Denver to Grand Lake is about a 2 hour car ride. A quick trip out of the city takes you west out interstate 70 then northwest up hwy 40 and back north east up Hwy 34 past Granby. Just north of Granby are three lakes: Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake. Grand Lake is the largest natural lake in Colorado and the smallest of the three at the base of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Despite what many people think of the mile high city, Denver is actually in the plains of Colorado. At 5500 feet it’s in the high plains, but the city itself is flat. If St. Louis is the gateway to the west, then Denver is the front door to the Rockies. It is the foyer to the fun house that lies just west. A 20 minute ride out of the city takes you from a vibrant center of local restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and live music venues galore to a part of the planet that doesn’t hold grudges, set deadlines, or demand a single thing from your attendance.
