What to Do in and Around Denver While You’re Here for Outside Days

There’s a reason the Outside Days festival is in Denver. The Mile High City has long been considered the gateway to the Rocky Mountains. Not only does it serve as a launchpad for alpine adventures, there’s also plenty of outdoor fun to be had close to town. So make a trip of your visit to Denver by exploring everything the city and the surrounding areas have to offer, from hiking to fishing to quaint mountain towns.

Inspired by the amazing music at Outside Days? Check out Red Rocks. The iconic outdoor amphitheater is a must-see when visiting Denver, offering everything from concerts to yoga to movie screenings to scenic hiking trails. And don’t miss Dinosaur Ridge: an outdoor museum dedicated to the geological and natural history of the area.

If you’re looking to bag your first fourteener, there are several peaks within a stone’s throw of Denver that are as accessible as they are stunning. The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway is the highest paved road in the United States and will take you almost all the way up to the mountain’s 14,264-foot summit and the surrounding hiking trails. Note: This peak is popular for a reason, so make sure you snag a timed entry reservation before heading out.

Bonus: Want something a little more challenging? Just beyond Mount Blue Sky, Grays and Torreys Peaks can be summited together on a difficult 11.2-mile round-trip trek.

And if you’re more interested in trekking to the brewery instead of the mountaintop, try the Denver Beer Trail. The city has the most breweries of any city in the country, and in true Colorado fashion, there’s a way to hike them all.

Colorado’s rivers have some of the best fly fishing in the world, and you don’t have to travel far from Denver to access it. The Denver South Platte is a 26-mile urban stretch of the Platte River that’s full of trout, bass, walleye, and catfish and is the perfect place to cast a line. If you’re looking to venture further into the wilderness, the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park and Blue River near Breckenridge boast an abundance of scenic beauty and fish alike.

Note: Fishing permit required.

If Denver is the gateway to the Rockies, Estes Park is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. But before checking the National Park off your bucket list, make sure to enjoy all the local charm that this small town has to offer. From historic hotels like the Stanley to abundant wildlife to hiking and biking trails, you might just find it hard to leave.

Head west along I-70, just 45 minutes from downtown Denver, to explore the old mining town of Idaho Springs. Here you can find a quaint main street full of antique shops, Old West history, and Beau Jo’s, where you can try Colorado-style pizza. Plus, there’s a brand new cable car that takes you high above the town with breathtaking 260-degree views of the Rocky Mountains.

Celebrating 117 years of promoting the Mile High City, Visit Denver is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes.