Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a Denver-area delight

There are many places to see red rocks in the southwestern United States, but there is only one Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre.

A 25-minute drive from downtown Denver, Colorado, the amphitheatre part of Red Rocks is a bucket-list item for musicians and spectators alike.

My wife Ruth and I were fortunate to attend a concert there, headlined by Wyoming country singer Ian Munsick, during a recent visit to Denver. Here’s what we learned about Red Rocks:

There are two monoliths (massive single rocks) which form physical boundaries of the amphitheatre — “Creation Rock” on the north, and “Ship Rock” on the south. “Stage Rock,” on the east, sits behind the massive stage. The rocks also define the venue’s acclaimed acoustics. The Red Rocks website provides the full geology lesson of how scientists think the area developed over millions of years, and why the rocks are red (Simplest answer: Inside the rocks are little bits of iron oxides).

The five-year task of clearing and preparing the seating area of the amphitheatre was a Depression-era project which helped young unemployed men have work. A dedication took place on June 15, 1941, and events have been taking place there ever since. Seating capacity is listed as 9,525.

Since there are limited roads into the park, it’s a good idea to arrive as soon as the parking lots open.

For our visit, that meant two hours before the first song, so we brought a dinner of hot pizza and Caesar salad with us. A lot of other people arrived early, so our portion of the Lower North Lot started to resemble a honky-tonk tailgate, with cowboys and cowgirls enjoying food, beverages, conversation, and a game of cornhole.

The amphitheatre opens an hour before the billed concert start, and at that time, we took advantage of the complimentary shuttle bus from the parking lot up, up, up to the entrance gate.

The natural slope at Red Rocks also presents the biggest challenge to visitors from lower altitudes: You don’t want to do much walking uphill, especially at 6,450 feet above sea level.

Once through security and the ticket-checkers, we investigated the Red Rocks Visitor Center.

There, we discovered that the use of Red Rocks as an entertainment venue was inspired by ancient Greek amphitheatres. On the walls are a listing of all previous shows, grouped by year (the 2023 season ran from April 1 to Nov. 12). There’s also an impressive display of vintage posters and souvenirs.

A special area of the Visitor Center salutes a concert headlined by The Beatles on Aug. 26, 1964 (tickets were $6.60 US each). A Beatles tribute band known as “1964” often plays at Red Rocks on or near the anniversary of that event (in 2024, it’s on Aug. 22).

The Visitor Center also has water fountains so that you can fill up your reusable water bottles to stay hydrated (important at altitude).

Exiting the Visitor Center, we walked past concession stands in the Top Plaza offering food and beverages (but it’s best to limit alcohol consumption at altitude), and finally entered the amphitheatre.

There are 70 rows in the amphitheatre. Row 70, at the top, is a platform set aside for people with limited mobility, so we chose to sit in Row 69 to get an overall view of everything at this spectacular venue.

TIP: Sitting in Row 69 also means you have access to a back rest, formed by the platform of Row 70.

According to the Red Rocks website, the top row is 100 feet higher than the stage. Fortunately, two large videoboards provide close-up views of the musicians.

While the concert was a treat for our ears, and our tailgate food was a treat for our taste buds, our other senses were not left out.

The thump-thump-thump from the amplification of opening act Chancey Williams’ drummer could be felt through our back rest. Our noses caught the aromas from the concession stands.

Best of all, though, was what we were able to see. The amphitheatre itself is amazing, and as the sun’s angle changed, the colour of the light reflecting off the rocks seemed to change as well. When the sun set, there was an incredible view of both the lights of Denver in the distance, and the starry sky above.

After Munsick’s performance ended — which included an encore with his father and brothers — it was time for everyone to head to the exits. At each exit, there’s a Chick-fil-A booth where a late-night snack can be purchased before leaving!

In addition to concerts, the amphitheatre is used for “Yoga on the Rocks” on warm-weather Saturday mornings and “Film on the Rocks” on selected warm-weather Monday nights.

For those comfortable with exercising at altitude, there are trails for hiking, biking, and running in the park’s 738 acres.

Other observations from our visit to Denver:

Getting there: Denver International Airport is accessible by direct flights from Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

Airport to downtown: If you choose to go carless, Denver Airport Rail is a quick and easy public transit option to get from Denver International Airport to the city’s downtown, arriving at Union Station in 37 minutes. Cost is $10.

Yes, a Union Station: Denver’s Union Station is similar to Toronto’s Union Station, with multiple transit options contained in an historic building. Fun fact: The 105th Meridian runs directly through Union Station.

Hotel: We stayed at Limelight Hotel Denver. Since it’s adjacent to Union Station, it offers the convenience of being close to everything downtown, such as Coors Field (home of MLB’s Colorado Rockies) and the two blocks of shopping, restaurants and bars of the Dairy Block.

Breakfast spot: Snooze A.M. Eatery is a breakfast/brunch/lunch restaurant chain which began in Denver in 2006 and has expanded to many southern U.S. states. We ate at their Union Station location, which has an outdoor patio as well as indoor space. Ruth was happy for their variety of Eggs Benedict offerings (and the ability to have a half-order of two of them), and my breakfast sandwich came with a warm pretzel bun.

Lunch spot: Ash’Kara offers Mediterranean meals, with the opportunity to watch pita bread being baked in their brick oven. Ruth, with expert knowledge of Mediterranean food, was impressed. Ash’Kara was awarded a Michelin “Bib Gourmand” award last year, recognizing eating well at a reasonable price.

Dinner spot: Guard and Grace is a business-district steakhouse which is upscale, but not stuffy. As examples, there is plenty of light in the large room, and servers wear blue jeans along with their white shirts, grey vests, and aprons. “Guard” is chef/co-owner Troy Guard, and “Grace” is his daughter.

We thoroughly enjoyed everything, especially our wagyu steaks. Arturo, who is from Halifax, was our server, and our Canadian connection helped to bond us over our evening. Among the many promotional photos and magazine articles at Guard and Grace is a photo of Peter Forsberg, then of the Colorado Avalanche, holding the Stanley Cup. Arturo says Forsberg eats there often.

Fun spot: The concept of a “selfie museum” is not new, but our experience with one was new. We visited the Denver Selfie Museum, which opened in 2019. There are 25 different backgrounds, including a bathtub, a pink room, and angel wings, with lighting options and props available at most of them. It’s a chance for you and your friends to have fun while posing for photos to share on social media. There’s also an escape room for those who enjoy trying to solve a mystery.

Capitol in the capital: Denver is the capital city of the state of Colorado, and the Colorado state capitol building stands out with its gold-gilded dome and interior murals. The 13th step leading to the main entrance is exactly 5,280 feet — a mile high — above sea level.

Altitude reminders: Especially if visiting from low-altitude locations, be careful with physical exertion, drink plenty of water, and avoid alcohol, at least until you are acclimatized.

For even more info: Check out Visit Denver’s website for more information on the Mile High City, such as museums, art galleries, and upcoming events.