Books, Bites, and Sights

March 16th – March 24th, 2026

Variety is the Spice of Life: One State, Four Worlds

Diverse: The word that comes to the forefront of my mind when trying to capture Colorado’s four national parks. Alpine peaks and towering sand dunes; Archeological sites and river-cut gorges. Looking to take a roadtrip with a wide-range of experiences and sights? Then take John Denver’s advice and head to Colorado.

When planning a trip to Colorado’s big four don’t forget to take the season into consideration. Amory and I went in late Winter, early Spring. Because of this, parts of the Rockies were blanketed in snow; the Great Sand Dunes’ temperatures were meek and mild; Mesa Verde wasn’t offering ranger-led tours; And most of the Black Canyon was unaccessible.

As I typed all of the above – it begged the question: Were the parks even worth visiting in March? The answer: yes. Even in late Winter, there is lots to do and see. And the best part? Minimal crowds. Books, Bites, Insights? Do your research. Map out your musts for each park regardless of season. And go from there. If a late Winter roadtrip doesn’t lend itself to check off your must-do boxes, plan to go another time of year. No biggie.

As my sister says, “Point being”: Two of the big four, I will plan to revisit in the future. The other two, I don’t. Read on beloved reader to discover which are which and why.

Rocky Mountain National Park

4 days, March 16th – March 19th

My first time in RMNP was January 2025 with Amory, and I am not shy to say, I will visit this park again and again. Why? Because I love it. RMNP, as I tell Amory, “matches my vibe.” And the neighboring town, Estes Park, is the cherry on top with so many shops and cafes to explore.

For starters, revisiting RMNP is a must for me because I have yet to drive along the highest (nearly 13,000 feet in elevation) continuous paved road in the US – Trail Ridge road. Both times that I’ve visited RMNP, the road has been closed at the Many Parks curve. The road typically closes mid-October and opens late May. As I said in the introduction of this post, you have to decide on your non-negotiables and then plan your visit accordingly. But don’t let road closures steer you away from a Winter visit to RMNP – there is still so much to do and see, and visiting RMNP while it is still snow covered is magical and one-of-a-kind.

Some of that RMNP Winter visit magic will include: frozen alpine lakes, snowy peaks, and horned elk. (Did you know elk lose their antlers in Spring? I didn’t until my last visit!) Additionally, in Winter and in early Spring, there are no crowds, traffic is minimal, and Airbnbs have cheaper rates.

Because of the cheaper rates, Amory and I booked an Airbnb stay at the Ponderosa Lodge – which, while I love staying in Tata, having a shower and bed at our disposal – so nice, chef’s kiss. Plus, it was Amory’s birthday week, so ya know – treat yourself.

Books, Bites, Insights? Beginning on May 22, 2026, through October 12, timed entry reservations will be required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park between the hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Day 1: easy hikes, checking-in, and sight seeing
  • Drove into Estes Park, checked into our Airbnb at Ponderosa Lodge (5 minutes from Fall River Visitor Center), hiked the Alluvial Fan (0.5 mile out-and-back), hiked the Hidden Valley Nature Trail (0.5 mile loop), drove down Bear Lake Road (10 mile scenic paved road), hiked the Sprague Lake Trail (1 mile loop), attempted to hike the Bear Lake Trail (1 mile loop, the lake was frozen and the trail was covered in snow drift)
• Day 2: easy hike
  • hiked the Cub Lake Loop (6 mile loop)
• Day 3: moderate to strenuous hike
  • hiked the Twin Sisters Peak Trail (7.5 mile out-and-back with 2,500 elevation gain, 30 minute drive from Fall River Visitor Center)
• Day 4: strenuous hike and yummy bites
  • stood in line at Cinnamon’s Bakery to snag one of their legendary rolls (5 minutes from Fall River Visitor Center), hiked to Chasm Lake (8.5 mile out-and-back with 2,600 elevation gain)

Great Sand Dunes National Park

2 days, March 20th – 21st

Truth be told, I would’ve felt satisfied with just one day in GSDNP park. Why? Because, IMO, while the park is breathtaking and otherworldly, if you’ve done one dune trail, you’ve done them all. But I am glad we had two days to fully explore the park.

Because of Winter road closures, there were very inviting alpine hikes that we were not able to access, so my stance that I won’t revisit GSDNP could be swayed; however, I really don’t see myself making the drive back out to the park just for its alpine hikes. I’ve seen and done all the things I wanted to do there – I got my fill. Except for one major thing: There are no sled rentals inside the park, and I didn’t know this. Unfortunately, we were not able to sled the dunes. Ah! I know. I know. Books, Bites, Insights? Don’t be like us. Do your research. Rent a sled outside of the park or bring your own.

This park did offer one experience that Amory and I had been wanting to do in Tata: Off-roading. Medano Pass is a dirt path that is only accessible to 4WD vehicles. It was fun to get a lil dirt and sand under Tata’s wheels, and by doing so, we were able to get to more secluded picnicking spots.

• Day 1: namesake hike and checking-in
  • Drove into the park (5 hours from Rockies), hiked the High Dunes Loop (3 mile loop, short but not easy – hiking in the sand is no joke), checked-in to the Alamosa KOA
• Day 2: easy hikes, off-roading, and picnicking
  • hiked the Zapata Falls Trail (1 mile out-and-back), hiked the Dunes Overlook Trail (2.8 mile out-and-back), off-roaded on Medano Pass, picnicked at the Sand Pit, explored Castle Creek

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

1 day, March 22nd

Books, Bites, Insights? Wait to visit this park. Black Canyon of the Gunnison needs time. Because of recent fires that devastated the South Rim in 2025 and because of seasonal Winter closures, there wasn’t much for us to do when we visited. 95% of the park was completely inaccessible. We did our research prior to visiting, so we knew this would be the case. But even after research, Amory and I stared down into the canyon with tears in our eyes, disappointed. We know this park has so much to offer. The little tidbit of the park that we were able to explore ensured in our minds that we will revisit Black Canyon of the Gunnison – but as I mentioned above, in due time.

• Day 1: easy hikes and overlooks
  • Drove into the park (3.5 hours), stopped at the Tomichi Point Overlook, hiked the Oak flat, Uplands, and Rim Rock Nature Trail (3 mile loop), took in views of the canyon at the Gunnison Point Overlook, walked through and explored the small South Rim Visitor Center, checked into our Hipcamp in Montrose

Mesa Verde National Park

2 days, March 23rd – March 24th

Delightful for both history-buffs and nature enthusiasts: Mesa Verde NP was the perfect park to end to our Colorado Big Four roadtrip. By this point in this post you could’ve guessed: there were seasonal Winter closures. No ranger-led tours (meaning we couldn’t go into the famous cliff dwellings) and the Wetherill Mesa road was closed. But after spending two days learning all about the Ancestral Puebloans and soaking in the landscape of this famous World Heritage Site, I was very satisfied with our visit and wouldn’t revisit.

• Day 1: sight-seeing, short hikes, and checking-in
  • Made a quick stop on our way to the park at the Four Corners Monument ($10 per person), drove into park (3.5 hours), stopped by the Visitor and Research Center for our passport stamps, hiked Point Lookout Trail (2 mile out-and-back), made it to the highest point in the park via the Park Point Fire Lookout Trail (0.5 mile out-and-back), checked into our Hipcamp in Cortez, watched the sun set over Totten Lake
• Day 2: town things in the neighboring town of Manco, scenic drives with lots of pullouts, and moderate hikes
  • Stockpiled organic, local snacks from Zuma Natural Foods, had a hot breakfast at Moondog Cafe and Bakery, enjoyed coffee on the patio at Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters, drove down Mesa Top Loop Road (5 mile loop), drove down Cliff Palace Loop (6 mile) and hiked the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail (1.2 in-and-out), did a cliff and ridge hike along the Petroglyph Point Trail (2.5 loop), strolled the gentle paths at the Far View Sites

Oh, and before you go, lets talk about Freida McFadden

In the title of this post, I quoted the old saying, “Variety is the spice of life.” But I wasn’t just referring to the parks.

Freida McFadden books, while all under the umbrella of psychological thrillers, are as diverse as the Colorado Big Four. I’ve read more than a handful of her novels – and of those I have read many aloud to Amory. He loves them too! When losing yourself in her twist-filled, jaw dropping plots, nothing is better than play pretending detectives and trying to predict the endings – although we are never right. While her bestseller The Housemaid is at the top of everyone’s must-read list, my favorite McFadden tale is The Boyfriend; however, no matter which McFadden book you pick up first, you will not be disappointed. Just be sure to note all those little details and connections. Trust me. They’ll add up.

Xoxo. Kisses, hugs. Sorry this post was a day late. Forgive me. Thanks for always doing all the things you do – especially just existing. But also for using time out of your life to read my jabberings. Take care readers. Until next week.