Colorado holds four national parks within a long weekend of our gate — and a campervan is the only hotel that moves with you between them. This is the ten-day loop our crew drives every spring to shake down the fleet. Steal it.
Stop 1–3: Rocky Mountain National Park
Start where you sleep. Three nights minimum: one for Trail Ridge Road, one for the Bear Lake corridor (book the timed entry the night before — we show you how), one for Wild Basin's waterfalls. Elk bugle at dawn in Moraine Park; bring coffee and patience.
Stop 4–6: Great Sand Dunes
Five hours south, North America's tallest dunes rise against the Sangre de Cristos. Sandboard rentals in the gateway town, star parties on summer weekends, and Medano Creek's surreal beach in late spring. The Luxury van's outdoor shower earns its keep here.
Stop 7–8: Black Canyon of the Gunnison
The least-visited and most vertigo-inducing park in the state. South Rim campgrounds fit our vans to 26 feet; arrive by Thursday for weekend spots. Sunset at Chasm View, then the darkest skies on this whole loop.
Logistics That Matter
- Timed-entry reservations: Rocky Mountain needs them in season — book at 7pm the night before, we walk you through it.
- Dump and fill free at basecamp before the long southern leg.
- Elevation: you'll sleep above 8,000 feet most nights. Hydrate, go easy day one.
- Fuel: top off in Gunnison and Alamosa — long empty stretches between.
Ten days, 1,100 miles, four parks. Our route pack marks every dump station, fill tap and stargazing pullout — and roadside assistance covers the whole loop.
