A great swimming pool and spa-like area for adults too. I really enjoyed this place! The water was…read morewarm! The environment was fun and relaxing. A variety of different pools and activities are available. There are also two restaurants with yummy food options. I appreciated the tranquil greenhouse for adults only. I hope I can visit again soon. This is a really unique and special place!!!!

This is a oasis/spa in the middle of the Colorado plains and just on the outskirts of Great Sand…read moreDunes National Park. Definitely recommend this resort as at least a two (2) night base camp for your ultimate planned NP excursion. Arrive/check-in then rent your Sand Boards for your next day use at the NP (and arrive early at the NP before the sand gets too hot!). After your Sand Dunes park play, return to this resort to unwind and relax in a natural, therapeutic spa fashion. Be aware: There is good, tasty food on-site (breakast, lunch and dinner) and the selection is varied but not elegant! And, there is no other food locations in the area. BYOB and mixers - you can buy ice upon arrival. Finally, get to the Adult Greenhouse before 11am to secure a lounge chair as there is not many. Kudos to all the facility and concession personnel, most of whom live nearby, that do their utmost to ensure that your stay is memorable.

A great hot springs/pool in the area. Perfect for kids and the adults who constantly have to get in…read moreand out of the water. This is improved by the fairly lax safety they got going on here. No one cares who is on the slides or how many kids are at the bottom. Diving board? Sure, jump off it while kids are swimming in the deep end. There were lifeguards there if things got truly bad, but the hands-off approach allowed a good amount of appropriate youthful riskiness. And the heat of the water ensures you will all be relaxed and mellow by the end of it all. It's more expensive than a typical city pool, but it's nicely heated by the hot springs.

This is a hot springs public pool that's really great for children and families. Affordable prices,…read morethree slides, two diving boards. It's close to town and easy to get to. You can bring in snacks, but there's also a snack bar available. I only gave three stars because the lifeguard situation is not what it should be. There is at least 60 people in the pool, with all slides and diving boards open.. and there is only one lifeguard out who is sitting in a deck chair only half paying attention to anything. There's so many little kids, that there's lots of parents close by to keep an eye on their kids and those around them.. but the slides are a little dang mess. There are kids jumping in on top of each other because they aren't clearing underneath. This is such a great spot, I wish they would just beef up that aspect and it would be perfect.

Amy has a great energy about her that will get you amped for anything. Chillest woman alive, 10/10…read morerecommend!

Our family did a day trip to the sand dunes from our campsite at Lathrop, and we were looking for…read moresand boards to rent on the way. Spindrift is a cute, colorful shop right on the main street through Blanca. We ordered them online a few days before, but there were plenty of boards when we arrived. The large group in front of us seemed to be walk ins and received boards with no issue. Amy greeted us and got us set up with our boards and sled. We had three different style of boards for different riding experiences. She gave us all fun "jobs" on the dunes and thorough instructions. We all agreed the world needs more Amys. She is really pleasant, welcoming, and a wonderful individual. The dunes are another 30 minute drive from Blanca, but well worth it to get the quality and variety of boards and sled versus what you can get at the store right by the Dunes. The prices were half of that store and the boards are superior in every way. Useful tip Amy gave us - wear socks with your sandals or crocs. That sand temperature in the summer is no joke and can burn your feet fast. Just rock the socks! I highly recommend Spindrift to anyone looking to do sand boarding or sledding!

This place is amazing! I always wondered how we have a Gator and Reptile Park in Colorado and…read moreunderstanding that it is because the geothermal well provides 87F water year-round. Upon entering, we were greeted by Matt who welcomed us with the biggest smile and asked us to share our experience that we had in the Crocodile Rescue in Zambia. Matt and the other employees are so passionate about all the rescued animals at the Park. We were greeted by another employee who explained that all the animals have either been confiscated by law enforcement, given up by their owners, or simply found (the giant iguana was found sitting in a tree by a man walking a neighborhood). All the animals have pasts that aren't the best but they get to live the rest of their lives in a sanctuary getting the proper care they deserve. The Park is vast and there are plans to make it even larger. What I thought would take only 30 minutes took well over 2 hours. I am a kid at heart and also love photography so this was best way to spend our early afternoon. I absolutely adore the staff!! They are amazing and are passionate, which shows in their personalities and how they light up talking about all the different animals.

I was really, really taken with this place. It was really cool to see the gators and the snakes and…read moreemu, and just all the critters that have been rescued. I was really glad to see that there's a place like this that supports those critters but also saddened by how many had been pets at one time. It was a great place to support would definitely go back. We all enjoyed our visit. I recommend buying food to feed the gators, cause I was really fun.

Bought a bike with electronic shifters and was just driving through town... Popped in and these…read moreguys took care of me ASAP! Super nice shop, relaxed vibe... No "bikier than thou" mechanics to be seen. Everything that makes a bike shop great!

Rented a hard tail for a couple days of riding. Solid rig, well tuned, no issues. Heinrich was easy…read moreto work with and guys at the shop have good advice on trails. No need to bring your steed!

Sneaky cool park. Limited infrastructure that gets job done for access. Enough interpretative…read morecontent to get a sense of area. Really rock formations. Nice low key campsite. A cool place to check out.

One of my Earthwatch colleagues had this place on her "Bucket List". So after a long Friday out in…read morethe San Juan Rift, we stopped at Penitente Canyon for a hike and a few cold beers. Years ago, Penitente Canyon served as a place of worship for Los Hermanos Penitente. The Brothers, Spanish and Indian men of deep faith and commitment, preferred to live secluded in the foothills and canyons of the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains to practice their religion freely. In some areas you can see historic/religious painting left behind on the rocks. Penitente Canyon, while quite secluded, has also emerged as one of Colorado's premier rock climbing areas. The area is part of the 7,529 acre Penitente Canyon Special Recreation Management Area of the BLM. Our group had a wonderful time hiking the canyons, clamoring over the "Rock Garden" and watching climbers in various stages of ascent and decent. It's a beautiful area and well worth a trip in this somewhat remote region. Our late afternoon visit was also the perfect beginning of a busy weekend and a great opportunity to just hang out with new friends.

Lake Como trail was a lot of fun. The hike to Lake Como isn't easy so pack light. I would also…read morerecommend starting early in the morning because there isn't a lot of shade along the trail to protect you from the sun. Don't forget your bug spray (I've never seen so many mosquitoes in my life). Be careful on Blanca and Ellingwood because it's easy to lose the trail.

Things you MUST know about the most common Mount Blanca trail:…read more 1. Hardest Off Road trail in the country. 2. Overnight camp at beautiful Como Lake. There are 2 campsites one will cross before getting to Como Lake if your in a sticky situation. 3. Takes about 5-7 hours to get to Como Lake. There may be a large stream or two interrupting the trail at some parts that one must navigate (over 100 yeards after rainfall) 4. 3 hours to summit blanca after leaving Como Lake. 5. Will pass 3 lakes in all reaching peak. One with a large 50 foot waterfall. 6. Not many people climb this fourteener compared to others because of its location. 7. Ellingwood and Little Bear are accessible from this peak. 8. This is a Moderately Difficult Fourteener. 9. Como Lake and Summit offer spectacular views.

Unbelievable views and incredibly accommodating parks staff. There were no trees in the campground…read morebut they would have blocked the views. They have clean showers and restrooms, along with outhouse potty so close to each campsite. Water close by and electrical hook ups at each site. They have ice to purchase at the Rangers station. Volleyball, horseshoe pit, & basketball for activities. My family loved it. We will back soon. Thanks Debbie, Art & Becky for making our first camping trip in our new pop up such a terrific experience.

Stopped to check out what appeared to be an abandoned park in the middle of nowhere on the way to…read moredunes. I found an abandoned park on the way to the dunes, with exceptionally clean, well stocked restrooms and picnic areas shaded against the worst of the NM sun. The plan when establishing the park: Nice place for locals to spend A Day At The Beach. Reality, the water becomes poisonous to fish, dries up quickly, and the beach is on the edge of a mud hole. Still, possibly worth hiding a tent on overnight...