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Great Sand Dunes National Monument
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Rocky Mountains National Park
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Colorado Springs
Founded in 1871, Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-largest city, has evolved from a quaint, Victorian spa resort to a sophisticated city, with a charming "small town" ambiance. With over 50 attractions, Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region are the gateway to Southern Colorado's "Outdoor Adventure Play Land." Located 80 miles south of Denver's International Airport and 1 and 1/2 hours east of world-class skiing, Colorado Springs is a vacation mecca, drawing over 6 million visitors annually.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Most people associate Colorado with mountains more than sand dunes, but Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to the tallest dunes in North America, towering more than 750 ft/230 m above the valley floor. The main dune field covers approximately 19,200 acres/7,770 hectares of the 150,000-acre/60,700-hectare park.
The best way to experience the dunes is to run, jump, roll and slide on them. The sun and shadows on the dunes make them fascinating places to photograph. However, the sand heats up under the sun. Visitors should wear shoes to protect their feet.
The park is open daily, and there is a US$15 per vehicle entrance fee. Phone 719-378-6395. https://www.nps.gov/grsa.
Durango
Durango was established in 1881 as a frontier mining town. But many of the old-time settlers discovered they got more out of the scenery than the mines. Nestled in the Animas River Valley, in the afternoon shadows of the San Juan Mountains, people still get pretty much the same feeling. There’s something about being where picture-postcard beauty circles like an old wagon train. It tends to slow folks down a notch or two and let their best side catch up to them.
Palisade
Glenwood Springs
Glenwood Springs is located in Colorado's Rocky Mountains and is a magical recreational paradise where visitors can enjoy biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, skiing, skydiving, zip lining and much more. This mountain resort town is most known for the restorative powers its hot springs hold, soothing aches, pains and stresses. The bubbling hot springs and geothermal caverns have been a popular destination for health seekers since the early 1880's, and have been popular ever since.
Rocky Mountains National Park
Located 60 mi/95 km northwest of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is a large area that includes magnificent peaks, valleys and nature trails. One of the park's most popular and fascinating features is the tundra that exists above the tree line (11,500 ft/3,505 m).
You can get a good look at the tundra by taking Trail Ridge Road, the park's main thoroughfare. This is a spectacularly scenic drive, parts of which evoke images of the Arctic. The 48-mi/77-km road climbs above the tree line and crosses the Continental Divide, reaching a maximum elevation of 12,183 ft/3,713 m. It's the highest continuously paved highway in the U.S. and is open only from Memorial Day through late October, depending on weather conditions, although the park is open year-round. Don't be surprised if you feel a little light-headed and your car sounds a little different chugging through the thin air.
With more than 350 mi/565 km of trails, Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker's paradise. Outings can range from day hikes to very strenuous multiday excursions. Among the wildlife in the park are elk, mule, deer, mountain sheep and even some elusive moose on the park's west side along the Colorado River.
The park can be explored by car, horseback, bicycle, snowshoes and, of course, on foot. The variety of hikes includes paved wheelchair-accessible routes to scaling to the top of Longs Peak at 14,259 ft/4,420 m and plenty in between for amateur day hikers. Be prepared for major crowds if you visit in the summer. In fact, you'd be smart to avoid the park on weekends, when traffic through Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park inches along. Fall is a wonderful season to go, with fewer crowds, golden aspen leaves and huge herds of bugling elks.
Snowshoeing in the winter is also wonderful. The park has five campgrounds that are accessible by automobile. Two of them—Moraine Park and Glacier Basin—require reservations in the summer but are first-come, first-serve in the off-season. Campfire programs, many geared to the family, are held each evening. For hikers, there are additional backcountry campsites, though you'll need a permit for an overnight excursion. http://www.nps.gov/romo.
Denver
Denver is not only the perfect gateway to the Rocky Mountains and the American West - it is also a major tourism destination, filled with world-class attractions, excellent accommodations, over 2,000 restaurants and the finest shopping in the region. Just a few of its new projects include: Coors Field, Prehistoric Journey, and Six Flags, just to name a few. Denver has amusement parks, sightseeing, fine dining, AAA basketball, museums, and that is not all. Nighttime entertainment includes: music and dance clubs with music ranging from smooth sounding jazz to lively disco, comedy clubs, concerts, theater, opera, symphony and movies. Even with all there is to do, virtually no one comes to Denver without visiting the Colorado Ocean Journey.
Founded in 1871, Colorado Springs, Colorado's second-largest city, has evolved from a quaint, Victorian spa resort to a sophisticated city, with a charming "small town" ambiance. With over 50 attractions, Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region are the gateway to Southern Colorado's "Outdoor Adventure Play Land." Located 80 miles south of Denver's International Airport and 1 and 1/2 hours east of world-class skiing, Colorado Springs is a vacation mecca, drawing over 6 million visitors annually.
Most people associate Colorado with mountains more than sand dunes, but Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is home to the tallest dunes in North America, towering more than 750 ft/230 m above the valley floor. The main dune field covers approximately 19,200 acres/7,770 hectares of the 150,000-acre/60,700-hectare park.
The best way to experience the dunes is to run, jump, roll and slide on them. The sun and shadows on the dunes make them fascinating places to photograph. However, the sand heats up under the sun. Visitors should wear shoes to protect their feet.
The park is open daily, and there is a US$15 per vehicle entrance fee. Phone 719-378-6395. https://www.nps.gov/grsa.
Durango was established in 1881 as a frontier mining town. But many of the old-time settlers discovered they got more out of the scenery than the mines. Nestled in the Animas River Valley, in the afternoon shadows of the San Juan Mountains, people still get pretty much the same feeling. There’s something about being where picture-postcard beauty circles like an old wagon train. It tends to slow folks down a notch or two and let their best side catch up to them.
Glenwood Springs is located in Colorado's Rocky Mountains and is a magical recreational paradise where visitors can enjoy biking, hiking, rafting, horseback riding, skiing, skydiving, zip lining and much more. This mountain resort town is most known for the restorative powers its hot springs hold, soothing aches, pains and stresses. The bubbling hot springs and geothermal caverns have been a popular destination for health seekers since the early 1880's, and have been popular ever since.
Located 60 mi/95 km northwest of Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park is a large area that includes magnificent peaks, valleys and nature trails. One of the park's most popular and fascinating features is the tundra that exists above the tree line (11,500 ft/3,505 m).
You can get a good look at the tundra by taking Trail Ridge Road, the park's main thoroughfare. This is a spectacularly scenic drive, parts of which evoke images of the Arctic. The 48-mi/77-km road climbs above the tree line and crosses the Continental Divide, reaching a maximum elevation of 12,183 ft/3,713 m. It's the highest continuously paved highway in the U.S. and is open only from Memorial Day through late October, depending on weather conditions, although the park is open year-round. Don't be surprised if you feel a little light-headed and your car sounds a little different chugging through the thin air.
With more than 350 mi/565 km of trails, Rocky Mountain National Park is a hiker's paradise. Outings can range from day hikes to very strenuous multiday excursions. Among the wildlife in the park are elk, mule, deer, mountain sheep and even some elusive moose on the park's west side along the Colorado River.
The park can be explored by car, horseback, bicycle, snowshoes and, of course, on foot. The variety of hikes includes paved wheelchair-accessible routes to scaling to the top of Longs Peak at 14,259 ft/4,420 m and plenty in between for amateur day hikers. Be prepared for major crowds if you visit in the summer. In fact, you'd be smart to avoid the park on weekends, when traffic through Estes Park and into Rocky Mountain National Park inches along. Fall is a wonderful season to go, with fewer crowds, golden aspen leaves and huge herds of bugling elks.
Snowshoeing in the winter is also wonderful. The park has five campgrounds that are accessible by automobile. Two of them—Moraine Park and Glacier Basin—require reservations in the summer but are first-come, first-serve in the off-season. Campfire programs, many geared to the family, are held each evening. For hikers, there are additional backcountry campsites, though you'll need a permit for an overnight excursion. http://www.nps.gov/romo.
Denver is not only the perfect gateway to the Rocky Mountains and the American West - it is also a major tourism destination, filled with world-class attractions, excellent accommodations, over 2,000 restaurants and the finest shopping in the region. Just a few of its new projects include: Coors Field, Prehistoric Journey, and Six Flags, just to name a few. Denver has amusement parks, sightseeing, fine dining, AAA basketball, museums, and that is not all. Nighttime entertainment includes: music and dance clubs with music ranging from smooth sounding jazz to lively disco, comedy clubs, concerts, theater, opera, symphony and movies. Even with all there is to do, virtually no one comes to Denver without visiting the Colorado Ocean Journey.