Being from Colorado it is safe to say we are VERY biased about our state. In fact I can tell you right now that my fellow Coloradans who are reading this are secretly (or not so secretly) begging me to not tell you anything about our state. That is because our beautiful state that we would all like to keep to ourselves is growing at twice the rate than the national average. In the last 40 years the population in Colorado has more than doubled!! (Fish, Najmabadi, Vo). So those of us that have grown up here have felt our highways fill with traffic, our ski slopes feel like a pinball game, and our housing prices are leaving us trying to catch our breath. But I think this all speaks to the magic that is found in the state of Colorado. There is a reason that so many have moved here and have chosen this state to live a life of adventure.
We have been camping and backpacking the state of Colorado for our entire lives. We took our daughter camping when she was 6 weeks old, and her first backpacking trip when she was 12 weeks old.
We love to share this joy we have for the outdoors with our kids, it is part of our family ethos. So I want to share it with you too because sharing is caring:).
These are not in order of anything…because I couldn’t decide what was my favorite. These are all my favorite places.
1. Frisco, CO
You might be wondering why I am listing Frisco over Breckenridge, that is because I think Frisco is a great gateway to everything. Frisco Colorado is a mountain town that is right off the I-70 corridor that is between Silverthorne and Cooper Mountain. From this town you can easily drive up to Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Cooper, Keystone, and even up and over to hit Fairplay. We find ourselves camping in this area at least once a year with friends and family. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from the Denver area so it is a great place to venture into the mountains if you are visiting the Denver area.
Peak One Campground
Our favorite campground has to be Peak One. Peak One is right on the Dillon Reservoir. You can literally put your boat into the water a short walk from your campsite. We have camped in this area in the spring, summer and fall and it is just beautiful year round. The Dillon Reservoir is a quiet lake that offers great kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing. This reservoir provides wonderful beach areas to set up for a day on the lake. There are many campgrounds in the Frisco area so if you can't find a campsite available at Peak One go check out Prospector Campground or Lowry Campground. Both of these are farther from the lake so you will have to drive to the lake, but they are both very beautiful.
TIP: Camping in the summer in Colorado is cut throat! In order to camp at some of these more popular destinations you have to be ready to reserve 6 months ahead of time. So plan the date and be ready 6 months in advance to get the days you want in the summer. If you don’t want to play that game, go in the off season. We have camped in these areas in the spring and fall and they are really beautiful times to go, but it is cold at night. So be prepared for 30 degree or colder nights. Most camping in Colorado uses the Recreation.gov for booking.
Isak Heartstone
From Frisco you can venture out to all kinds of amazing places that are nearby. One of our favorite areas is Breckenridge. Breckenridge has one of the best ski resorts in Colorado, but what we really love are the little things. Up a short trail into the woods there is a 15-foot tall wooden troll named Isak Heartstone. This troll is found on a beautiful short walk up Trollstigen Trail, your kids will love him, your grandma will love him, and you of course will love him. Danish artist Thomas Dambo created this friendly giant and he literally makes the forest feel magical!
Boreas Pass
Our other favorite thing here in Breckenridge is traveling over Boreas Pass into Como, CO. Boreas Pass is a great summer and early fall journey (this is not a winter activity). This 22 mile long dirt road takes you up to an elevation of 11,481ft before descending back down into Como, CO. You can travel either from Como to Breck, or Breck to Como, either way it is really amazing. This is not a 4-wheel drive pass, but I certainly wouldn’t try it in a Prius. It can be bumpy, washed out, and steep, so pick a vehicle that can handle a rough bumpy road.
TIP: When you head into the mountains of Colorado watch the weather. Storms in our mountain areas can come fast and are incredibly dangerous if you get stuck above the tree line (in Colorado this is at 11,000 to 12,000 feet depending on the area). What this means is that you are in an exposed area that is very high with no trees or cover. In the summer months this is almost everyday in the afternoons. So start out early so that you can enjoy the morning and early afternoon. Always check road conditions and weather when you head into the mountains and plan ahead.
2. Leadville, CO
Leadville Colorado is above 10,000 feet in elevation, in Colorado we don’t tell you the population we give you the elevation. This is an old mining town that was founded in 1878. Leadville is surrounded by some of our largest mountains in Colorado, but what I really love about this is the camping.
Turquoise Lake
About 15 minutes from Leadville is Turquoise Lake. There are several campgrounds around the lake that are very accessible no matter what type of camping you want to do. All around the area there are epic hiking trails, mountain biking, and of course the lake to boat on. Because this lake is located at such a high elevation it is cold, so not really a great swimming lake, but it is really amazing to boat on. There are two boat ramps that have access to the lake. This fall we did a hike near the Queen May Campground called Timberline Creek. This hike is about 2.2 miles one way through the Holy Cross Wilderness area and circles a beautiful alpine lake at the top. We hiked with our friends and their 2 kids, so ages ranged from 6 to 10 years old. It was a trek, but all 4 had a great time and were able to hike the entire time.
Twin Lakes
Our other favorite area is Twin Lakes. If you travel another 25 minutes outside of Leadville you will hit Twin Lakes Colorado. Twin Lakes gets its name for the two glacial lakes that are at the base of Mt. Elbert and La Plata Peak (two of Colorado’s fourteeners). This tiny mountain town is a gem when it comes to Colorado epic adventure.
Jodi and I first found this area in 2007 when we through hiked the Colorado trail. As we came down the mountain after passing through the Holy Cross Wilderness area we came right to the shores of Twin Lakes. We could smell people grilling at their campsites and drinking their cold beers. We just wanted one of them to adopt us for the night and feed us! So a year later we made our way back to camp and have been coming back every year.
There are several campgrounds near here as well as some boondocking (off grid camping). One of our favorite campgrounds is White Star. This campground is perfect to go play at the lakes or head up Independence Pass and explore. One of the coolest things on the shore of the lake is Interlacken Resort. This is a historic resort that was built in 1879 and eventually shut down after the dam was built. You can either hike or boat over to the resort that is on the other side of the lake, but there is no road access. The buildings here are in the process of restoration but you can go into a few of them. One of my favorite buildings you can explore is Dexter's cabin. I love this building with its wrap around deck, gorgeous wood floors, and upper lookout post. The hike to the resort is about 2.5 miles one way, but it follows the shore of Twin Lakes. It is a really beautiful hike and a fun destination at the end. The other way you can access the resort is to boat across the lake. Twin lakes is one of my favorite places to explore and paddleboard, the water is like glass and it is an incredible trip across the lake.
3. Crested Butte, CO
Crested Butte was originally a little mountain coal mining town. Today it is an epic backcountry adventure zone! Crested Butte is known for its incredible ski resort, but equally so its mountain biking and hiking. I absolutely love the town and the surrounding wilderness all around you.
Jodi lived in Crested Butte from 2002 to 2003 where she taught high school math and “coached” snowboarding (I put that in quotes because, for real, her students were world class snowboarders that she really chaperoned around the U.S. for competitions). She fell in love with this mountain town and her life here really changed her perspective on the “rat race” that we all seem to buy into.
There is something here for you every season of the year. There is a ton of camping whether it be a campground or dispersed, but one of our favorite places to camp was Oh Be Joyful Campground. We have a 30ft travel trailer so it is a bit of a bumpy drive in and a steep hill down, but oh my goodness it was one of the best places we have camped.
Right next to the campground is Slate River. My kids literally spent days just playing in the river. The other kind of fun thing was the cows. Yes that is right…cows. There are cows that graze free all over this area and they were very fun to watch and camp with.
There are also mountain biking and hiking trails right from the campground that bring you to beautiful views and adventures. No matter where you stay and play here it will not disappoint.
4. Black Canyon, NP
Black Canyon National Park is a canyon located in western Colorado along the Gunnison River. The closest “larger” town to this national park is Montrose Colorado. To be completely honest we really didn’t have Black Canyon on any radar of must sees until we went there this fall. Oh my goodness! It was amazing.
This canyon was formed by volcanic activity around the area that shifted the Gunnison River to eventually carve away the canyon we see today. The rocks are a mix of metamorphic rocks like schist and gneiss with veins of pink pegmatite flowing through. The effect is gorgeous precambrian rock walls! Sorry sometimes science gets the best of me and I go too far:).
This national park was a really pleasant surprise for us. We arrived on a cold rainy fall morning and we couldn’t see any canyon as we drove in. We parked our camper and set off to check things out, found a random trail and literally stumbled into this canyon. The effect was epic for us! We spent the rest of the day hiking in the rain just to be in the presents of the canyon. Being that it was fall in Colorado the Gambel Oak were bright red and on fire!! It was incredible. We came back to our campsite hours later soaked and overflowing with joy.
Tip: This area can get really hot in the summer and the fall and spring are actually an amazing time to visit this area. The fall colors are incredible with the Gambel Oaks turning beautiful red and the serviceberry bushes turning yellow. You might find this is a great time to avoid the heat!
We hiked several trails around the park but our favorite was the Rim Rock Trail. This trail goes right from the campground located on the south rim of the national park and travels right to the visitor center. It is about 1.5 miles one way and it is an out and back trail. It follows along the south rim of the canyon and offers incredible views.
Tip: Dogs are not allowed everywhere around the park. On the north rim you can walk your dog on roads and around the campground on leash year round, but it is very different on the south rim. The south rim campground allows dogs year round, but they pretty much can only stay at your campsite from June 1 to August 10. There are really aggressive deer in this area during this time and they are protecting everyone. If you go there outside of this time period you can take our dog on a hike along the Rim Rock Trail, but most other trails do not allow dogs ever.
5. Telluride, CO
I really loved this mountain town. It is so unique, beautiful, and jammed packed with activities. I have visited now in the summer and fall and it is also one of those places that offers activities all year round.
I am notorious for going somewhere, loving it, and then looking for houses for sale like I am ready to move there. Yes…I did do this in Telluride…no I am not a millionaire…yes I often do dream a little too big. The homes here are beautiful colorful victorian-era homes! I just thought, "maybe?" The average housing price in Telluride is about 2.2M, so that turns out to be a little north of our income, so I had to shut down the Zillow. It’s fine, I’m fine, I quickly got over it.
Telluride is a gorgeous mountain town that was founded in 1878. It was originally a base camp for silver mining, but they eventually mined other products in the area as well like zinc, lead, and copper. The town was “eventually” named after the element Tellurium which is a metalloid that helps form silver ore. That is one story…but there is another story that I prefer about how the town got its name. When miners would start their very treacherous and dangerous journey to reach this remote mountain town, people would send them off with a warning saying, “To hell you ride!” I like that story best, it is a lot more fun than the tellurium story, but who knows.
Telluride is home to more world class ski slopes, but the gondola runs year round. It is a free 13min ride from Telluride to another little mountain village called… Mountain Village, hmmm…very easy to remember.
I think my kids could literally just ride the gondola up and down all day and it would be a full fun day for them.
It is so beautiful and you can stop off in the middle to hike/mountain bike (summer/fall), ski/snowboard (winter), head to the top to check out Mountain Village or hit Telluride at the bottom and go check out the shops and restaurants. Or you can be like us and just live inside the gondola for the day…your choice.
Tip: Use the gondola to get to Telluride rather than parking in Telluride. In Mountain Village at the top of the gondola there is a parking complex that is much better equipped for parking. You can then hitch a ride on the gondola and ride down to Telluride. We learned this the hard way. When driving, before you hit the town of Telluride there is a sign that sends you off to the left where the base of the gondola is, Mountain Village, and that parking complex. Trust me, do that.
6. Ouray, CO
So I have a super special place in my heart for Ouray. Ouray is called little Switzerland. Ouray is at the base of a lush little valley that is surrounded by the incredible San Juan mountains. I have been coming here since I was in middle school. I love the memories that I share here with my dad.
Box Canyon
This town offers things to do all season, but not something you have seen in these other mountain areas. Ouray is known for world class ice climbing. In late January Ouray hosts an ice climbing event called The Ice Festival, where pro ice climbers from around the world come to compete.
In Ouray there is a small narrow canyon called Box Canyon. In the winter months this little canyon turns into epic sheets of ice. Every year after the ice festival my dad and I would travel to Ouray to ice climb in Box Canyon. It was such a special adventure for us. Box Canyon is not only amazing in the winter but a super amazing place to check out during other seasons as well.
This last fall I took my family there to explore the canyon. In the canyon there are natural hot springs as well and the town of Ouray has pumped these hot waters over to a hot springs pool that you can go enjoy.
Million Dollar Highway
One of the most spectacular, fun, and a little scary things you can do is drive from Ouray over The Million Dollar Highway to Silverton and eventually Durango if you want.
If you look closely at the image you can see the line running along the cliff side on the right with a small vehicle on the road. This is The Million Dollar Highway.
How the Million Dollar Highway got its name is a little bit of a mystery. There are three stories; 1. It got its name because it was so expensive to build, 2. It got its name because the highway is covering large amounts of gold, 3. The views are worth a million dollars. Maybe all 3 are correct.
Either way…DO IT!! It was incredible. The road has virtually no guard rails, steep sheer drop offs, tight switchbacks, steep grades and winding roads with epic views. It is a little scary… especially if you tow your 30ft trailer behind you. Yes we did that, and no I don’t regret it, it is totally doable if you are confident towing your rig, and you will be fine (if you are nervous when towing, don’t do it).
This highway runs from Ouray to Silverton and is about 25 miles long, but the entire trip is not all terrifying. The scariest section is right after you leave the town of Ouray behind. From Umcompahgre Gorge to Red Mountain Pass is the scariest, but then it gets WAY less scary. After Red Mountain Pass you will be able to relax.
Tip: This road is pretty intense in some places and I personally would not drive it in the winter if the road has snow on it. There is a plaque at the top of Red Mountain Pass to honor the snow plow drivers who have died clearing The Million Dollar Highway. If you don’t have chains don’t do it. When road conditions are good, it is amazing and you should do it. We towed our 30 ft trailer over and many experienced RVers have traveled the road safely. Go slow, take your time and check road conditions. Check out COTrip to check road conditions.
Ridgeway State Park
A great place to stay in the area if you want to pinwheel and visit lots of mountain locations is in Ridgeway, CO. Ridgeway State Park is only 15 miles (20 min drive) from Ouray, 45 miles from Telluride (a 1 hr beautiful car ride!), 39 miles to Silverton (over the Million Dollar Highway!). This park is surrounded by Ridgeway Reservoir which offers all kinds of activities, for all seasons. The state park also offers year round camping that includes many options from electric hook ups for your RV, camping up on the ridge for view of the reservoir below, down by the swim area of the reservoir, or yurts.
There are great trails right from your camping sites and it is just beautiful. We stayed here this fall and spent a week while we explored Ouray, Telluride, and the recreation opportunities in Ridgeway.
7. Silverton and Durango, CO
I combined these two places because they are about 48 miles away from each other (a little over an hour drive) and I loved the towns, but I really love the space between them even more.
Silverton, CO
Silverton is one of the highest towns in the U.S. (I should probably clarify since we are adventuring in Colorado…highest in elevation…get your head out of the gutter). Silverton is located on one end of The Million Dollar Highway and offers incredible mountain views. Silverton has a rich history in the Colorado Gold Rush and the town itself is super cute. When we went over The Million Dollar Highway we stopped in Silverton and found a family of moose!!
Tip: We tried to camp in the area of Silverton at the beginning of October. There is great dispersed camping along the Million Dollar Highway and in the Silverton area, BUT no one could get us water to fill up our RV for boondocking. Everything in Silverton was really closed down for the season, so we were not able to do much there in the fall. We ended up traveling closer to Durango to find water to camp. You may be wondering why we didn’t fill up before we hit Silverton…well we drove over The Million Dollar Highway from Ouray and did not want water impacting our trailer. One option that I think would work, if you were coming from the Durango area, is to fill up and then head up toward Silverton. That road is not as extreme as The Million Dollar Highway.
Durango, CO
Durango is a much bigger town that is located in the La Plata Mountains. There are a lot of amenities in this town that are helpful when you are living on the road. We enjoyed visiting their old town area but found it helpful to find a walmart, thrift store, and a place to fill our propane tanks.
In 2007 Jodi and I through hiked the Colorado Trail that goes from Waterton Canyon in Littleton Colorado to Durango. Some of the most beautiful parts of the trail were as we came toward Durango. It is unbelievable and absolutely epic.
The In-Between
The area between Silverton and Durango is one of my most favorite in Colorado. There is so much to see and do through this area. There is Purgatory Ski Resort in the winter, and incredible camping, backpacking, and hiking as well.
We stayed at Haviland Lake Campground this October and it quickly became one of our favorite places. During the summer months the campground has electric hook ups, but they turn these off in the fall. The plus side to this is the camping here is way cheaper during the the offseason. We had a gorgeous site right above Haviland Lake. We found lizards, fished, and played in the water all day.
Tip: If you are towing and planning on stopping in Durango be prepared to hunt for a place to park. We eventually found some metered parking that we paid for two spots. The old town area is tight and not really made to bring your trailer through. On the outskirts of town you could park your trailer and then drive back into old town, but it was not fun trying to just “stop by” and check it out.
8. Mesa Verde, NP
Mesa Verde is a national park located between Mancos, CO and Cortez, CO. This national park is huge! Mesa Verde is the home of the ancestral Pueblo people called the Anasazi. These incredible people found a way to beat the drought and heat of the area by building their homes in alcoves. An alcove is like a barreled out area on the side of the cliff.
There is a lot to see here and it isn’t just the cliff dwellings. At the park you will find other artifacts of life here including pueblo homes, pit homes, pottery, and petroglyphs.
Tip: This is an ancient archeological site that is sacred to the Pueblo people. If you find anything while hiking and exploring, take a picture, leave it there, and let a ranger know. I honestly did not know this before visiting these sacred lands of the indigenous nations around the U.S. Do the best you can until you know better. When you know better, do better - Maya Angelou
When you drive into the park you will hit the ranger station first. If you have kids, one fun thing to do at all our national parks and monuments is something called Junior Ranger. Through these programs your kids complete activities in their Junior Ranger book and then earn a ranger badge for that area. Both my kids have loved collecting their badges and it has offered us a great learning experience.
After the ranger station you will head up a winding road into the park. The drive to get anywhere is a bit long. For example, the main entrance to the Long house is 1.5 hrs. So make sure you have gas, snacks, and drinks. One thing we did to fill our time in the car while we drove through the park was listen to the Mesa Verde Podcast called Mesa Verde Voices. This podcast was really great as we learned about the park all while driving. I would recommend downloading the episodes before you go into the park because service is really limited there.
We spent two whole days at the park because it is so large. Our first day we went to the Chapin Mesa area and explored the pueblos, pit houses, and did a self-guided hike down to Spruce House.
Tip: We have now tried to visit this park in the spring, summer, and fall. Here is what we have learned. In the spring the snow is still around until about mid May, so many trails are closed and tours are not happening. In the summer it is really hot and not fun to walk around all day. In the fall before the snows come is the best!! In the fall everything is still open, you can still book tours (do this two weeks before you plan to go), and all the self-guided trails are open. My recommendation is to go in September or beginning of October.
The second day we did Whetherill Mesa and scheduled a tour to check out Long House and we also went and did the self-guided tour of Step House. The rangers we met along the way were so wonderful. They told us stories, showed us pottery shards, and asked us questions to get us thinking about life for the Anasazi. So stop and talk to a ranger, they are full of great information!
In the fall the campground in the park is closed so we stayed at Mancos State Park which was only an 18 min drive to the national park. The state park was great, it had a small reservoir to fish at and the kids loved just running through our campsite. The campground has a dump station and water fill up. We were there mid October and had our first snowfall of the season there. That certainly didn’t stop Rylan from going outside.
9. Steamboat Springs, CO
Steamboat Springs is located in the Yampa Valley of the Rocky Mountain Range. This area was the hunting grounds for the Ute Nation and then became a town in 1900. Steamboat Springs has activities year round including, of course, world class ski resort and a beautiful fun old town shopping area. This was also an area that I decided that we would move to. We have a group of friends that we “joke” with about buying a ton of land and starting a commune. Not like a creepy cult commune, like a cooperative Swiss commune, mostly so we can share cooking and not have to feed our kids dinner every night. I am still looking.
One of my favorite areas in Steamboat Springs is Steamboat Springs Lake State Park
This state park is on Steamboat Lake which is a 20 min drive from the town of Steamboat Springs. There is camping all over this area, but my favorite are the sites overlooking the reservoir. We love camping here with friends and we spend our days on the lake paddle boarding, hunting for crawdads, and swimming. There is a ton of wildlife in the area and were able to see foxes and deer right in our campsite.
10. Great Sand Dunes, NP
Ok I saved my favorite for last. I know I said I didn’t have a favorite but I lied. I really couldn’t decide what the order would be after my number one favorite…GREAT SAND DUNES!
Friends of ours introduced us to this amazing place in 2015 when Tegan was not yet 2 years old! We have gone back every year. This is an incredible place where you will find the finest mountains of sand surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There are a lot of things to do in this area, but 3 of our favorite activities are playing at the dunes, hiking up to Zapata Falls, and Colorado Gators Reptile Park.
Sand Dunes
The Great Sand Dunes covers an area of 30 square miles with its tallest dune reaching 750 ft high from its base. There are lots of activities you can do at the dunes but 3 of our favorite things are playing at the creek, climbing/jumping the dunes, and sledding.
Medano Creek
In the spring time the snow begins to melt and the Medano Creek begins to run over the top of the sand. This creek is shallow but deep enough to tube down when we have a high flow season. The creek has surges of water that randomly gush through the creek. You can then ride these surges down the creek on your tubes. The creek continues to flow actively from May to July, but our favorite time to go is the end of May/beginning of June. During this time the weather is pretty hot, but early enough where the creek is still flowing pretty heavily. When we have waited later in the season the water is lower and mosquitoes are everywhere.
Climbing and Jumping Off the Dunes
Climbing and jumping off the dunes is so fun! When the water gets cold we make our way to the dunes to try out our best jumps!
This last year Rylan and I decided to climb to the top of the highest dune. We got to the top and found miles and miles of more dunes on the other side! It is so hard! You are literally climbing up on your hands and feet up hundreds of feet while sliding back down, dune after dune, until you reach the “top”, only to find miles more of dunes. The best time to play on the dunes is on a cloudy day, cold day, or the cool of the morning or evening. The surface temperature of the sand can reach 150 degrees fahrenheit! Wearing shoes is hard because they fill with sand as you climb, so it is a lot more comfortable to take them off. One way to avoid the heat and sand build up is to climb in your socks, but still on a hot day you will get burned without proper foot protection.
Sledding
We finally bought our own sled our third year when we realized we would be going every year. A sand sled is very different from a snow sled, in fact a snow sled doesn’t work on the sand. Not only do you need the right board, but you also need the right wax to wax your board. About 4 miles outside of the park before you come in there is a store/places to stay at The Oasis. At The Oasis you can rent sand sleds and boards (where you can stand on it like a snowboard). They hook you up with your wax as well. Renting sleds are not a must to enjoy the dunes, but it does add another activity.
Zapata Falls
Zapata falls is located outside of the national park. When you are driving towards the national park you will see signs on the right for the falls. Zapata Falls is a 25 ft waterfall that is hidden inside a cave-like area. The hike up to the fall is super easy, but once you reach South Zapata Creek you have to hike through the water to reach the falls, and the water is freezing cold! So obviously wear shoes that you don’t mind getting soaked or bring some water shoes/sandals. It was a bit cold for our little guy so I ended up carrying him through parts of it as his feet were getting cold, but the waterfall was really amazing.
Colorado Gators Reptile Park
This place was such a fun surprise for us. At first when we arrived we were questioning if we should go in at all. That is because the buildings are sheds with tarps and it doesn’t look all that official. Man, I am glad we went in!! Colorado Gator Reptile Park is a sanctuary for exotic pets that have either been relinquished or taken. There is a little of everything here.
There were giant tortoises roaming the grounds, spiders, lizards, iguanas, snakes, and alligators!! The cool part is that you can learn about them and hold them.
One for the coolest parts was Tegan seeing their alligators who had albinism. These alligators are white and also blind just like Tegan and he thought that was really amazing. The people who work and volunteer here are so friendly and super entertaining. We loved talking to the staff and they shared so much with us about the animals they loved and care for here.
Calm down locals:)
There is so much to do and see here and I can’t possibly give it all justice. Locals will read this and start yelling..”What about (insert favorite area)!” Here is the thing about your favorite destinations…it is really about the memories and experience you had there. Sometimes the armpit of the world can be one of your greatest memories because you experienced something that gave it life and meaning to you. Comment below and tell me what places here in Colorado are your favorites and must-sees. Sharing is caring:)
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