Here's how to be exactly a mile high (and much higher) in and around the Mile High City. From chic lounges located above downtown to the highest paved auto road in North America, Denver offers plenty of chances for high-altitude fun. Also see our high-altitude tips to help you adapt to higher elevations.

 

Denver High-Altitude Experiences

13th Step at the Colorado State Capitol Building

It's the perfect Mile High City photo opportunity: the 13th step at the Colorado State Capitol is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level - one mile high! Afterwards, take the free tour of the building and see Allen True's water murals, Women's Gold Tapestry, Colorado General Assembly Chambers and the rare Rose Onyx wainscoting.

 

Mile High Trail in City Park

The Mile High Loop Trail in Denver's largest park follows a full 5K route (3.1 miles), and tracks along the city's 5280 contour line, so you're exercising at exactly a mile high! Read more about mile-high markers in Denver.

 

Sky Terrace at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

The Anschutz Family Sky Terrace in the Denver Museum of Nature & Science offers unparalleled views of the Mile High City. See well above the trees in City Park with the downtown skyline and the Capitol dome in the distance. On a clear day, you will see views from Mount Blue Sky to Longs Peak. The best time to go is a cloudless morning when the museum opens for the day. Inside the museum, check out the permanent exhibition, Expedition Health, which has several stations where you can learn about high altitude's impact on the body, including a virtual trek up a 14,000-foot peak.

 

Rooftop Bars, Patio and Pools

Enjoy breathtaking views of Mile High City and the surrounding Rocky Mountains from atop Hyatt Regency Denver at Peaks Lounge. This sophisticated Denver bar provides the perfect backdrop for gatherings and special occasions year-round. During the warmer season, enjoy dinner or a drink on these stunning rooftop patios with skyline and mountain views. Or go for a swim at these hotels with rooftop pools. 

 

Mile High Row and the Rooftop at Coors Field

The high elevation in Denver resulted in Coors Field becoming known as a very home run-friendly ballpark, and by extension, a somewhat pitcher-unfriendly park, too! Baseball fans love Coors Field, though, because there's not a bad seat in the house! No matter where you're situated in the stadium, your view of the game will be unobstructed. If you want to be close enough to smell the freshly cut grass, buy tickets at the club level. If you're on a budget, you can't beat the Rockpile, located right behind centerfield, where tickets are bargain-priced, and the fans are their most exuberant. But if it's elevation you're after, buy a couple of seats in the upper deck's purple-painted 20th row, which is exactly 5,280 feet above sea level. And don't miss the Rooftop, where you can order a Colorado craft beer at exactly a mile high, relax and take in the game. 

 

Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park: Tower of Doom

Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park has plenty of thrill rides, but only the heartiest of thrill seekers will dare to take on the Tower of Doom. Plunge more than 200 feet on this free-fall ride, the ultimate Rocky Mountain high! (Must be at least 48 inches tall to ride.)

 

Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

Located in a 150,000-square-foot, 1930s-era former Air Force hangar, Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum is heaven for any aerospace enthusiast. The museum is home to more than three dozen historic airplanes and space vehicles, including a massive B–52 Stratofortress. The museum features many aircraft that were developed in Colorado or have ties to the state, like the Adam A500, where high altitude creates an interesting situation. Called density altitude, the thinner air reduces the performance of wings, propellers and piston-powered aircraft.

 

High-Altitude Mountain Experiences Near Denver

Lookout Mountain

Famous for his Wild West Shows, Buffalo Bill Cody specifically wanted to be buried on the summit of Lookout Mountain, a 7,375-foot peak just west of the city, when he died in 1917. It's easy to see why when you take in the views, from the plains to the east to the Rocky Mountains to the west. Find all about it at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, where there are nearby hiking trails and a deck with panoramic views. For more scenic spots, follow the Lariat Loop Scenic & Historic Byway.

 

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Only a short drive from Denver, this park offers panoramic views of a 100-mile swath of the Continental Divide, plus miles of hiking trails through aspen groves.

 

National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

This not-so-hidden gem is well worth a side trip to Boulder. The drive up Table Mesa Drive will instantly transport you as it rises above the plains and into the foothills with views of the Flatirons. The architecture alone is eye-catching and beautiful. Built in 1967, it's considered one of architect I.M. Pei's greatest masterpieces. At NCAR, you can take a tour and learn about meteorology and atmospheric science in the free museum. NCAR is also the starting point for the Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail. This half-mile trail has 11 viewpoints, where exhibits explain the area's unique weather phenomena. 

 

Mighty Argo Cable Car

Head to Idaho Springs, about 33 miles from Denver, to see some high alpine terrain with ease. The Mighty Argo Cable Car, which opened in 2026, launches from the base of the Argo Mill & Tunnel at 7,550 feet and rises to 8,800 feet at Miners Point, offering hiking, mountain biking and gorgeous views of the Continental Divide.

 

Georgetown Loop Railroad

A reconstruction of one of Colorado's most famous railroads, the Georgetown Loop takes riders through scenic Clear Creek Canyon, scaling an elevation gain of 640 feet over mountainous terrain, requiring cuts, fills, loops, curves, and a trip over the massive Devil's Gate High Bridge, a 90-foot-high trestle.

 

Guanella Pass Scenic Byway

Located about 40 miles from Denver, the road climbs to 11,670 feet and has many high aspen groves on both sides of the pass. 

 

Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway

Take your car to the summit of Mount Blue Sky, the highest paved auto road in North America, climbing to 14,260 feet above sea level. Echo Lake is a delightful mountain park with picnic benches, lake fishing, and views of snowcapped peaks. Online reservations are now required for timed slots. 

 

Pikes Peak

In addition to Mount Blue Sky, Pikes Peak is one of two Colorado 14ers that you can drive up. For something even more unique, take a ride to the summit on the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Or if you're reasonably fit and have acclimatized to the elevation, there are several hikes ranging in distances from 14 to 27 miles round-trip. No matter how you get to the top, freshly baked donuts are available in the Summit Visitor Center.

 

Kenosha Pass 

This popular trailhead at 10,000 feet is about 60 miles from Denver along U.S. Highway 285. It connects to the 500-mile Colorado Trail, which runs all the way to Durango. 

 

Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP)

Trail Ridge Road in RMNP is the highest continuous motorway in the United States, climbing to a maximum elevation of 12,183 feet, with more than eight miles snaking across tundra, high above the treeline at 11,000 feet. The views throughout the drive are incomparable: At Milner Pass, motorists cross the Continental Divide. Trail Ridge Road is generally accessible only from May to September due to snow.