Guides ·
How to Get to Red Rocks from Denver: Every Option Compared
Drive, rideshare, RTD, $55–65 concert shuttles, party buses or a private car: what each costs, where it drops you and how you get home.
You have 5 ways to get from Denver to Red Rocks for a concert: drive, rideshare, a shared concert shuttle, a party bus or a private car. Public transit is not one of them. The real difference between the options shows up after the show, not on the way in.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre sits at 18300 W. Alameda Parkway in Morrison. That is about 16 miles from downtown Denver and 40 miles from Denver International Airport (DEN). The usual route is I-70 west to exit 259 (Morrison), then signs to the park.
Drive and park
Parking is free with your ticket. The lots open 2 hours before doors. Vehicle access to the park ends at 8:30 PM on event days.
The catch is the exit. The canyon has one road out. After a sold-out show, clearing the lots takes 30 to 45 minutes before you reach the highway. The venue holds 9,525 people, and most of them leave at the same time.
Lot choice, walking distances and arrival timing are covered in our Red Rocks parking guide.
Rideshare and taxi
Uber, Lyft and taxis are the easy part on the way in. The official venue FAQ sets the drop-off at the Upper North Lot and at the Red Rocks Park Road / Trading Post Road intersection.
The ride home works differently. The FAQ says pickup for rideshare, taxis and family happens “in the Jurassic Lot near Entrance 2 only.” Every rideshare rider in the crowd requests a car to that one lot. Surge pricing runs 2x to 3x in the first minutes after a show.
The venue also warns: “You may have to hike depending on where you’re dropped off.” Routes from the lots to the gates may be partly dirt or uphill. Red Rocks sits at 6,450 feet, 1,170 feet higher than Denver.
Public transit (RTD)
RTD has no official route to the amphitheatre for evening shows. The W Line light rail ends at Jefferson County Government Center–Golden. It does not reach the venue.
A free seasonal Golden–Morrison shuttle launched in 2026, with a stop at Red Rocks Trading Post. It runs 9 AM to 5 PM on weekends and holidays, Memorial Day to Labor Day. That makes it a daytime trails shuttle. It does not serve concerts (Denverite, Denver Gazette).
Shared concert shuttles
Three operators we checked run round-trip concert shuttles from Denver. Prices below are per person, round trip, from each operator’s page as of October 2026:
- Bus to Show / Colorado Music Travel charges $60 from hotels: Origin Hotel, Hotel Monaco, Hotel Indigo Union Station and Denver Marriott West.
- Red Rocks Transit charges $55 from RiNo, Golden Triangle, Union Station, LoHi and Jefferson Park.
- Red Rocks Shuttle charges $65 from Union Station. It leaves from the flagpole by the Crawford Hotel, 1701 Wynkoop St, 45 minutes before doors.
Per the venue FAQ, shuttle buses drop off at the Top Circle Lot. You leave on the shuttle’s schedule, not your own, and you share the ride with the other passengers.
Party buses
For a big group, a party bus splits one price across everyone. One operator lists Red Rocks party buses from about $650 to $1,450 per bus, as of October 2026. Check the pickup point and the return plan with the operator before you book.
Private car with a driver who waits
This is our service. A private SUV for up to 6 passengers costs $480 per vehicle, round trip. The driver waits through the show, and the price includes everything.
The Top Circle Lot is the venue’s drop-off for limos and shuttles. After the encore, you walk to a car that is already parked. You skip the rideshare app and the Jurassic Lot queue.
You still wait for the canyon to clear like everyone else. The difference is that you wait in your own car. Details and booking are on our concert transportation page.
Side-by-side comparison
| Option | Cost basis | Where it drops you | The ride home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive yourself | Parking free with ticket | Whichever lot has space | You drive out; 30–45 min to clear the lots after a sold-out show |
| Rideshare / taxi | App fare; surge 2x–3x after the show | Upper North Lot or Park Rd / Trading Post Rd | Pickup at Jurassic Lot near Entrance 2 only |
| RTD | Not available | No evening service to the venue | None |
| Concert shuttle | $55–65 per person, round trip | Top Circle Lot | Shuttle back on the operator’s schedule |
| Party bus | About $650–1,450 per bus | Confirm with the operator | Confirm with the operator |
| Our private car | $480 per vehicle (SUV, up to 6), round trip | Top Circle Lot | Driver waits through the show |
Which one fits you
- Couple on a budget, staying downtown: a shared shuttle from your hotel or neighborhood is the simplest choice.
- Driving anyway: arrive when the lots open and read the parking guide first.
- Group of 6: a private car comes to $80 per person, against $55–65 for a shuttle seat. You leave on your own schedule and skip the pickup lot.
- Big group: compare a party bus quote with 2 private SUVs.
Concert season runs March through November. Popular nights sell out, and so do the rides. Book your transportation when you buy the tickets.