Eagle Vail for a week with teens
 

Our family, including 4 teenagers, will be spending Aug 4-11 in CO. We will be flying into Denver, renting a car and be based out of Eagle Vail. Which river is best/closest for rafting (class 2/3)? Is RMNP too far for a day trip? What about Colorado Springs? Are any don't misses in the area? Since we are staying in a rented condo, there is no concierge to ask. Thanks.

While you don't have a concierge, you can always pop into one of the sporting goods stores for good advice. I think August may be late for good rafting. But not completely sure. RMNP is not a bad day trip but it's a long drive. My preference would be the loop from Vail to Aspen by way of Glenwood Canyon and then over Independence Pass and back past Twin Lakes and through Leadville. I personally don't think Colorado Springs would be worth the long drive.

There are always weekly free concerts that your teenagers would enjoy; Tuesdays in Vail and Friday nights in Eagle. Eagle also has a nice bowling ally. There will still be plenty of water to run not too far from your condo. The Upper or Lower Colorado should be fine. Lakota and Timberline are the most experienced in the area. Also the Farmer's Markets are fun for the entire Family; Saturday in Minturn and Edwards and Sunday Vail has its' own. RMNP is a long drive when you have so much beauty in our valley. Look into Piney Lake for a close get away; boat rentals, hiking, food, fishing, etc...

I am in Grasshopper's camp. Keep in mind that there is not such thing as Eagle Vail -- so I don't know where you are staying since that is about a forty mile stretch of I-70 with Vail at one end and Eagle at the other end. The drive to Glenwood Springs, Aspen, back through Leadville is an excellent trip. The public hot springs pool in Glenwood would be great stop. RMNP would offer no advantage of this loop.

I frequently push the Mineral Belt Trail Loop in Leadville as one of the great hidden gems in Colorado. It is 12 miles and can be walk but bikes work better and, for Colorado, it is relatively flat. I cannot think of another area in Colorado which would provide the same experience and understanding of what it was like to be miner in the mountains in 1880s.

You will not much white water rafting in August but there float trips around that would be very relax and fun.

Good luck

I wouldn't dismiss the idea of whitewater rafting too quickly. There still may be some on the Colorado River through Glenwood Canyon available next week. And even if it isn't "whitewater", it will still probably be "fast-water". Contact these guys and see what they think:

http://www.rockgardens.com/



There is also bike riding through Glenwood Canyon:

http://www.trailcentral.com/trail/tr....php?trail=115

http://www.canyonbikes.com/


Rocky Mountain National Park is too far for a day trip.

"Don't misses" in the area:

Glenwood Canyon - either driving it along I-70 from Dotsero to Glenwood Springs, or biking it.

The Hot Springs Pool in Glenwood Springs: http://www.hotspringspool.com/

Searching for Doc Holliday's grave in the Glenwood Springs graveyard. (O.K......maybe not a "don't miss", but still more interesting than most anything you'll find in the town of Eagle....or Edwards....or Avon).

Leadville's Mineral Belt Trail

Thanks to all who have responded thus far. We will be staying in a condo which we access, coming from Denver, past Minturn, taking the Hwy 6 exit, if that makes sense. I checked into the recommended rafting trip and that looks good on the Shoshone. How do I find out about the public hot springs? The site given was for a charge like a water park. Also, any restaurant recommendations in the general area?

It does. You are probably staying in Avon which is about 10 miles west of Vail. It is the condo community for the Beaver Creek ski area. The web site in the prior posting takes you to the site. It is huge public pool but there is a fee. The hot spring feeds one end, and it is pretty hot. but cools as it travels to the other end and dumps into the river.

There is the Minturn County Club -- don't let the Country Club fool you, there isn't a golf course within miles. You pick your beef from the case and throw it on the grill. On US 6 on the far west side of Avon is another place -- cannot think of the name but it come to me later. You best bet for really good restaurants is in Vail. I will send you a list later.

That looks like the public hot springs in Glenwood Springs to me.

But, if that doesn't look like the type of experience you're after, then from where you're staying you're going to have to go up to Strawberry Park Hot Springs outside of Steamboat Springs, or down to Mount Princeton Hot Springs near Buena Vista - both public, and both charge a fee.

Hike up to Hanging Lake just west of Eagle. You will all remember it a lifetime. Then hop over to Glenwood to rest your muscles in the Hot Springs Pool. That's a good day. Or go up to Sunlight in Glenwood and ride horses for the day, then do the pool.