The staggering natural beauty of the state of Colorado is right on Denver’s doorstep, giving the city a connection to the outdoors like no other in the US. Intrepid traveller Aaron Millar shares his favourite adventure spots
For outdoor lovers, Colorado is the stuff of legends. In winter, 750cm of pure white powder blankets the jagged peaks of the Rockies, producing 12,000 skiable hectares (29,640 acres) and 1,883 perfect runs. But the fun doesn’t stop when the snow melts. In summer, the mountains spring to life with wild flowers and high-altitude hiking and biking; rodeos come to town; there’s climbing and fresh farm-to-table food.
You don’t need to travel far either. Colorado’s capital, Denver, is one of the US’s fittest cities, with 85 miles of bike paths, more than 1,600 hectares of green space (more than any other city in the country) and the foothills of the Rockies, nature’s big kid playground, just a short drive away. The outdoors isn’t a destination in Colorado – it’s a state of mind. Here are few of its best Rocky Mountain highs.
National parks
- Rocky Mountain national park
Rocky Mountain national park
These 107,500 hectares of alpine lakes and high mountain peaks, less than two hours from Denver, are the crown jewel of the state. Drive the Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved road in the US – at an elevation of 3,911 metres – for a taste of some true high-altitude driving. Come in September for elk rutting season and the chance to spot coyote, moose and black bears.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison national park
This 2,722 ft-deep (829 metre) snaking gorge may barely be known outside the state, but it’s every bit as grand as Arizona’s famous Canyon, with a fraction of the crowds. It’s also one of only a handful of International Dark Sky Parks in the country, meaning the night-time view into the spiralling arms of the Milky Way is every bit as mesmerising as the landscape by day.
Front Range adventure
Colorado Springs
Two hours south of Denver, Colorado Springs is bursting with outdoor fun. Check out the soaring red rock spires of the Garden of the Gods park for rock climbing and hiking; and the Royal Gorge Bridge, one of the world’s highest suspension bridges, for gondola rides, zip lines and an insane sky-coaster over the gorge itself.
- The Royal Gorge bridge; rafting at Fort Collins; picturesque Boulder
Fort Collins
Head two hours north of the capital and you’ll hit Fort Collins and the Poudre River, Colorado’s only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River, and one of the best white-water rafting and kayaking spots in the country – with operators running trips down Class II-IV rapids from May to September.
Boulder
Just half an hour west of Denver, Boulder is, perhaps, the ultimate Colorado town: home to more than 150 miles of hiking trails through the foothills; a pedestrianised high street filled with musicians and circus performers and one of the liveliest eating and drinking scenes in the state. Top tip? Grab a picnic and drive to the summit of Flagstaff mountain, 457 metres above the town, for the undisputed best views in the Front Range.
Mountain resorts
- Hiking the high Rockies above Breckenridge
Winter Park
The Denver local’s favourite, accessible by the city’s new ski train, which travels direct from downtown to the slopes. The skiing here is both affordable and utterly magnificent, with some of the best tree and mogul terrain in the state. But it’s equally good in summer, with more than 600 miles of mountain biking trails and some of the most extreme downhill biking in the United States.
Aspen
Home of the winter X-Games, where the planet’s wildest winter athletes gather every January, Aspen returns to its Rocky Mountain roots when the snow melts. Highlights include: free outdoor concerts all summer long; some of the most gorgeous hiking in the state at Maroon Bells; and the chance to prop up the bar at the late Hunter S Thompson’s local, the legendary Woody Creek Tavern.
Breckenridge
This large, popular ski resort framed around one of Colorado’s coolest mountain towns, offers some of the best after-ski action in the US. In summer, it’s perfect for families, with chairlifts to take little ones up to the high country for activities such as alpine coasters and zip lines.
Wild west fun
- The Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway
Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway
This 1880 steam-powered railway once carried Colorado’s first gold-rush pioneers. Now it takes travellers from the fun, outdoorsy town of Durango in the south, through the spectacular canyons of the San Juan Forest, to the former mining town of Silverton. Pulling in is like arriving in a wild west film set – all dirt roads and saloons, surrounded by an amphitheatre of peaks.
Mesa Verde national park
This stunning collection of ancient Native American cliff dwellings, an hour west of Durango, is one of the best-preserved and important indigenous sites in North America – and one of Colorado’s most awe-inspiring experiences.
- Mesa Verde national park
Hot Springs Loop
Colorado may be amped up on extreme sports (see Aspen’s Winter X Games), but it also knows how to chill. For the last word in spas, hop on to Colorado’s historic Hot Springs Loop, a 720-mile route through the Rockies – just west of Denver – linking 19 of the state’s most idyllic thermal springs with its coolest mountain towns. Here are three of the best:
Glenwood Springs
At 405ft (123 metres) long and 100ft (30 metres) wide, Glenwood Springs is the largest outdoor mineral hot springs pool in the world. Even better is the town’s vapour cave, considered sacred by the Ute First Nations people, who for centuries bathed in its mineral-rich waters.
Ouray
One of the few sulphur-free – and therefore odourless – hot springs on the loop. With 12 natural springs, the soaking’s great, but the setting’s unbelievable – Ouray is known as the “Switzerland of America” for its spectacular location, edged by 3,658-metre (12,000ft) peaks and waterfalls on all sides.
Steamboat Springs
Steamboat is one of Colorado’s favourite ski towns, offering a top family soak, with waterslides, an aqua-play park and climbing wall all in the main hot springs. For a truly escapist, back-to-nature experience, head seven miles out of town to Strawberry Hot Springs, with its picturesque, bubbling pools hidden in a grove of aspen.
United Airlines offers a seasonal, non-stop service from London Heathrow to Denver on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner – complete with high-tech cabin lighting and smoother ride technology, plus flat-bed seats in Polaris business class. Learn more at united.com
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