During the Summer Butler Gulch is a delightful easy trek...Winter in a foot of snow and subzero…read moretemps...not so much. It will test your stamina but it is worth snowshoeing up to the Jean Mine. Look out for Nordic skiers and Snow Mobiles. Awesome views

Are you seeking wildflowers?! ++ COME HERE!!…read more Craving some waterfalls?! ++ COME HERE!! Does old mining equipment intrigue you?! ++ COME HERE!! Do you crave a customizable challenge?! ++ COME HERE!! Having had Butler Gulch on my "must hike" list for what feels like forever, it was one of the first hikes I chose this season. Tiffany N and I made our way there in search of some wildflowers, and we were not disappointed. The trail shape is a lollipop. We, however, chose a slightly less challenging route and treated it as an out and back (by going counterclockwise until just a bit past the old mining equipment) versus a loop. If you plan to do the whole loop, you are going to want to go clockwise once you get to the split in the trail, as there are some intense switchbacks that you don't want to tackle going down hill. There are definitely some steep stretches that we found challenging, but once we passed those we found great rewards - an abundance of wildflowers covering the surrounding mountains. It was glorious! There are several streams and waterfalls along the way too. I highly recommend hiking Butler Gulch early in the season to ensure that you get to take in all that colorful Colorado has to offer!

Very pleasant and scenic short hike…read more Popular wedding site. We have run into wedding groups who tried to close off trail, which they are absolutely are not allowed to do.

Beautiful scenic overlook with absolutely breathtaking views, straight out of a postcard!!! It's…read morean easy drive and there was plenty of parking when we arrived, which made it very convenient. Just a heads up: it can be very icy, so definitely wear snow boots or sturdy protective shoes (I slipped a few times ). Overall, totally worth it and I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

Beautiful hiking area! And so many hikes accessible from this one area! I am told it can get busy…read moreso arrive early and/or carpool if you are coming with others. Lots are not super large for parking. The hike we did was lovely. So forested and wildflowers a plenty. Many stunning views. Would definitely come back to this area in the future to explore some more in the future! Be sure to check if the trail you want to do is dog friendly if you are bringing your 4 legged family as not all of them are.

This is where you access the Red Rocks Trail starting at Settlers' Park (on the south side of the…read moreRed Rocks Trail). Go north past a historic marker, gain a rocky ridge and go to the saddle to the right of the spectacular fins of Red Rocks: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ETHN6Ix5diLgWRuqmPgROw?select=1x9AguwPuNsZJsoYuDeE2w Continue down the ridge to end at Centennial Park in the mouth of Sunshine Canyon on Mapleton Ave., west of the Mount Sanitas Trail Head. You can see the trail and trail head behind me here: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ETHN6Ix5diLgWRuqmPgROw?select=6Ao-g3I-fnOdMVXX6VHLXw Awesome.

We've been here several times before. Whenever we are in Winter Park... this is the place to go…read morewith or without kids. First of all, this is FREE fun! Yes... I said FREE! If your kids are not old enough to go skiing, snowboarding, or tubing, this is a great introduction to the snow. I have brought my kids here when they were toddlers... and now that they are older, they still don't mind coming here. FREE Sledding?! Yup! You can bring your own sled, but if you don't have one, they have free sleds to use, and the most recent visit had tubes too! I'm not sure if they just provide these sleds/tubes for people to use and/or if people choose to leave their sleds kind of like a donation. We actually left our sled there. We figured that we've been blessed with this place with free sleds/tubes and a fun sledding hill, so we might as well pay it forward. Besides, we live in Denver... and there isn't that much snow to go sledding often. Although the signs say a certain age limit...adults and kids of all ages were going down the sledding hill. This really is a fun place. Our most recent trip to Winter Park consisted of coming here 2 days in a row. When you have kids that are old enough to ski/snowboard/tubing, but you don't want to pay the lift fees and/or rentals this place is a great alternative. Besides the sledding hill, there is a playground for the kids to play.... and you can stay warm by the fire pit. Bring your own hot cocoa, tea, or coffee. Also, Pokémon Go players... there are several stops and a gym here :) If you're looking for an inexpensive place to have fun... this is the place.

5 stars for winter snow, first time visit, and sledding for little kids (2-5). I can't say what the…read morepark is like without snow but looks like it should be good too. Sleds and tubes were provided by the park. We brought our own. Some brought kid skis and snowboards. More anecdotally, we had a great time. There were a few other families. Although we didn't talk to any of them, everyone coordinated well and parents made sure the path was clear before letting theirs kids down.

Idaho Springs, CO has a newer attraction as of this year: the Mighty Argo Cable Car! My friend and…read moreI went to visit the Argo Mill and got the package that included the tour, gold planning, and unlimited rides on the cable car. I couldn't figure out why it was unlimited until I saw the bike trails. It's so bikers can keep going back up to ride back down (like a ski lift). There are special cable cars that carry bikes to the top so that you can ride down the bike path on some cool terrain back to the bottom. There are jumps, curves, bridges, some things I can't even imagine myself doing, but I suppose if you are a hard core mountain biker, this will float your boat. Once you reach the top, there is a building that houses a bar, some food and snack items, merch, and a food truck. There's also a stage set with the mountains as the backdrop. It's absolutely gorgeous, and a great place to sit and relax and take in the view. I'm sure they have events there or plan to, as it would be an awesome venue for concerts or special occasions - perhaps weddings? I think there's hiking up there was well, but my friend and I didn't have time to explore too much, so we headed back down after I enjoyed my Argo-Rita with a view. It was one of my favorite things to do on my Denver getaway. Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area!

If you're looking for a fun little adventure outside of Denver I'd say Idaho Springs is the place…read moreand it's, Argo Cable Car is definitely worth checking out! The ride is short but a blast, and the views are absolutely beautiful. There's something pretty cool about cruising up the mountains and getting a whole different perspective of this historic Colorado mining town. It's one of those experiences that makes you slow down, enjoy the scenery, and remember why Colorado is so special. The trails looked amazing and difficult. It's not a full-day adventure, but it's a perfect addition to a day exploring Idaho Springs. Great for families, couples, or anyone who enjoys a little mountain fun without having to break a sweat climbing the mountain yourself! Do not go hungry I recommend saving your money for a spot in town. Food is a little expensive and flavor. Beer is the choice. To set and admire.

Love this series of 13ers. The Sniktau-Cupid-Grizzly traverse is splendid and leads to 14ers…read moreTorreys and Grays should you so choose. A note: only late day start on a bluebird day. Otherwise, you're a prime candidate to catch a lightning bolt. If you continue to Torreys it is a significant descent, ascent. If you're not sleeping on Torreys summit, the redescent reascent could prove significant. It's a semi-arduous 8-12 miles. I was here in a snow storm and there was still shelving at play. Grizzly is not horribly intimidating, but earned its name for a reason. Reminder: it's a great idea to summit and be off the mountain by noon unless you're well versed in the generally unpredictable world of mountain weather.

The good news? It's only 1.6 miles one way…read more The bad news? It is straight up 1700 feet...you can figure the slope but trust me with the 60mph winds, snow and ice, oh yeah trail head starts at 12,000 feet....You gonna feel it aight? Stunningly gorgeous views: Pristine snow capped mountains, white valleys, oh yeah the crazy guy doing it 3 times to prep for Nepal.....yep ya gots to be a tad cray to hike this in the winter.....that be me!

Easy trail with steady incline. Following the trail was fine using Alltrails...without it, it could…read morebe confusing as there is a lot of splits and shared with mountain bikers. The trail was well maintained and definitely dog friendly with a couple poop stations at the start.

Loved this trail. I stayed at a hotel just a mile away. It was easy to find and the single track…read moretrail was super pretty.

Great family paddle on Lake Dillon! We did the Island Tour (9-11:30am) with 2x 2-seaters & 1 solo…read more(15 yr old) to cover the 3 kids and had an incredible time thanks to our guide Brittany. We made it 5.65 miles in the 2.5 hrs, saw a beaver, ospreys, blue herons, & the bald eagles nest. Will definitely do again!

We had the BEST time on this kayaking trip with Adventure Paddle Tours. We learned so much and the…read moreviews were epic!