Make your vacation plans for Colorado! Plan big as there are places all over the western part of the state that are worth taking in. Whether you go in winter or summer there are a wide variety of things to do for sporting, outdoor types. The natural features this state was blessed with, and the historic mining towns scattered throughout await the more leisurely traveler who enjoys RV'ing from one place to another to another ....
Another option is a big-city excursion to the Denver area only. Save the Rocky Mountains for your next trip!
Red Rocks to Sunny Plains
The western half of the state is the rocky mountain region offering the most sightseeing and recreation for you to take advantage of in summer and winter. The seasons are dramatically different as the summers are fairly dry and get warm enough for you to raft or fish, tent-camp and backpack to enjoy the views and wildflowers. The fall brings out the gold leaves of aspens and is the season for big game hunters who mainly hunt elk. The winter brings so much snow that builds up that skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling are the sports some Colorado natives live for. Numerous world-class ski resorts offer champagne powder for connoisseurs of the white stuff. The pine forests heavy with snow on cold, blue-sky days and rugged terrain are irresistible to those seeking to play or simply marvel at the beauty. Avalanches may spoil the fun but Coloradans are aware of them. I like to catch a glimpse of wildlife such as eagles, lynx, cougar, bighorn sheep, bison, elk, bear, turkey and even feral hogs....those would be the 4-legged hogs by the way. Believe me, this state sees its share of looky lous on touring bikes; looking at the varied scenery while breathing in clean mountain air winding around mountains and over passes. Been there, done that!
Key places to visit include Garden of the Gods with its giant red rocks. Close by is Pikes Peak. This massive mountain on the edge of the mountain range has the Pikes Peak Cog Railway train ascend almost 9 miles to the top. It’s true that the songwriter of "America the Beautiful" was inspired to write the song based on the vistas seen from Pikes Peak. This peak is not even the state’s tallest. That designation goes to Mount Elbert at 14,433 feet. In the southwest corner of the state is Mesa Verde. This park has 1,000’s of archaeological sites where you can hike and climb ladders in and out of cliff dwellings. Get a taste of the life of ancestral Puebloans. It’ll make you appreciate yours! The Sangre de Cristo mountain chain extends down to New Mexico. Its magnificently rugged peaks and abundant alpine hiking trails make this area special. It has some of the best rock climbing. Clumped together are four 14’ers--Colorado-speak for mountains over 14,000 feet high. 9,000 miles of cold mountain streams tempt trout fishermen. The famed rainbow trout is in the mountain waters and walleye is found in sunny plains reservoirs. There are some outstanding angling opportunities for various trout species, abundant yellow perch, bass and tiger muskie among others.
Colorado National Monument is a virtual wonderland of giant eroded rocks and canyons and orange/brown layered cliffs. Natural towers and pinnacles add to the drama. This region on the western slope sustains wineries too. The grape growing areas are in the temperate, high elevation river valleys primarily. Premim wines are produced from fruits such as cherries, peaches and plums. The honey wines are good too. A very rugged and dark gorge over 2,000 feet deep is formed by the Gunnison River and called "The Black Canyon". The Great Sand Dunes are dunes of golden sand over several miles that look out of place in a region such as this. And, don’t search for a beach nearby! Over the millenia these dunes built up from erosion of the mountains that ring the valley.One of the largest and most notorious mining camps from the 1800's is Leadville. It sits high in the Rockies. Next to it, a popular reservoir, Turquoise Lake, is named after the semiprecious stone that was among the minerals mined there. For a different kinda town you can visit Central City. It too began as a booming gold rush town. But today it caters to modern day gamblers who can also appreciate the flavor of the old west found in such gems as the Central City Opera House. You’ve gotta love steaming over the rails on the narrow gauge trains that travel through tunnels in mountains into the backcountry when driving would be too slippery or roads are snow covered. See aspen groves from the Leadville, Co. & Southern Railroad; or depart from Georgetown, with its concentration of old Victorian buildings. Or take the historic Royal Gorge Route Railroad that serves dinner during your trip.Who hasn’t heard of Aspen? Yes, it’s as wonderful as you’ve heard. A winter playground where Aspen mountain rises out of its downtown. Ski or snowboard here for the bumps, steeps and double-black diamond runs. Every year the ESPN Winter X Games, the signature winter action sports event, is held here. Nothing but the best for Aspen! A first-class ski area is Beaver Creek with a homier feel and fewer crowds. Three villages lie at its base with ski-in lodging and a new children’s gondola to serve beginner terrain. Telluride Ski Resort sports a modern alpine village perched mid-mountain. Its rustic charm is enhanced by a gondola that links the two towns; sure beats a shuttle bus! Head northward to Steamboat Springs. Or head a little southward if you’re coming from Wyoming, for one of the largest ski mountains with 6 peaks of cruisers and famous tree skiing amid powder snow. Denver - Queen City of the Plains
If you are a pro sports fan you can watch Broncos football in their new open-air stadium, Nuggets basketball or Rockies baseball in their downtown ballpark surrounded by microbreweries and delicious restaurants. The most state-of-the-art and largest soccer complex on the planet hosts Rapids soccer—Euro style. These games point to the city's sports culture, which ranks among the elite of the world. You can do much more than be a spectator though. Each May you can step up your level of endurance and run with the multitudes in the famous marathon—the Bolder Boulder. Ride a bicycle, as young and old here often do, throughout the metropolitan area on its 850 miles of paved, off-road trails. Remember, this is the city where spandex bike shorts never go out of style. In fact, you could tour most of the metro area this way without ever renting a car. There's a novel, if not exhausting, approach!
In January, The National Western Stock Show begins 16 days of livestock exhibitions, rodeos and horse shows celebrating the western lifestyle. They keep it alive and well. Imagine this...it's in the downtown area! Mosey on over to the large Grizzly Rose Saloon & Dance Emporium for some Two Steppin. Try the baja burgers they serve up there. You may want to stop first at the Colorado History Museum to acquaint yourself with the state's past. Other fine museums are The Denver Museum of Nature & Science with a planetarium. The Wildlife Experience museum is devoted to nature with an immersive exhibit experience. A new wing added to the Denver Art Museum showcases daring architecture. Dine in the Downtown Aquarium (I said "dine in" not "dive in") among over 1 million gallons of underwater exhibits. Or, if butterflies and bees are your penchant, then see 1,200 live ones at the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center. Always open is the venerable Denver Zoo. It's a fine example of zoo exhibitory if you don't mind a lot of walking. There are 80 presses busily making coins at the Denver Mint where you will absorb many interesting historical facts they toss at you during the tour as well. Learn about beer brewing at the giant Coors Brewery and specialty tea making from the blendmasters at the Celestial Seasonings plant in Boulder. The old downtown, nicknamed Lodo (short for lower downtown) is the historic and newly hip red brick buildings district with brewpubs galore, of which Wynkoop Brewing Co. is the nation's largest. Jazz clubs and rooftop cafes flourish. I consider it a walkable and safe area teaming with people after a pro sports game lets out at one of the 3 major sports venues right downtown. Sample innovative cuisine such as elk, rocky mountain oysters, bison and rattlesnake too. Say "Hi" to Papa Jack at Rockmount Ranch Wear. He is the inventor of the western shirt snap button and still works at the age of 106. Also downtown is the Performing Arts Complex. With 10 performance venues it's the second largest in the country. This comes as a wonderful surprise to those of you in love with New York City theatre.If you like outdoor gardens better then take in 23 acres of them at Denver Botanic Gardens. Elitch Gardens amusement park and Waterworld water park both offer tons of thrills. For high-end shopping take your wallet with you to Cherry Creek Shopping District for high-end merchants and wares. You can appreciate southwestern art housed in 30 galleries in the Santa Fe Arts District. The popular Red Rocks Amphitheatre schedules many major bands that play open-air among breathtaking natural rock formations pretty close to the city itself. Take the short drive to Boulder to experience a city committed to natural resource conservation and shaped by its outdoorsy residents who can be found biking all over, when they’re not driving their SUV’s. Oh, and you may spot kayakers paddling through the middle of town on whitewater. 'Nough said!