Endless (and overbooked) Colorado Summer?

By the end of May, I’m always wholeheartedly reminded of why I’ve chosen to live in Colorado for the last five years. The lush green and the sweet-smelling spring rain sets a beautiful stage for the upcoming summer months. Countless activity options are available year-round, but in the summer it feels like those options nearly quadruple. So I once again have the same conundrum I always do around this year… how am I going to fit everything on my summer bucket list in? 

One of the biggest obstacles to my endless summer vacation is the reservations of it all. Many of Colorado state and national parks operate on timed entry systems, and most campgrounds have been booked out for weeks already. I went to book a timed entry for Bear Lake Road at Rocky Mountain National Park and was shocked that most spots for June were full. 

The other obstacle is limited time. In a perfect world we could all take the next few months to traverse the state and soak up those long summer days. When one works a 9-5, there are only so many weekends in a summer and you’re competing with every other 9-5-er. 

My current hack is to squeeze in outdoor activities on off-days when I can (maybe a late evening on a Tuesday really is the best time for a hike). I’m also freeing myself from the guilt cycle of “not being able to do it all.” Even with all the time in the world, it would be nearly impossible to soak in all that this beautiful state has to offer in a single summer. 

So I look to you, dear readers — what are your Colorado summer hacks? Do you have a go-to campsite, a favorite low-key outdoor destination? Where does an adventure woman go when everyone seems to have beaten her to the timed entry reservation?

Let me know in the comments.