Hot Springs & Western Livin’ / COME TO LIFE HOT SPRINGS & WESTERN LIVIN’ IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS With vast ranches, aspen-draped mountains and oxbow rivers, this area makes for a serene escape, but there’s also plenty of adventure. COLORADO CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: STRAWBERRY PARK HOT SPRINGS, STEAMBOAT SPRINGS CHAMBER RESORT ASSOCIATION; FISHCREEK FALLS, KENNAN HARVEY; STEAMBOAT ZIPLINE ADVENTURES; YAMPA RIVER BOTANIC PARK, FLICKR/JOHN. 1 MORNING Start your trip by heading to one of Steamboat Springs’ two thermal-water attractions — Old Town Hot Springs or Strawberry Park Hot Springs (1) . Located off Lincoln Avenue, Old Town Hot Springs boasts a waterslide, soaking pools and lap lanes, while Strawberry Park offers a more rustic and secluded (but no less indulgent) experience. Follow your soak with a gondola ride to the top of Mount Werner for brunch or lunch with a splendid view or head to Steamboat Zipline Adventures (2) on Rabbit Ears Pass, where Lake Catamount, Flat Tops Mountains and Yampa Valley views fight for attention as you zigzag down the mountainside. A few miles away, Stagecoach State Park ’s reservoir tempts water bugs with boating, jet-skiing and hard-fighting rainbow trout. As you drive through the region, look for interpretive signs that share the rich legacy and cultural heritage of the area (go to nwcoloradoheritagetravel.org for a map). 2 AFTERNOON Kids could spend days exploring the ropes course, climbing wall and trampoline bungee jump at the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone at Steamboat Resort . Other options include the more than 50 gardens at Yampa River Botanic Park (3) and the Tread of Pioneers Museum to explore the ways of the Native Americans, early settlers, miners, ranchers, skiers, outlaws and lawmen in this once-Wild West town. 3 @john QUICK TIP In the fall, the temps are cooler, the leaves are changing, fall events abound and a soak in the hot springs or a round of golf are the perfect way to send out warm weather. COLORADO.COM / 115
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 115
