Breckenridge From Boreas Pass Road
Breckenridge
The lanky fingers of Breck’s ski runs tousle the trees as they work their way downslope toward the base of the mountain. In town, the iconic street lamps and holiday lights simulate an alpenglow aura as the sun sets.
Tips to Get the Shot: Dusk captures this historical town’s gentle pink-and-orange radiance while fading light still illuminates the powdery peaks and slopes.
Denver Skyline From City Park
Denver
This shot showcases many of the things we love about Denver — the wide-open spaces of City Park and its historical pavilion, the distinctive urban skyline with the “cash register” building (among others) and proximity to the Rocky Mountains.
Tips to Get the Shot: Find this angle steps from the western side of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The peaks are generally covered in white from October-ish to April-ish.
Pikes Peak Summit From Garden of the Gods
Near Colorado Springs
The view of Pikes Peak from the keyhole of the Siamese Twins formation in Colorado Springs’ Garden of the Gods is one of the coolest in the state. The red sandstone peek-through frames the peak spectacularly and is surely one of the reasons the park has been named a National Natural Landmark.
Tips to Get the Shot: Dawn’s early light sets the formations aglow and presents a sharp contrast to the snow-dusted peak in the distance. Find more things to see and do near Pikes Peak.
Colorado National Monument From Monument Canyon
Near Grand Junction and Fruita
Rim Rock Drive’s 23 miles give you 19 scenic overlooks to choose from — all with awe-inspiring panoramas of Colorado National Monument. Check off a list of wind-and-water-sculpted rock formations with shape-inspired names like Window Rock, Pipe Organ, Kissing Couple, Praying Hands and Sentinel Spire.
Tips to Get the Shot: Patience will be key, as morning’s fog plays hide-and-seek with the massive formations within Monument Canyon.
The Flatirons From Chautauqua Park
Boulder
There’s hardly a bad angle within Chautauqua Park for capturing Boulder’s iconic peaks, five slanting monuments named by pioneers for their shape. After getting the shot, stop into Chautauqua Dining Hall, which has been warming folks up with tea and cocktails since 1898.
Tips to Get the Shot: Shooting from the trails in Chautauqua’s meadows provides lots of options for interesting foreground foliage, rocks and hills.
Downtown Crested Butte
Crested Butte
Crested Butte’s free spirit is reflected in the whimsical and vibrant buildings of its historical downtown, where cafes and bike and coffee shops occupy structures built by miners seeking Rocky Mountain riches in the late 1800s.
Tips to Get the Shot: The morning after a storm almost guarantees clear-blue skies and a blanket of white, the perfect inverse of Crested Butte’s bright building colors.
Want More?
Check out 9 Awesome Places to Take Colorado Photos
Find 99 Gorgeous Places in Colorado: Part 1: The Postcard Places.