Breck’s Wildlife Preserve: Cool As a Cucumber

Cucumber Gulch Wildlife Preserve You’d be forgiven for assuming that between the cozy mountain town and the snow-packed slopes, there isn’t much else in Breck. But you’d be wrong. Between the town and the mountains — more precisely, between the Gold Rush Parking Lot and Peak 8 — is one of the country’s most matchless … Read more

Chimney Rock: National Historic Site

chimney rock

Look south as you drive across U.S. 160 in southern Colorado, between Pagosa Springs and Durango. What appears to be a spire of rock rises from the landscape like a sword thrust through the earth’s crust. You might glimpse a sign that informs you that the turnoff for Chimney Rock is near. Take it. The … Read more

Colorado Trail: From Denver to Durango

Colorado Trail: From Denver to Durango 1

Colorado, known for its outdoor lifestyle, has an extensive trail system, not the least of which includes the Colorado Trail, which ranks as one of the state’s top treks. This nearly-500-mile path winds from Durango to Denver, intermingling through valleys, fields and peaks in the Colorado Rockies. The Colorado Trail was the brainchild of Bill … Read more

Scenic Byway: West Elk Loop

Soaring mountain peaks, fathomless canyons, vast forests, crystalline reservoirs, verdant river valleys, teeming fruit orchards — these diverse sights and more beautify the West Elk Loop. Shaped like a rope with a lasso at its end, the route stretches south from Carbondale for 50 miles and then circles around the West Elk Mountains. Those who … Read more

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park 4

Long before tourists arrived, a lone Englishwoman explored the vastness of what is now Rocky Mountain National Park. Isabella Bird’s sojourn here came in the fall and early winter of 1873, not long after the mountain man and before the first pioneers built ranches here. She recorded her impressions in a book, A Lady’s Life … Read more

Denver Botanic Gardens: Year-Round Oasis

Denver Botanic Gardens: Year-Round Oasis 5

There is always something to be seen year-round at the Denver Botanic Gardens, even in wintertime, when more than a million gleaming lights turn the Capitol Hill complex into a fantasyland. Located off East 10th Avenue and York Street, this oasis in the city features extensive plant displays, with specimens from all over the world. … Read more

Jefferson County Open Spaces: Trails for the Whole Family

Jefferson County Open Spaces: Trails for the Whole Family 6

With the abundance of mountains and variety of terrain that Colorado offers, there are places close to home that shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your next family expedition. If you’re seeking intricate geological features, trickling streams or great views above the city, consider the numerous trails and parks Jefferson County Open Space offers in the … Read more

St. Mary’s Glacier: A Hiking Adventure

St. Mary’s Glacier: A Hiking Adventure 7

One of Colorado’s more attractive scenes is St. Mary’s Glacier, located in Clear Creek County, less than an hour’s drive west of Denver. It’s close enough for a day trip, yet far enough away to lose yourself in the quiet mountain serenity. Technically, St. Mary’s Glacier isn’t a glacier because the mass of ice and … Read more

Scenic Byway: Highway of Legends

Scenic Byway: Highway of Legends 8

A massive sandstone wall soars skyward from the grassy terrain. As it extends up a slope to the bald, gray Spanish Peaks, its pink, ochre and rust tones shimmer under the afternoon sun. Like spokes on a wheel, the Dakota Wall and more than 400 other rock formations radiate from the towering sentinels. Throughout human … Read more

Five Boulder Attractions You Can Enjoy for Free

 Boulder, Colorado vacations in the summer provide a wide mix of things to do, many of which center on the outdoors. With weather at its best in the summer months, you can spend much of your time exploring this beautiful community and the nature that surrounds it, all without paying a single cent. And, on … Read more