I am planning to vacation in Colorado next year. My activities will include hiking, hot springs, National Parks, and general sight-seeing.

When is the best time for me to visit? I am considering late May (before the tourists) or late August (after the tourists). I want to avoid the summer High-season rates and the crowds. Is May warm enough for high altitude hiking and outdoor recreation? Is August too hot, too expensive, or too crowded?

Of your two choices, I would recommend late August, after school starts. Because in late May there can still be snow in the mountains (even until mid-July).

For natural hot springs you hike to, you might like Steamboat Springs. It's beautiful in the summer there.
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I went last August and was quite happy. There were not a lot of crowds, the mountain roads were all open. We did get snow at the top of Pikes Peak and on another road that leads across the mountains, can't remember its name now.

The weather was perfect, didn't even need a jacket. I did bring one when we went hiking. Good decision, we had a hail storm on a hike to Lulu City and the temp dropped about 15 degrees.

You best choice will be August/September. By mid September the leaves will be turning but it should be dry for hiking at the higher elevations. May would be much more risky. May is the wettest month in CO, still would have lots of snow at higher elevations. Trail Ridge Road is not opened till Memorial Day weekend as is some of the high passes. The only advantage to late May early June is white water rafting which peaks about mid June.

We camped Aug 24-31 Mesa Verde, Pagosa Springs, Great Sand Dunes. We needed jackets in the evening, layered in the morning and wore shorts & T shirts during the day. No crowds, some thunderstorms.

High season rates run through mid to late October. Sept & Oct are busy, but the visitors tend to be those without children. I went to Mesa Verde last week in Sept and there were visitors, but no huge crowds. The trees were just turning and it was sunny and beautiful. Cool or cold nights. It is already below freezing in SW Colorado at night now.

Debi