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When the Mountain Passes Close: 3 Winter Day Trips From Denver That Stay Open All Season (2026)

Oct 13, 2026
•
1 min read

Rocky Mountain National Park closed Trail Ridge Road for ice and snow on October 13, 2026. The park lists mid-October as its normal time to shut the road for the season, and once the gates go down they stay down until late May. If the road reopens for a few more days and you want one last drive over the top, our Last Call for Alpine Fun guide has the routes.

Plenty of Denver families still want a day near the mountains in November and December. The foothill towns along the Front Range get plowed fast, and their lower trails dry out a day or two after a storm. Each town in this guide also has a GetOut Colorado venue where the kids can warm up between outdoor stops.

This guide pairs a GetOut stop with a free outdoor spot in three Front Range towns. If you've been looking up winter day trips from Denver with kids, or wondering what to do near Denver when the mountain roads are closed, start with whichever town sits closest to your house.

Which Colorado Mountain Roads Close for Winter

Colorado's highest scenic roads were built for summer driving. Here's where each one stands this season:

  • Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain National Park): The park shuts it to through travel in mid-October and opens it again in late May. Ice closed it for a stretch on October 13, 2026. Last year the season ended on November 14, and in 2024 the gates went down on October 25.
  • Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway: The road from Summit Lake to the summit closed on September 8, 2026. The lower section stays open until a storm forces the gate shut.
  • Independence Pass (CO 82): Expect CDOT to close it in early November.
  • Guanella Pass: Crews close it the week of Thanksgiving.

The foothill towns sit lower, between 5,300 and 6,400 feet. None of the drives below touch the I-70 mountain corridor between Morrison and Dotsero, where Colorado's traction law applies from September 1 through May 31.

Some families will cross the Divide anyway for a holiday drive to Salt Lake City. Get your tires checked before you go, and look through the venues on GetOut Utah for when you arrive.

Check COTrip.org for conditions before you head out.

Day Trip 1: Golden and The Spot Golden

Drive time: 25 to 30 minutes from downtown Denver
GetOut offer: One Day Pass, good any day of the week, once per membership year (gear rental costs extra)

Golden is the closest trip on this list. Leave Denver after breakfast and your kids can be on the climbing wall before mid-morning.

Start at The Spot Golden. The gym has 11,000 square feet of climbing walls, and the routes are graded so a first-timer and an older sibling can each find something to work on. It belongs to The Spot, which opened in Boulder in 2002 as one of the first bouldering gyms in the country. An hour of climbing on a cold morning warms everybody up.

Head outside after lunch when the sun sits highest. Snow melts fast on Golden's mesas and foothills, so you can fit a walk with the kids into most winter afternoons.

Relatives driving down from Nebraska on I-76 can reach Golden without going through downtown Denver, since I-76 meets I-70 a few exits east of the CO 58 turnoff. Their GetOut Nebraska membership covers plenty of stops back home.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Lookout Mountain Nature Center: Admission is free. Kids can explore the foothills wildlife exhibits and spend time in a play room set up for them, and a short trail loops through the preserve outside. The center opens Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closes Tuesday through Thursday.
  • North Table Mountain: The treeless trails dry out quickly after a storm, and you get a view back over town from the top.
  • Clear Creek Trail: This flat path follows the creek right through downtown Golden.
  • Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science: It's free and indoors, so keep it in mind if the wind picks up.

Plan your visit:

  • The Spot Golden is at 1391 Brickyard Road. It stays open late on weeknights, so it works for an after-school trip too.
  • Your GetOut Day Pass covers climbing. Rental gear costs extra, so pack climbing shoes if your family owns them.
  • If this is your first time redeeming an offer, our guide on how to use your GetOut membership walks you through the app.
  • Schedule the nature center for Friday through Monday, when its doors are open.
  • Washington Avenue in downtown Golden has lunch spots within walking distance of Clear Creek.

Day Trip 2: Colorado Springs and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame

Drive time: 70 minutes down I-25 from downtown Denver
GetOut offer: One free Hall of Fame admission, once per membership year

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy is the only museum in the world built around professional rodeo. You'll find it right off I-25 at Exit 148, so the whole drive stays on the interstate.

Kids get pulled in by the saddles, and some of them date to the early 1800s. The gear and clothing displays show how rodeo outfits changed over the decades. Over in the Hall of Champions, you can read up on the sport's best-known riders. Plan on one to two hours inside. Adults pay $10 at the door, and your GetOut membership covers your admission.

Grandparents and cousins driving up from North Texas for the holidays reach Colorado Springs an hour before Denver, so the Hall of Fame makes an easy first stop on their way in. They can keep the outings going after they head home with a GetOut Texas DFW membership.

Garden of the Gods is a 15-minute drive south. The park is free and opens at 5 a.m. every day. In winter, snow on Pikes Peak sits right behind the red rock, which makes for good family photos. Families who want to keep driving south toward Pueblo can pick up where this trip leaves off with our Southern Colorado fall day trips with kids.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Perkins Central Garden Trail: This paved 1.5-mile loop runs through the main rock formations. Strollers and small kids handle it fine.
  • Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center: You'll get free exhibits and maps here, plus a terrace that looks out over the whole park. Winter hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Old Colorado City: Shops and lunch spots sit a few minutes from the park.
  • Climber spotting: Technical climbers need a free permit to scale the sandstone, and kids like picking them out on the rock walls from the trail.

Plan your visit:

  • The museum entrance is at 103 Pro Rodeo Drive. Park in the lot with the bronze statue of a bronc rider out front.
  • From September through April, the museum opens Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission is at 4:30, and the doors stay shut on Mondays and Tuesdays.
  • It also closes for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
  • Go to the museum in the morning and save Garden of the Gods for the afternoon light.

Day Trip 3: Boulder and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)

Drive time: 30 minutes up US 36
GetOut offer: One free general admission, once per membership year

Boulder gets quiet once the summer crowds leave. Chautauqua parking goes free in the fall and stays free through spring, and you'll share the trails with far fewer people.

BMoCA sits on 13th Street in downtown Boulder and puts up more than 14 exhibitions a year, so your winter visit won't look like whatever you saw last spring. Ask your kids what they think a piece means. You'll hear some funny answers. The whole museum takes under an hour to walk through, which suits younger kids, and the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is right next door if anyone wants a hot drink afterward.

Chautauqua Park is a 10-minute drive south at the base of the Flatirons.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Chautauqua Trail: It starts at the park's big lawn and climbs at a gentle grade toward the Flatirons. Turn around whenever the kids are done.
  • Pearl Street Mall: Street performers and shops fill the pedestrian blocks downtown, a short walk from the museum.
  • Boulder Creek Path: This paved path runs along the creek through the middle of town.

Plan your visit:

  • BMoCA is at 1750 13th Street. It's open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays.
  • Through November, 13th Street closes on Saturdays and Wednesdays for the Boulder Farmers Market. City garages downtown don't charge on weekends.
  • Chautauqua parking stays free until summer, and the lots fill early on sunny weekend mornings.

How to Pick the Right Trip for Your Family

  • Families with toddlers will do best in Golden. The drive is the shortest, and the nature center has a play room built for little kids.
  • If your kids have energy to burn, let them spend it on The Spot's walls before you head outside. On days you'd rather stay in town, our list of indoor sports spots to try in Denver has more options.
  • Colorado Springs suits kids who like animals and Western stories. Add Garden of the Gods and you've filled the whole day.
  • Boulder makes for a slower day with an hour of art and a walk under the Flatirons. Older kids and teens get the most out of it.
  • When the forecast turns cold and windy, spend more of the day at the indoor stop and keep the walk short.
  • After a storm, wait until midday so the sun has time to clear the trails.

Winter Driving Tips for Front Range Day Trips

  • Check COTrip.org before you leave, even for a short drive.
  • Look at your tire tread before the first storm. Front Range snow can roll in fast.
  • Families driving in from Kansas City on I-70 should know that blizzards can close the plains stretch near Limon. Check conditions before you leave, and keep your GetOut Kansas City membership ready for the trip back.
  • Keep a kit in the car with blankets, water, snacks, gloves, and a phone charger.
  • Leave earlier than feels necessary. The sun sets before 5 p.m. in December, and you'll want daylight for the outdoor half of the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best winter day trips from Denver with kids?
 Golden and Boulder each sit half an hour from Denver, and Colorado Springs is 70 minutes down I-25. All of them stay reachable through winter. Each one has an indoor GetOut venue near a free outdoor spot like Garden of the Gods or Chautauqua Park.

What can I do near Denver when the mountain passes are closed?
 Head for the foothills. Climbing gyms, museums, and nature centers in Front Range towns stay open all year, and the lower trails clear a day or two after a storm.

When does Trail Ridge Road close for the winter?
 Rocky Mountain National Park shuts it to through travel in mid-October and opens it again in late May. Weather sets the exact date, so call the park's road status line at (970) 586-1222 before you drive.

Is the ProRodeo Hall of Fame open in winter?
 Yes. From September through April it opens Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and stays closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Is Garden of the Gods open in the winter?
 Yes. The park opens every day, and admission costs nothing. The Visitor & Nature Center keeps winter hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What are fun indoor things to do in Golden, Colorado?
 Climb at The Spot Golden, check out the hands-on exhibits at Lookout Mountain Nature Center, or stop by the Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science, which is free.

Is a GetOut membership worth it in Colorado during winter?
 GetOut Colorado includes more than 80 venues, and a lot of them are indoors, so your membership keeps paying off when it's cold out. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame charges $10 per adult on its own. At the time of writing, a GetOut Colorado membership costs $49.95 a year. For more ways to use it through the cold months, read our tips for making the most of your GetOut membership this winter.

Keep the Weekends Going All Winter

Trail Ridge Road won't open again until late May. Pick up a GetOut Colorado membership, choose a town from this list, and plan a Saturday in the foothills before the next storm rolls through.

‍

Rocky Mountain National Park closed Trail Ridge Road for ice and snow on October 13, 2026. The park lists mid-October as its normal time to shut the road for the season, and once the gates go down they stay down until late May. If the road reopens for a few more days and you want one last drive over the top, our Last Call for Alpine Fun guide has the routes.

Plenty of Denver families still want a day near the mountains in November and December. The foothill towns along the Front Range get plowed fast, and their lower trails dry out a day or two after a storm. Each town in this guide also has a GetOut Colorado venue where the kids can warm up between outdoor stops.

This guide pairs a GetOut stop with a free outdoor spot in three Front Range towns. If you've been looking up winter day trips from Denver with kids, or wondering what to do near Denver when the mountain roads are closed, start with whichever town sits closest to your house.

Which Colorado Mountain Roads Close for Winter

Colorado's highest scenic roads were built for summer driving. Here's where each one stands this season:

  • Trail Ridge Road (Rocky Mountain National Park): The park shuts it to through travel in mid-October and opens it again in late May. Ice closed it for a stretch on October 13, 2026. Last year the season ended on November 14, and in 2024 the gates went down on October 25.
  • Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway: The road from Summit Lake to the summit closed on September 8, 2026. The lower section stays open until a storm forces the gate shut.
  • Independence Pass (CO 82): Expect CDOT to close it in early November.
  • Guanella Pass: Crews close it the week of Thanksgiving.

The foothill towns sit lower, between 5,300 and 6,400 feet. None of the drives below touch the I-70 mountain corridor between Morrison and Dotsero, where Colorado's traction law applies from September 1 through May 31.

Some families will cross the Divide anyway for a holiday drive to Salt Lake City. Get your tires checked before you go, and look through the venues on GetOut Utah for when you arrive.

Check COTrip.org for conditions before you head out.

Day Trip 1: Golden and The Spot Golden

Drive time: 25 to 30 minutes from downtown Denver
GetOut offer: One Day Pass, good any day of the week, once per membership year (gear rental costs extra)

Golden is the closest trip on this list. Leave Denver after breakfast and your kids can be on the climbing wall before mid-morning.

Start at The Spot Golden. The gym has 11,000 square feet of climbing walls, and the routes are graded so a first-timer and an older sibling can each find something to work on. It belongs to The Spot, which opened in Boulder in 2002 as one of the first bouldering gyms in the country. An hour of climbing on a cold morning warms everybody up.

Head outside after lunch when the sun sits highest. Snow melts fast on Golden's mesas and foothills, so you can fit a walk with the kids into most winter afternoons.

Relatives driving down from Nebraska on I-76 can reach Golden without going through downtown Denver, since I-76 meets I-70 a few exits east of the CO 58 turnoff. Their GetOut Nebraska membership covers plenty of stops back home.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Lookout Mountain Nature Center: Admission is free. Kids can explore the foothills wildlife exhibits and spend time in a play room set up for them, and a short trail loops through the preserve outside. The center opens Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closes Tuesday through Thursday.
  • North Table Mountain: The treeless trails dry out quickly after a storm, and you get a view back over town from the top.
  • Clear Creek Trail: This flat path follows the creek right through downtown Golden.
  • Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science: It's free and indoors, so keep it in mind if the wind picks up.

Plan your visit:

  • The Spot Golden is at 1391 Brickyard Road. It stays open late on weeknights, so it works for an after-school trip too.
  • Your GetOut Day Pass covers climbing. Rental gear costs extra, so pack climbing shoes if your family owns them.
  • If this is your first time redeeming an offer, our guide on how to use your GetOut membership walks you through the app.
  • Schedule the nature center for Friday through Monday, when its doors are open.
  • Washington Avenue in downtown Golden has lunch spots within walking distance of Clear Creek.

Day Trip 2: Colorado Springs and the ProRodeo Hall of Fame

Drive time: 70 minutes down I-25 from downtown Denver
GetOut offer: One free Hall of Fame admission, once per membership year

The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American Cowboy is the only museum in the world built around professional rodeo. You'll find it right off I-25 at Exit 148, so the whole drive stays on the interstate.

Kids get pulled in by the saddles, and some of them date to the early 1800s. The gear and clothing displays show how rodeo outfits changed over the decades. Over in the Hall of Champions, you can read up on the sport's best-known riders. Plan on one to two hours inside. Adults pay $10 at the door, and your GetOut membership covers your admission.

Grandparents and cousins driving up from North Texas for the holidays reach Colorado Springs an hour before Denver, so the Hall of Fame makes an easy first stop on their way in. They can keep the outings going after they head home with a GetOut Texas DFW membership.

Garden of the Gods is a 15-minute drive south. The park is free and opens at 5 a.m. every day. In winter, snow on Pikes Peak sits right behind the red rock, which makes for good family photos. Families who want to keep driving south toward Pueblo can pick up where this trip leaves off with our Southern Colorado fall day trips with kids.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Perkins Central Garden Trail: This paved 1.5-mile loop runs through the main rock formations. Strollers and small kids handle it fine.
  • Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center: You'll get free exhibits and maps here, plus a terrace that looks out over the whole park. Winter hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Old Colorado City: Shops and lunch spots sit a few minutes from the park.
  • Climber spotting: Technical climbers need a free permit to scale the sandstone, and kids like picking them out on the rock walls from the trail.

Plan your visit:

  • The museum entrance is at 103 Pro Rodeo Drive. Park in the lot with the bronze statue of a bronc rider out front.
  • From September through April, the museum opens Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission is at 4:30, and the doors stay shut on Mondays and Tuesdays.
  • It also closes for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
  • Go to the museum in the morning and save Garden of the Gods for the afternoon light.

Day Trip 3: Boulder and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)

Drive time: 30 minutes up US 36
GetOut offer: One free general admission, once per membership year

Boulder gets quiet once the summer crowds leave. Chautauqua parking goes free in the fall and stays free through spring, and you'll share the trails with far fewer people.

BMoCA sits on 13th Street in downtown Boulder and puts up more than 14 exhibitions a year, so your winter visit won't look like whatever you saw last spring. Ask your kids what they think a piece means. You'll hear some funny answers. The whole museum takes under an hour to walk through, which suits younger kids, and the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is right next door if anyone wants a hot drink afterward.

Chautauqua Park is a 10-minute drive south at the base of the Flatirons.

Free outdoor pairing ideas:

  • Chautauqua Trail: It starts at the park's big lawn and climbs at a gentle grade toward the Flatirons. Turn around whenever the kids are done.
  • Pearl Street Mall: Street performers and shops fill the pedestrian blocks downtown, a short walk from the museum.
  • Boulder Creek Path: This paved path runs along the creek through the middle of town.

Plan your visit:

  • BMoCA is at 1750 13th Street. It's open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Mondays.
  • Through November, 13th Street closes on Saturdays and Wednesdays for the Boulder Farmers Market. City garages downtown don't charge on weekends.
  • Chautauqua parking stays free until summer, and the lots fill early on sunny weekend mornings.

How to Pick the Right Trip for Your Family

  • Families with toddlers will do best in Golden. The drive is the shortest, and the nature center has a play room built for little kids.
  • If your kids have energy to burn, let them spend it on The Spot's walls before you head outside. On days you'd rather stay in town, our list of indoor sports spots to try in Denver has more options.
  • Colorado Springs suits kids who like animals and Western stories. Add Garden of the Gods and you've filled the whole day.
  • Boulder makes for a slower day with an hour of art and a walk under the Flatirons. Older kids and teens get the most out of it.
  • When the forecast turns cold and windy, spend more of the day at the indoor stop and keep the walk short.
  • After a storm, wait until midday so the sun has time to clear the trails.

Winter Driving Tips for Front Range Day Trips

  • Check COTrip.org before you leave, even for a short drive.
  • Look at your tire tread before the first storm. Front Range snow can roll in fast.
  • Families driving in from Kansas City on I-70 should know that blizzards can close the plains stretch near Limon. Check conditions before you leave, and keep your GetOut Kansas City membership ready for the trip back.
  • Keep a kit in the car with blankets, water, snacks, gloves, and a phone charger.
  • Leave earlier than feels necessary. The sun sets before 5 p.m. in December, and you'll want daylight for the outdoor half of the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best winter day trips from Denver with kids?
 Golden and Boulder each sit half an hour from Denver, and Colorado Springs is 70 minutes down I-25. All of them stay reachable through winter. Each one has an indoor GetOut venue near a free outdoor spot like Garden of the Gods or Chautauqua Park.

What can I do near Denver when the mountain passes are closed?
 Head for the foothills. Climbing gyms, museums, and nature centers in Front Range towns stay open all year, and the lower trails clear a day or two after a storm.

When does Trail Ridge Road close for the winter?
 Rocky Mountain National Park shuts it to through travel in mid-October and opens it again in late May. Weather sets the exact date, so call the park's road status line at (970) 586-1222 before you drive.

Is the ProRodeo Hall of Fame open in winter?
 Yes. From September through April it opens Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and stays closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Is Garden of the Gods open in the winter?
 Yes. The park opens every day, and admission costs nothing. The Visitor & Nature Center keeps winter hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What are fun indoor things to do in Golden, Colorado?
 Climb at The Spot Golden, check out the hands-on exhibits at Lookout Mountain Nature Center, or stop by the Colorado School of Mines Museum of Earth Science, which is free.

Is a GetOut membership worth it in Colorado during winter?
 GetOut Colorado includes more than 80 venues, and a lot of them are indoors, so your membership keeps paying off when it's cold out. The ProRodeo Hall of Fame charges $10 per adult on its own. At the time of writing, a GetOut Colorado membership costs $49.95 a year. For more ways to use it through the cold months, read our tips for making the most of your GetOut membership this winter.

Keep the Weekends Going All Winter

Trail Ridge Road won't open again until late May. Pick up a GetOut Colorado membership, choose a town from this list, and plan a Saturday in the foothills before the next storm rolls through.

‍

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Oct 13, 2026
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