)! Even better? You can hike said volcano AND see remnants from its 2-mile-long lava flow!

6. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (Florissant)

Last but certainly not least on this hidden gems road trip is our version of the Redwood Forest, AKA the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Located in the center of the state, the Florissant Fossil Beds are home to one of the last petrified forests in the country, complete with plant and insect fossils and gigantic redwood stumps from millions of years ago.

Will you add this hidden gems in Colorado road trip to your CO bucket list? Want to keep driving? Since there are so many beautiful places in Colorado how about taking this road trip to Colorado’s most majestic castles? You'll find it's like taking a fairytale adventure.