Colorado with Bethany Taylor

On September 16th, you will fly into the Denver International Airport (DEN). If you are arriving earlier, please plan to meet back at the airport for the group transfer. There will be one provided transfer from the airport to the campground. To accommodate the majority of travelers, the transfer has been scheduled for 11:30 A.M. You can meet your guide in the arrivals hall. They will have a sign that says TrovaTrip x Bethany Cora Taylor. If you cannot locate your guide upon arrival, please call 415-642-7378, select option 5 for 24-hour emergency assistance.

Enjoy an included welcome dinner at camp. Camp dinners are typically American fare with meals like pastas, stews, burgers etc. Your camp menu will vary and be decided based on your guide's recipe repertoire!

Once we all arrive at the campground on the first evening and get our bearings, we will circle up around the campfire and do introductions, share what we are most looking forward to on the trip and get to know one another!!

Overnight camping near Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Breakfast at camp is included. Typically camp breakfasts are served cold with the occasional hot breakfast served, time permitting. Common camp breakfasts include bagels, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee/tea.

A 10-15 minute transfer away and you’ll arrive to see some of the largest dunes in North America towering over you. With a wooden board in hand, and new friends by your side you’ll glide across these dunes with ease. It's an entirely different desert landscape inside Great Sand Dunes, and there's no better way to experience the most famous feature than by sliding down. You'll pick up rental boards just outside the park and then drive in, climb up the dunes to board down, and then repeat. (~2 hours)

Included pack lunch. Pack lunches usually consist of sandwiches, granola bars, chips, trail mix, etc. Depending on group preference you will either have lunch after sand boarding or during your transfer to Gunnison.

Your trip through the Rockies starts in earnest as you make your way to Gunnison. Stops for bathrooms/snacks will be made along the way as needed. (~3 hours)

Included dinner at camp. Camp dinners are typically American fare with meals like pastas, stews, burgers etc. Your camp menu will vary and be decided based on your guide's recipe repertoire!

Overnight camping in Gunnison, CO.

Breakfast at camp is included. Typically camp breakfasts are served cold with the occasional hot breakfast served, time permitting. Common camp breakfasts include bagels, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee/tea.

After breakfast, take a private transfer to Hotchikiss. You'll make a stop for lunch as well as bathrooms as needed. (~3 hours)

Included pack lunch. Pack lunches usually consist of sandwiches, granola bars, chips, trail mix, etc. Depending on group preference, you will either have lunch before or after Scenic Rafting in Hotchkiss.

12:30 P.M.: This half day trip on the Gunnison River has Class I and II rapids, offering a relaxing float with wonderful scenic views of the rock canyon walls and desert ecology. You will enjoy bird watching and maybe even some wildlife viewing. You'll pass through orchards, with views of the largest flat top mountain on the Grand Mesa. There are several great spots to get out and swim or stop and soak up some Colorado sunshine. (~2 hours)

After rafting, continue on to reach one of Colorado's more remote and beautiful national parks, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. (~1 hour)

Carved out of the volcanic igneous rock by the Gunnison River below, marvel at the striking black canyon walls on your flat, one-mile hike to the South Rim Visitor Center on the one-way Rim Rock Trail. Your Guide will drop you off on the south end of the trail and meet you at the north side to save you the return trip, then take you further into the park to the various viewpoints. At the end of the day you'll transfer about a half hour to the campground. Hike Distance: 1 mile one-way / Elevation gain: 187 ft / Duration: 30-40 minutes / Difficulty: Easy

Included dinner at camp. Camp dinners are typically American fare with meals like pastas, stews, burgers etc. Your camp menu will vary and be decided based on your guide's recipe repertoire!

Overnight camping near Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Breakfast at camp is included. Typically camp breakfasts are served cold with the occasional hot breakfast served, time permitting. Common camp breakfasts include bagels, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee/tea.

Travel through the scenic Rocky Mountains to reach Aspen this morning. Stops for bathrooms will be made along the way as needed. (~3 hours)

See the Maroon Bells in style as you skip the shuttles and take an e-bike through the mountain roads up to Maroon Lake and the Maroon Bells Amphitheater. You’ll pick up the bikes just outside of Aspen and then head up into the hills. Then park the bikes and take the short hike to the lake for great views of the towering peaks and enjoy your packed lunch, then, head back down to return your e-bikes before driving to Aspen to explore. You will each have your own pedal assist e-bike that has a weight limit of 300 lbs. Bike Ride Distance: 6 miles one-way / Elevation / 1400 feet / Duration 45 minutes / Difficulty: Easy-Moderate. Maroon Bells Scenic Loop Trail: Distance: 1.5 miles loop / Elevation gain: 160 ft / Duration: 30-40 minutes / Difficulty: Easy

Included pack lunch after your visit to the Maroon Bells. Pack lunches usually consist of sandwiches, granola bars, chips, trail mix, etc.

Transfer 15 minutes from the bike rental shop into the town of Aspen. The Hamptons of the West, Aspen is chock full of boutique shops, trendy restaurants, and some amazing art galleries. Explore the town before heading onwards to your campsite. (~2 hours)

Included dinner at camp. Camp dinners are typically American fare with meals like pastas, stews, burgers etc. Your camp menu will vary and be decided based on your guide's recipe repertoire!

Overnight camping in Carbondale, CO.

Breakfast at camp is included. Typically camp breakfasts are served cold with the occasional hot breakfast served, time permitting. Common camp breakfasts include bagels, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee/tea.

After breakfast, take a transfer on to Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park. Stops for bathrooms/snacks will be made along the way as needed. (~3.5 hours)

There are plenty of trails to choose from, ranging from an easy mile to a moderate three or four, all with incredible scenery and possible elk sightings! Your Guide will choose a hike based on the season and your group. *In order to comply with Rocky Mountain National Park regulations, the group will be split into two, with staggered start times. (~2 hours)

Included pack lunch on either the hike in Grand Lake and Kawuneeche Valley, or Alpine Ridge - dependent on how the group feels. Pack lunches usually consist of sandwiches, granola bars, chips, trail mix, etc.

One of the premier drives in the entire United States, you'll pass through alpine tundra, forests, and mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for elk, moose, bear, and more. Stretch your legs on the Alpine Ridge Trail to the high point of 11,900ft, and marvel at the various views as you head lower down towards Estes Park. (~1 hour)

About mid-way through your drive on the ridge road you’ll stop to stretch your legs. This short, intense hike up 225 stairs will take you to the high point of the road, with expansive views over the alpine tundra and nearby peaks. *In order to comply with Rocky Mountain National Park regulations, the group will be split into two, with staggered start times. Distance: 0.6 miles / Elevation: 162ft / Duration: 1 hour / Difficulty: Moderate

Included farewell dinner at camp. Camp dinners are typically American fare with meals like pastas, stews, burgers etc. Your camp menu will vary and be decided based on your guide's recipe repertoire!

On our final evening after spending stoked-filled quality time with each other on trail and cultivating friendships, we will gather one more time to share our most memorable or favorite parts of the trip, talk what we learned about ourselves, or just sit with gratitude and happiness and soak it all in for a little while longer.

Overnight camping in Estes Park

Breakfast at camp is included. Typically camp breakfasts are served cold with the occasional hot breakfast served, time permitting. Common camp breakfasts include bagels, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee/tea.

From the Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park, Emerald Lake is a steady climb through aspen groves and ponderosa pine. At just over a half-mile, you will reach Nymph Lake, a charming lake filled with pond lilies that bloom throughout summer. Another half-mile in, you will reach the east end of Dream Lake as well as a junction – from here Emerald Lake is just over a mile (~1 hour) with steady additional elevation gain of around 300 feet. Depending on time and how the group feels, they can continue to Emerald Lake. Distance to Dream Lake: 2.2 miles / Elevation: 425 feet / Duration: 1 hour / Difficulty: Moderate. Total Distance to Emerald Lake via Dream Lake: Distance: 3.8 miles / Elevation: 738 feet / Duration: 2 hours / Difficulty: Difficult. *In order to comply with Rocky Mountain National Park regulations, the group will be split into two, with staggered start times.

Included pack lunch. Pack lunches usually consist of sandwiches, granola bars, chips, trail mix, etc. Time permitting you will eat lunch on the hike or on the way to the airport.

On September 21st, you will fly out of the Denver International Airport (DEN). There will be one provided transfer from the campground to the airport at 1:00 P.M. Please book flights for after 6pm. (~2 hours)