Front Range

That Colorado's Front Range is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park is reason enough to visit this enormously picturesque region. The 415-square-mile natural wonderland outside Estes Park offers majestic peaks, forests, meadows, tundra and opaline ponds ­along with a legendary scenic byway and epic wildlife viewing. Nearby, the Peak to Peak Highway offers a jumping-off point to explore alpine lakes and funky towns such as Nederland and Ward.

College towns such as Boulder and Fort Collins sidle up to the foothills ­— where hiking is a typical Saturday activity and where cycling to and from destinations is the norm.

The Front Range is also home to the western tip of the Great Plains, as well as to St. Mary’s Glacier, the southernmost glacier in the United States.

You can test Lady Luck in the casinos at Black Hawk and Central City, hop an old railroad in Georgetown or touch the state’s ceiling at the top of 14,240-foot Mount Evans.

Use the articles and events below, or click on the city pages on the right, for ideas on things to do as you plan your next vacation along Colorado's Front Range.