Colorado Recreation
It’s no secret that Colorado is best known for being the finest winter sports destination in the United States. From the concentration of ski resorts near I-70 like Vail, Beaver Creek Resort, Keystone, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge, to the other resorts like Aspen, Telluride, Steamboat and Winter Park that are scattered throughout the central part of the state, Colorado has tens of thousands of vertical feet for powder hounds to explore. Many of these resorts located further off the beaten path have histories stretching back to the silver and gold mining days of the late 1800s. Shortly following the Second World War, veterans of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division returned to the areas of Colorado that they had trained for war in to became instrumental in founding the skiing companies and developing the towns that would be the next boon to Colorado’s economy. With thousands of skiable acres, over 300 days of sunshine a year and over 300 inches of annual snowfall at most resorts, Colorado is known for steep big mountain skiing, soft Champagne powder and blue bird days. Aspen is home to the annual X Games, which brings the best extreme winter sports athletes to Colorado for jaw dropping world-class competition.
Colorado is also a year round mecca for recreational and outdoor sports enthusiasts of all stripes. During the spring many people dust off their mountain bikes and enjoy miles of trails on the ski resorts and in the public lands throughout the state. Most of the mountain bike routes in Colorado are located in the vast public lands managed by the US Forest Service. From daunting single track to paved bike paths, Colorado has something to suit any rider. Gold medal trout streams crisscross Colorado making the state an angler’s paradise and the beauty of fly-fishing here is that it’s hard to find a bad place to go. Weather you float the Colorado or find a quiet spot on the Gunnison; you’ll likely enjoy incredible fishing and incredible scenery. Colorado is also home to numerous lakes and reservoirs that are perfect for boating. Colorado’s rivers are also perfect for rafting and kayaking. From a lazy float trip to intense whitewater rapid runs that will leave you soaked, the rivers running throughout Colorado are an incredibly scenic solution to your needs.
Gambling aficionados will find their fix in the three historical mining towns of Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek, located just west of Denver in the area where the first gold was discovered in Colorado in 1859. When fall rolls around, hunters are delighted by the opportunities to hunt big game across Colorado. Summer and fall are perfect times to saddle up for a ride through wildflower fields and gently rolling meadows, quiet forests fill of falling Aspen leaves and bubbling brooks. Colorado has a number of stables and guest ranches throughout the state that offer guided trips on gentle horses. Many offer everything from hour-long trail rides and breakfast and dinner rides, to all-day excursions and overnight pack trips. Summer and fall is also a great time to go for a hike in Colorado. In the mountains you can take advantage of the work done by greedy gold-seekers who blazed across high passes to create the trails for hikers to enjoy today. The old gold camps, ghost towns and mining relics they left behind make for intriguing destinations for hikers. We’ve just barely scratched the surface, recreational opportunities in Colorado are truly endless and they take a lifetime to enjoy.
