Tag: summer

Colorado’s highest peaks draw plenty of attention and plenty of crowds, while down below some of the state’s most pristine, unspoiled nature affords true, splendid solitude. While big-mountain climbers track their rewards by miles and elevation, the rewards for wilderness goers are immeasurable — except, perhaps, by days on the trail. Here’s a look at…

From ghost towns to gold mines to century-old saloons, the Wild West era is alive and well in the mountains of Colorado. Follow this road trip to see the same sights as cowboys, outlaws and famed western characters such as Doc Holliday. Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)…

Long after their heydays, several mines in Colorado carry on as tourist destinations. And in parks and streams, gold still awaits seekers with the hand tools and know-how. If digging and panning, be aware that some locations require permits. Here are options to relive that hard-knock era: Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, Cripple Creek It’s no…

Compared with 2018 and 2019 — pre-pandemic years — the numbers have dipped slightly under a reservation system aimed at crowd control. Still, Rocky Mountain National Park remains one of America’s busiest national parks, with 4.4 million visitors counted in 2021. The trend is similar at Colorado’s other three national parks. Also before the pandemic,…

“Remember, if you fall out of the raft, get your feet up and forward as fast as possible. If you don’t, a foot could get lodged between underwater rocks and that’s one way people die.” Already opting to don a life jacket and helmet as I stood on the banks of the Arkansas River, I…

If you’ve been enraptured by the college town just northwest of Denver — Boulder, home of the University of Colorado — the rival asks you please to turn your attention farther north. Fort Collins doesn’t have those iconic Flatirons. But it has plenty more to gain your admiration. That includes some natural wonders of its…

Wet your whistle and get a taste of the Old West at one of these five historic bars in Colorado.  1. Buckhorn Exchange – Denver  Waiter Matt Carroll, center, talks with customers about the mounted animal heads at The Buckhorn Exchange, which is located at 1000 Osage St. in Denver, in 2005. Photo by David…

“Now THIS is Colorado,” reads the highway sign welcoming visitors to Chaffee County. And it’s easy to see why. With the Arkansas River connecting the idyllic, artsy towns of Buena Vista and Salida, this is a mecca for whitewater rafting and fishing. With an impressive cluster of 14,000-foot peaks, it’s a land that calls also…

Not all whitewater in Colorado is created equal. There is, for one, the whims of Mother Nature — the snowpack and runoff that determine flows and rapids. Then there’s Mother Nature’s artistry, her landscapes that rise to the level of legendary. Add these to your rafting bucket list: Rafters float toward rapids on the Colorado…