Colorado Official State Vacation Guide - 2025

Winter

Snowshoeing

Strap on your snowshoes and hit the trails for some crystal-covered alpine scenery. Set off two hours south of Denver to Mueller State Park in Divide, where you can find both beginner paths and advanced summits. Or explore Breckenridge Nordic Center’s snow-draped pine forests, open meadows and icy streams, with well-marked routes ranging from leisurely strolls to challenging expeditions toward historical huts. Carpenter Peak Trail in Littleton winds through switchbacks below striking red rocks that lead you to the ridge’s pinnacle, where you can snap a snowcapped selfie.

Hot Springs

There are few things as fun as donning a bathing suit and a winter hat, dashing outside and stepping into a steamy hot spring. Relax in Redstone at Avalanche Ranch, where you can unwind in natural pools fed by a 3-foot waterfall while soaking in views of Mount Sopris. Dip into natural blue water at Desert Reef in Florence, and stare at the dry desert terrain and rugged ranges that surround you. Valley View Hot Springs in Moffat is aptly named for its warm rock ponds overlooking the snow-sprinkled desert of the Mystic San Luis Valley.

Ice Skating

Tighten up your skates, throw on a scarf and head to Lake San Cristobal in Lake City. When frozen over, it becomes a clean sheet of ice, ideal for perfecting your crossovers in a winter scene easily mistaken for the North Pole. Keystone Resort also has a dedicated skating rink, so you can hop off the slopes and spend an evening carving the ice with the picture-perfect alpine backdrop. Or glide over to Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora. When the ice becomes thick, you can head to this skating spot and snap your holiday-card photo.

Sleigh Rides

In winter, Colorado’s fluffy blankets of snow make a cozy sleigh ride a must. When you visit Dashing Thru the Snow in Tabernash, snuggle under wool blankets and bound through glistening trails led by mighty horses, ending the night with some fireside cocoa. Or journey to Bearcat Stables in Edwards, where cowpokes guide you through a wonderland of white-crowned alps and frosty stands of aspens to a hearty dinner and drinks. See southwest Colorado via old-fashioned sleigh at Bears Ranch in Durango, where you can spot snowy views of Engineer Mountain, Hermosa Cliffs and icy Haviland Lake.

Snow Tubing

Hop into a tube and hold on tight at the Frisco Adventure Park Tubing Hill to spend the day flying down pillowy, lift-served runs, each tailored to a different speed. In Leadville, snag a tube and head down the free Dutch Henry Tubing Hill overlooking the former silver-mining town. For an evening activity, check out Hoedown Hill in Windsor, where you can slide under the stars on the longest tubing hill in North America.

Spring

Desert Getaways

Spring is the perfect time to cruise west to Unaweep Canyon near Gateway, where you can find ancient petroglyphs above the flowing East Creek. In Alamosa, see the flocks of sandhill cranes wake up for the season at Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge, flying through the air in a breathtaking display. Over on the eastern plains, you’ll find remains of Apatosaurus and Allosaurus at Picketwire Canyonlands, south of La Junta. As the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America, this paleontological site has ancient footprints big enough to sit in.

Urban Escapes

In Denver, embrace the blooming season with a visit to the Denver Botanic Gardens, where you can weave through exhibits of colorful plants that thrive in our Western climate as well as internationally inspired gardens featuring florals from Japan, China and the tropics. Head to outdoor spaces like Washington Park or Cheesman Park, where you can lay down a blanket and picnic or jump in on a pickup volleyball game. Grab a ballpark dog and slide into early baseball season by catching a Colorado Rockies game at Coors Field, where the 20th row marks exactly 1 mile high above sea level. Savor local cuisine at spots like Tocabe, an American Indian eatery where you can pile crispy fry bread high with ingredients from Native and Indigenous producers.

Bound over to Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, bustling with street performers, local vendors and shops showcasing Rockies-ready spring fashion. Take a hike in Chautauqua Park, where the jutting Flatirons are on full display or bike along the water on the Boulder Creek Path. Don’t forget to stop at the Boulder Farmers Market on Wednesdays and Saturdays, where you can pick up some juicy produce, fresh-baked bread and handmade crafts. As the day winds down, take a seat for farm-to-table dining, savoring the flavors of the season at local favorites like Michelin-recognized Bramble & Hare, known for “Dirt Dinners” that celebrate seasonal ingredients at peak flavor and freshness.

Hop on your bike and soak up the pure fun of downtown Fort Collins. Craft-beer connoisseurs will be in heaven touring the New Belgium and Odell breweries to learn the secrets to making their perfect pints — and maybe sampling a couple while you’re there! Take a hike to Horsetooth Falls (bring shoe spikes in early spring) to uncover a tumbling waterfall and stunning outlooks of the city’s massive reservoir. Wander the charming Old Town area, famous for inspiring Disneyland’s Main Street, which is lined with historical buildings housing boutique shops, art galleries and eateries with cool patios and live music.

Welcome the first flowers of the season in Grand Junction. Stop by Belli Fiori Lavender Farm to walk through billowy purple fields and buy some fragrant bunches. Or spot osprey, blue heron and hawks on the Audubon Section of the Riverfront Trail system. Bring your binoculars and bask in cool air and sunny rays as you hike along the 1.5-mile path. Cyclists will want to plan their trip around spring’s thrill-filled mountain-biking events like the Grand Junction Rides and Vibes, where you can hit the dirt and compete or just groove to live music. For a dose of culture, catch a performance at the historic Avalon Theatre, where symphonies, ballerinas and comedians regularly take the stage.

Summer

Wildflowers

In the summer, the challenging Goose Creek and Molly Gulch trail near Deckers is painted with a stunning array of smooth aster, bellflower and yarrow wildflowers among granite rock arches and spires. Sprawling fields of bright yellows, purples and pinks will welcome you for a midsummer sunset hike in Crested Butte, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado. Or get your fix of wispy, red Indian paintbrush and a rainbow of columbines at Lake Isabel near Colorado City as you make your way to a bowl of rugged gray peaks, where a sparkling reservoir awaits.

Music Festivals

Music festivals are the best way to see some of your favorite acts — but in Colorado they often come with alpine views and waterfront fun. At the Aspen Music Festival and School, swelling orchestras, enchanting chamber concerts and dramatic opera arias echo through the town’s bright-green poplar stands all summer long. Sway and sing along to intimate performances under star-filled skies during Beanstalk Music Festival in Bond, where many attendees paddleboard along the river between sets. Support music-education programs while dancing to your favorite folk rockers at Rhythms on the Rio in Del Norte, known for its family-friendly atmosphere and foot-stomping acts.

Whitewater Rafting

Spend a day rafting past ponderosa pines and bighorn sheep along the Cache la Poudre River — Colorado’s only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River — in Fort Collins, where you’ll find routes for every age and ability. Gaze at towering rock-canyon walls and desert ecology from your boat on the Gunnison River, where fast-paced rapid expeditions whoosh you through heart-racing water features and relaxed floats allow you to jump in and swim. Or spot crimson cliffs and Ancestral Puebloan ruins as you sail down the Dolores River in Cortez.

Winery Tours 

Sip award-winning wines and breeze through the rows of speckled grapevines at Colterris Winery in Palisade. Make your way to The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City to try award-winning blends and roam serene gardens alongside views of the Wet Mountains. Or reserve a timeslot to visit Jack Rabbit Hill near Hotchkiss, where you can tour the lush grounds and learn about their biodynamic farming practices — and of course, try a glass or two of their organic vino.

Fall

Scenic Drives

Load everyone in the car and discover golden pathways throughout the Rockies. The views are especially breathtaking on the Gold Belt Tour winding through Florissant, Cañon City and Florence, where you can stop and take a mine tour or see ancient ecosystems at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. Uncover Kenosha Pass between Conifer and Fairplay, pausing to scout Segment 6 of the famed long-distance Colorado Trail. Reflect on some of our state’s scenic water sources along the Colorado River Headwaters from Grand Lake to State Bridge. Rent kayaks and paddle on Lake Granby or discover cascades on the hike to Adams Falls.

Festivals

Don your lederhosen and raise your stein at Vail Oktoberfest, where the Bavarian-style buildings and yodel-worthy peaks are the picture-perfect backdrop for fall celebration. Sweeten things up at the Cedaredge Applefest to shop at street vendors for Southwestern crafts, sample bowls at the chili-cookoff competition and eat plenty of the city’s signature fruit. For those with a penchant for history, the Emma Crawford Coffin Races & Festival in Manitou Springs pays homage to a woman who was buried atop Red Mountain in 1891. During a rainstorm, the site eroded, causing her coffin to slide into town, an event now commemorated by a tongue-in-cheek race where people push decorated coffins down the streets.

Ghost Towns

For an eerie alternative to a museum exhibit, peer into a Wild West ghost town. Teller City, near Walden, is a solid place to start. Step back in time 150 years when this silver-mining town was home to more than 1,500 people, 27 saloons and a hotel. Now, you can hike in to spot remaining cabin structures and imagine the lives of those who called it home. Hear the wind whistle through Animas Forks near Silverton as you walk down the abandoned main street, stepping into cabins, a remaining mill and the old jail. Or steer your bike to Saint Elmo near Buena Vista to see the town’s 43 remaining buildings, including an abandoned courthouse and a general store that still operates seasonally.

Hiking

While thousands of gorgeous hikes can be found in Colorado’s foothills and high peaks, these options really sing when the leaves change around mid-September. Golden Gate Canyon State Park’s Raccoon Trail, near Rollinsville, opens to panoramic summit views topped with plenty of chromatic trees. Along the wheelchair-accessible Perkins Central Garden Trail in Garden of the Gods, you’ll spot stone formations like Kissing Camels and White Rock. And leashed pups are welcome on the Jud Wiebe Memorial Trail near Telluride, where you can see yellow leaves light up the San Juan Mountains. Fall’s cooler temperatures also mean desert areas are more welcoming: Rattlesnake Arches near Grand Junction has more than 35 natural rock arches. The hike to see them can be strenuous, but the gravity-defying red-rock wonders make it worth the effort.

What to Pack

You might notice that we love our activewear. And there’s a reason for that — weather conditions can change quickly, and we like to be prepared for whatever nature throws our way — like an afternoon thunderstorm that rolls in on a sunny day. From packing layers and comfy shoes to homegrown styles, check Colorado.com/WhatToWear for packing tips.