Magic Moments on Public Lands / COME TO LIFE With more than a third of Colorado’s 100,000 square miles made up of public lands, it’s easy to find an adventure in our 41 state parks, four national parks, eight national monuments and other public lands. Get inspired by Colorado’s spectacular natural backdrop with these 17 amazing experiences and find others on the map below. 25 DINOSAUR NM 76 ROCKY Estes MOUNTAIN Park NP Grand Lake COLORADO STATE & NATIONAL PARKS Colorado State Parks 70 National Parks National Monuments MCINNIS CANYONS NCA 70 25 COLORADO NM National Conservation Areas GUNNISON GORGE NCA DOMINGUEZ-ESCALANTE NCA BROWNS CANYON NM FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NM BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NP See the full state map on page 16A and city index on page 208. GREAT SAND DUNES NP 25 HOVENWEEP NM CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NM CHIMNEY ROCK NM YUCCA HOUSE NM MESA VERDE NP 5 FROM LEFT: FLICKR/CHRIS M MORRIS; CLASSIC VISIONS PHOTOGRAPHY. Walk in dinosaur footprints in COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLAND . Standing in Picketwire Canyon with your foot swallowed by a three-toed impression left in the bedrock by a bronto-saurus 150 million years ago, one’s imagination runs wild picturing what it might have looked like when dinosaurs inhabited the area near today’s La Junta. The footprints are reached after a flat 5-mile hike, bike or horseback ride. X 6 Zip along the uncrowded waters of NAVAJO STATE PARK. Expansive stretches of water wrap around flat-topped mesas and steep-sided canyons. Treat yourself to a glowing orange and pink sunset hike on the scenic Piedra Trail, climb alongside Navajo Lake from Windsurf Beach to Arboles Point and gaze out over the streaming river. T @Chris M Morris WANT MORE? GO TO COLORADO.COM/OUTDOOR-ACTIVITIES. COLORADO.COM / 41
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 41
