The summer is rapidly leaving us. Feel like you haven’t really had a chance for your own great adventure, yet? Well, school hits in August, so the rest of this month might be the best time to get away.
Colorado has four national parks worth seeing. The Rocky Mountain National Park is perfect for hiking and an alpine getaway. Mesa Verde National Park has ancestral cliff dwellings. A boat ride through the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park is a great get away, and perhaps the most unique of the four parks is the Great Sand Dune National Park and Preserve, only about 100 miles.
Even though it’s hot in the summer nothing is more relaxing than a soak in a hot-springs pool. Twenty-nine hot springs ranging from spa-like to family friendly are located in our state. The mineral rich waters relax both your body and your mind.
You can find hot springs in Glenwood Springs, Ouray, Mount Princeton, Durango, Pagosa Springs, Steamboat Springs, Dolores, Buena Vista, Ridgway, or Moffat.
Lori and I have only been whitewater rafting once since we lived here, but Colorado has some of the best whitewater rafting in the country. The Colorado River, the Arkansas River, the Cache la Poudre, and Clear Creek are just a few of the options for the rafter.
The best time is from late May into September and you can find a stretch of river that fits your comfort level, your ability and your pocket book. Pure summer time joy.
If you’d rather look than do, there are nine national monuments in Colorado.
The Colorado National Monument located near Grand Junction and Fruita features stunning sandstone formations. Browns Canyon National Monument, near Salida is known for its rugged terrain.
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument near Dolores preserves Native American archaeological sites and rock art. Chimney Rock located near Pagosa Springs is home to ancient ruins and offers guided tours.
Dinosaur National Monument spans Colorado and Utah featuring fossilized dinosaur bones and petroglyphs. Florissant Fossil Beds near Divide contains wellpreserved fossils of prehistoric plants and insects.
Hovenweep in Dolores showcases ancient structures of a Puebloan village. Yucca House near Cortez also has ruins of an ancient Puebloan village. Camp Hale- Continental Divide National Monument commemorates the historic Camp Hale training site used by the 10th Mountain Division during WWII.
Another suggestion is to take a train ride on one of the Colorado scenic railways. The Colorado gold rush resulted in some of the most historic, scenic railways.
Of course, some of you have probably experienced the Royal Gorge Route Railroad which travels along the Arkansas River below one of the world’s highest suspension bridges.
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Guage Railroad follows the Animas River in a pristine alpine wilderness. The Georgetown Loop Railroad travels over highelevation bridges to connect two historic mining towns. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad goes across the Cumbres Pass with breathtaking views.
There’s more: large towns, small towns, wide open spaces, fishing, hiking, and so much more. But, like I said, summer is half over. We’ll save those things for next summer.