1. See Colorado’s National Parks
National Park Service locations in the Centennial State are sure to impress. Colorado's national parks are Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes and Black Canyon of the Gunnison. They all offer opportunities for both adventure and peaceful relaxation. Take an alpine hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, see Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park, scale America’s tallest sand dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and take a boat ride through the impossibly steep Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Learn more about Colorado’s national parks.
2. Take a Dip in the Hot Springs
One of visitors’ favorite things to do in Colorado is to soak in a steamy hot-springs pool — year-round! Twenty-nine hot springs range from luxurious and family-friendly resorts to a slice of hike-in paradise you have to work for. No matter how you get there, mineral-rich waters will soothe your body and mind. Zoom down the water slides at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, Ouray Hot Springs and Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort. Get a spa treatment at Durango Hot Springs, The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs or Strawberry Park in Steamboat Springs. Book your own private cabin at Dunton Hot Springs, a former mining town turned luxury soaking destination near Dolores. Take in the wondrous views from Orvis Hot Springs in Ridgway, Joyful Journey in Moffat or Iron Mountain Hot Springs (water wheelchairs and accessible ramps available!) in Glenwood Springs.
Learn more about Colorado’s dozens of hot springs.
3. Hit the Slopes at Colorado Ski Resorts
Home to 28 ski areas and resorts, Colorado has options for every skier and snowboarder. From October well into the spring — sometimes as late as May or June! — our ski slopes welcome first-time skiers with lessons and take-it-easy terrain, experts looking for fresh tracks and legendary steeps, free riders seeking exciting features in terrain parks and everything in between. Hit up big names like Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Winter Park and Telluride, and also make time for lesser-known spots like Purgatory, Eldora, Monarch, Powderhorn and Sunlight.
Learn more about all our 28 ski areas and resorts.
4. Go Whitewater Rafting
Some of the country’s best whitewater rafting is found in Colorado. The famous Arkansas River, the mighty Colorado River, the Wild & Scenic Cache la Poudre and historic Clear Creek are just a few options when you’re looking for a scenic or thrilling ride through our stunning canyons from late May through August and into September. Find the stretch of water that fits your comfort level, connect with an outfitter that’ll set you up with everything you need for the perfect rafting adventure and customize your trip for one of the state’s purest summertime joys.
Learn more about whitewater rafting trips.
5. Explore National Monuments
While our national parks get the lion’s share of the attention, nine national monuments are ideal places to commune with nature in Colorado, including the soaring red-rock spires of Colorado National Monument, the river-carved wonders of Dinosaur National Monument, the ancient treasures of Canyons of the Ancients and more. In October 2022, Colorado's newest monument — Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument — was designated high in the Rocky Mountains. (We'll have more visitor info coming soon as the plan for the monument site is developed.) In the meantime, you have eight others to choose from, so find the monument that suits your travel crew’s interests — whether you're looking for archeology or hiking trails — and get rolling.
Learn more about our nine national monuments.
6. Take a Train Ride on a Scenic Railroad
Colorado’s Gold Rush past resulted in some of the country’s most scenic and historic railways, and visitors today can travel routes and see scenery glimpsed by Coloradans since the 1800s. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad skirts the Animas River as it heads into alpine wilderness. The Georgetown Loop Railroad connects two historic mining towns via high-elevation bridges. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad crosses the impossibly scenic Cumbres Pass with stunning views in all directions. And the Royal Gorge Route Railroad travels alongside the Arkansas River below one of the world’s highest suspension bridges. Check calendars for these and more, with special excursions for fall colors, mystery dinners and holiday celebrations.
Learn more about all of Colorado’s scenic train routes.
7. Travel Colorado’s Scenic Byways
Twenty scenic byways crisscross the state, connecting heritage sites and miles of wondrous scenery that includes canyon country, the Rocky Mountains and expanses of sun-kissed prairieland. Ride sky high on Trail Ridge Road, the San Juan Skyway and the Collegiate Peaks byway. Glimpse history on Trail of the Ancients, Highway of Legends and the Santa Fe Trail. Dip into wilderness on Grand Mesa byway, Cache la Poudre – North Park and the Silver Thread byway.