3 14 Ways to Find Colorado Roots / COME TO LIFE HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS Some of the best things to do on a Colorado vacation revolve around the past. Once roamed by mighty dinosaurs, then formed by native people, westward exploration and expansion, historic landmarks are waiting to be discovered. t dude and guest ranches are unlike anywhere else. Where else can you go on a cattle drive followed by a soak in a cast-iron tub with champagne flutes in hand? Chefs prepare farm-to-table cuisine, and the rustic, relaxing atmosphere meets all expectations you have about Western livin’. COLORADO.com/ DudeRanches 8 GO PICKIN’ The peaches from the Western Slope around Palisade are legendary for juicy goodness, but they’re not the only things ripe for pickin’. Farms across the state invite guests to pick pumpkins, apples and other delicious items. COLORADO.com/ FarmRanchActivities. 9 YOU MUST EAT THIS Colorado’s got the goods when it comes to succulent fruits, fresh produce and hearty local game, not to mention the creative masterminds behind exquisitely crafted menus that travelers and locals can’t get enough of. If this kind of fare is your jam, consider attending Slow Food Nations in Denver July 14–16, 2017. COLORADO. com/YouMustEatThis 10 DON’T EAT THIS Search for Colorado-made delights you shouldn’t eat, even if they smell so good you might want to, from lavender sachets and hand creams to alpaca-wool socks. COLORADO.com/ DontEatThis 11 WATCHABLE WILDLIFE Colorado’s mountains, forests, plains, rivers and mesas harbor 960 different wildlife species. Ensure at least a couple of them are part of your vacation by following a birding trail, attending a wildlife festival, taking a ranger tour or goin’ fishin’. See page 58. COLORADO. com/WildlifeTripIdeas 12 LEARN SOMETHIN’ Old dogs can learn new tricks! Try your hand at something new with classes offered in Colora-do — lavender growing, fiber arts, goat husbandry, foraging for wild edibles, horsemanship and more. COLORADO.com/Events 13 GET THE HIGH PLAINS HIGHLIGHTS From bass fishing and wildlife encounters with the likes of lesser prairie chickens and golden ea-gles to historic Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian sites and canyons lined with petroglyphs to dark-sky sites for stargazers, our often-understated eastern third is anything but plain. COLORADO.com/ HighPlains 14 TAKE A PIECE HOME Antique shops around the state offer the chance to take home a piece of the past, from vintage snowshoes and wooden ski poles to old steamer trunks and Victorian-era clothing. COLORADO. com/AntiqueShops Stand in the footsteps of our oldest residents — the dinosaurs! Dig sites, museums and other family attractions offer access to fossils. COLORADO.com/SeeDinos Hit the mother lode of mining history at mu-seums and on mine tours across the state to discover the colorful stories of the founding of many Colorado towns during the 1800s Gold Rush. COLORADO.com/GoldRushTowns The state is home to three unique National Heritage Areas: South Park, Sangre de Cristo and Cache la Poudre. Learn about their roles in our nation’s history. COLORADO.com/NHA Each January for more than 100 years, Denver’s National Western Stock Show has celebrated our Wild West heritage with rodeos, dog shows, livestock competitions and more. COLORADO.com/NWSS From dinosaur fossils and historic homesteads to Santa Fe Trail artifacts and curiosities, Colorado history museums are bound to have something you haven’t seen anywhere else. COLORADO.com/Museums 8 WANT MORE COLORADO ROOTS? Download our Colorado Roots e-guide at COLORADO.com/Roots . See full instructions on page 4. WANT MORE? SEE PAGE 62 AND COLORADO.COM/HISTORY. COLORADO.COM / 47
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 47
