Please review colorado trip itinerary with toddlers

Question

Its been a while, we travelled especially after my second girl was born and wanted to look for cool vacation spots to escape from hot Texas. We are a family of 4, with 2 young girls - 4yrs and 1.5yr old and Planned a trip to colorado with below itinerary and appreciate any suggestions - Schedule changes, Any upfront reservations, Good to knows, Food suggestions etc

Day1: Fly from Austin to Denver. Approx 11 AM landing

Activitiesin sequence : Pick the rental car, Grab lunch and cover Children's Museum of Denver before heading to Colorado Springs & rest

Night Stay : Colorado Springs

Day2: Colorado Springs

Activities in sequence: Royal Gorge Train ride & Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Head to Colorado Springs & rest

Night Stay : Colorado Springs

Day 3: Colorado Springs

Activities in sequence: Pikes Peak via train, Cave of the winds (optional), Manitou Cliff dwellings, Garden of the gods, Red rock canyon open space (optional) & rest

Night Stay : Colorado Springs

Day 4: Colorado Springs

Activities in Sequence: Royal gorge train ride & Royal gorge Bridge/Park (Gondola ride) & head back to Denver

Night Stay : Denver

Day 5: Denver

Activities in Sequence: Redrock amphitheater, Dinosaur Ridge, Drive to Mt Evans Scenic Byway and head back to Estes Park

Night Stay: Estes Park

Day 6: Rocky Mountain National Park

Activities in Sequence: Drive along Trail Ridge road to Grand lake with hops at Beaver board walk at Beaver pond, Hidden valley, Many Parks Curve Overlook, Rainbow Curve Overlook , Forest Canyon Overlook , Rock Cut Overlook and head back to Estes Park

Night Stay: Estes Park

Day 7: Rocky Mountain National Park

Activities in Sequence: Haven't decided on any, but will take 1 or 2 kid friendly hikes before heading over to Denver Airport for 8:45pm Flight to Austin, TX

Is 2 days enough in RMNP, shall I cater more time here?

Answer

Your itinerary already includes many of Colorado’s best family-friendly highlights, but with toddlers (4 and 1.5 yrs), a few adjustments will make the trip smoother, safer, and more enjoyable. Colorado has high elevation, long drives, and crowded attractions — all factors that matter when traveling with young kids.

Below is a detailed review of your plan, suggestions for improvements, timing considerations, must-knows, and kid-friendly tips.

GENERAL NOTES FOR TRAVELING WITH TODDLERS IN COLORADO

Build in more rest breaks than you think — elevation fatigue hits adults and kids.
Stay flexible with afternoon plans; thunderstorms are common in summer.
For anything involving trains, Pikes Peak, or high alpine drives, reserve early.
Limit long back-to-back days in the car. Your current itinerary has several.

DAY 1 – ARRIVE IN DENVER → COLORADO SPRINGS

Landing at 11 AM, picking up the car, eating lunch, and then going to the Children’s Museum is doable but will make for a full, stimulating day for kids who may already be tired after a flight. The museum is excellent for toddlers, but it is large and can take 2–3 hours.

Consider skipping the museum if your kids are tired and instead heading straight to Colorado Springs with a playground stop or simple activity.
If you keep it: go early afternoon so you can beat Denver rush hour on the drive south.

DAY 2 – ROYAL GORGE

The Royal Gorge Train Ride is beautiful, relaxing, and great for kids. However, combining the train AND the Royal Gorge Bridge/Park in a single day is a very long outing with long drives. The bridge area is windy and high — some toddlers may not love it.

Choose either the train ride OR the bridge/park for Day 2, not both. It protects your energy for later days.
If you keep both, expect a 6–7 hour outing including driving.

DAY 3 – COLORADO SPRINGS HIGHLIGHTS

This day is too packed for toddlers. Pikes Peak cog railway alone can take 3+ hours with high elevation (14,115 ft). It’s stunning, but many young children struggle with altitude symptoms like sleepiness, crankiness, or headaches.

Do Pikes Peak in the morning only — and skip Cave of the Winds and Red Rock Canyon.
Consider choosing only ONE lightweight activity in the afternoon:

Manitou Cliff Dwellings (quick and kid-friendly)
Garden of the Gods (beautiful, but large — do a short stop at Balanced Rock)

Trying to do all listed activities is not realistic with toddlers.

DAY 4 – REPEAT ROYAL GORGE + DRIVE TO DENVER

Repeating Royal Gorge again may be unnecessary and will feel repetitious for kids. It is also time-consuming and leaves you with a long drive back to Denver.

Choose a Colorado Springs highlight you haven’t done yet (Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is perfect for toddlers!) instead of repeating Day 2.
Drive to Denver in the late afternoon.

DAY 5 – DENVER → MT EVANS → ESTES PARK

This day is a bit overloaded. Red Rocks and Dinosaur Ridge are great for kids, but Mt. Evans Scenic Byway is an extremely high-elevation, winding drive. Toddlers may not enjoy the altitude or the long time strapped in the car.

If you do Mt. Evans, keep it short — enjoy Summit Lake or the lower viewpoints rather than going all the way to the summit.
Expect the drive to Estes Park to be 1.5–2 hours after you're done.

DAY 6 – RMNP: TRAIL RIDGE ROAD

This is a beautiful drive and very doable with kids. Your list of stops is realistic. Trail Ridge Road is an all-day adventure, especially with toddlers needing breaks.

Bring warm layers — even in summer it's cold at high points.
Pack lunch/snacks — food is limited.

DAY 7 – RMNP LIGHT HIKES → DENVER AIRPORT

This is a nice, flexible day. For toddlers, here are the best easy hikes:

Bear Lake Loop – flat, stroller-friendly, 0.6 miles
Sprague Lake – beautiful, easy, perfect for kids
Moraine Park Discovery Trail – great wildlife viewing

Driving to Denver International Airport from Estes Park takes 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours. Add extra time for rental car return and security, especially with kids.

IS 2 DAYS ENOUGH IN RMNP?

For adults, 2 days can work. For toddlers, RMNP is one of the easiest and most beautiful parts of the trip — you could easily spend 3 days without getting bored.

If you want more relaxed family time, yes, add more RMNP time.
If the overall schedule feels too full, dropping extra Colorado Springs days makes sense.

TOP FOOD SUGGESTIONS WITH KIDS

Colorado Springs: Mountain Shadows Restaurant, Urban Egg, Rudy’s BBQ (fast & easy), Fargo’s Pizza.
Denver: Steuben’s Uptown, Sam’s No. 3 (classic diner), Avanti Food Hall (great for picky eaters).
Estes Park: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ, Claire’s, Antonio’s Pizza, Fresh Burger Stop.

OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS

Simplify Colorado Springs — you have way too much packed into those days.
Avoid doing Royal Gorge twice; choose one day only.
Be cautious with multiple high-altitude days (Pikes Peak, Mt. Evans, Trail Ridge). Toddlers may struggle.
Add one more relaxing day in RMNP if possible — it’s the most toddler-friendly part of your trip.

With a few adjustments, your trip will be much smoother, more toddler-friendly, and far more enjoyable for the whole family.