When to Go to Colorado

The Colorado you experience will depend on the season you visit. Summer is a busy time. Hotels in tourist destinations book up early, especially in July and August, and hikers crowd the backcountry. Ski resorts buzz from December to early April, especially around Christmas and Presidents' Day. Many big resorts are popular summer destinations.

If you don't mind capricious weather, rates drop and crowds are nonexistent in spring and fall. Spring's pleasures are somewhat limited, since snow usually blocks the high country—and mountain-pass roads—well into June. But spring is a good time for fishing, rafting, birding, and wildlife-viewing. In fall, aspens splash the mountainsides with gold, wildlife comes down to lower elevations, and the angling is excellent.