Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park, at approximately 265,000 acres, is not the country's largest national park, nor is it the most visited, with approximately 4 million visitors per year. However, there is something truly magical about RMNP, which rises 14,259 feet into the Colorado sky at its highest point, Pikes Peak. Hiking the park's 350-plus miles of trails through pine and spruce forests, glittering alpine lakes, swaths of wildflowers, and, if you're lucky, some elk or bighorn sheep is the main draw. And, perhaps it's the thinner air that gets to people's heads, but even the most jaded visitors report feelings of awe and wonder after a day or two of breathing in that fresh mountain air.

When it's time to return to earth, or at least to an elevation of 7,500 feet or so, visitors can eat some homemade ice cream, take a spooky tour of the Stanley Hotel, or simply meander through Estes Park's charming village. Furthermore, neighboring Colorado hotspots Boulder and Denver are only a short drive away.