landing in Denver, where should we go from here?
 

We are an active family. We will be landing in Denver. We like to hike and bike, like old mining towns. Our trip will be in June 2006, I have research a litte but I would like some input.

I love Crested Butte, but I do not want to drive that far. Steamboat is too far also.

How is Colorado Springs? Breckenridge, Aspen? I like a real town feel, so no touristy places please. Thank you PJ

Summit County is close to Denver and you can't beat the towns of Breckenridge and Dillon. There is a sled ride thingie (yep, I'm middle aged and losing it) on Breckenridge, great mountain biking trails all thru Summit County, white water rafting, the Country Boy mine....

I have a friend who rents a house in the Keystone area every summer for 18 family members of all ages and they have a ball.

Check out www.vrbo.com for house rentals in Summit County. Summer prices will be much more affordable than ski season prices.

BTW, Aspen is a 4-5 hour drive from Denver. My favorite town of all time and I'm going TOMORROW!!!!

It would be a bit difficult to visit the Rocky Mountains from Denver and not be in a touristy town (that is how most of the towns make their money). That being said, most of them are still great places to visit.

What kind of biking? Road or mountain? There's some of each (and both "real" mountain biking and the other kind, where you ride a chair lift up and then careen down the mountain).

If Steamboat (a great town and less touristy than most, by the way) is too far, then Aspen will be too far as well.

Breckenridge is a former mining town, and there are quite a few old Victorians left (though also quite a few 70s-style buildings on Main St.). Vail, while a beautiful town, was built to serve the ski resort, and is of course more expensive in general (though with much better restaurants). Keystone is a ski resort, not a town, so it doesn't really feel like a town, though there are a number of restaurants and many other things to do.

And of course there's Rocky Mountain National Park. We don't go there much, because we hike with our dog, and they're not allowed to go on trails in national parks. But in my opinion, the beauty of the park is also available at many other places throughout the state as well. (And Estes Park, IMO, rivals Gatlinburg, TN for touristy tackiness.)

All the places I mentioned above (and loads more) have accessible day hiking to waterfalls, lakes or peaks. There is a bike path connecting the Summit County towns of Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon and Keystone. And lots of mountain biking everywhere as well.

As mentioned already, Breck also has the alpine slide (touristy, yes, but kids - and adults - seem to love it), mini golf, maze, zip line, climbing wall and a bouncy thing at Peak 8 of the ski resort (personally, I'd rather see everybody out hiking, but plenty of tourists seem to spend entire days at Peak 8). Country Boy mine is right outside town. Several historical houses are open for viewing. Scenic Blue River runs through town, and when the water's low (not likely to happen in June 2006, I'm happy to say), fun for kids to splash in. There's a river running through Vail too. Vail's gondola runs in the summer, and they have a variety of activities at the top, including laser tag and breathtaking views. Keystone also has a gondola.

Re hiking, however, in June the upper mountains are usually still pretty snowbound. And if the snow keeps up the way it has been (Yay!!), that will definitely be the case. There are still trails that you can take; and you can always just hike up until you hit the snow.

I can't really comment on Colorado Springs. We've lived outside Denver for over 10 years, and the only time I've been to the Springs has been on business. There are quite a few sights there (Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, et al), but we always head for the mountains when we have free time.

Wherever you go, your family will have a great time - it's a gorgeous state, and perfect for active people.

Thank you, we like mountain biking, and with all the snow this year is their a possibility we could go snowboarding in June? I would travel farther for snowboarding. We probably are looking at staying a week so maybe we could branch out a little.

Aspen and the Maroon bells.Manitou springs. Two mining towns:Cripple creek and Victor.Paul

The only place you might be able to go snowboarding that late is Arapahoe Basin ski area (the top of Loveland Pass).

Check out Georgetown and maybe ride the steam train. You can take a mine tour.

Good advice in the posts. I don't quite understand the not driving so far thing. Colorado is just so gorgeous and the places you can go for hiking so wonderful. The furthest place you are mentioning is Aspen and it is an easy beautiful 4 hour drive. The stretch of highway down Glenwood Canyon is truly spectacular and has a biking trail right along the river. Having a senior moment and can't remember the town with the hot springs on the way to Aspen.
Son does mountain biking at Breckenridge often.

Gretchen-

Are you referring to Glenwood Springs?
It has a huge spring fed pool. Also, there are hot springs flowing into the river between Carbondale and Redstone. You can sit on the rocks and soak your feet. Ask the locals for the exact spot.

As mentioned before, Arapahoe Basin would be the only place open for boarding, pending weather, in June.

Glenwood Springs is the town with the hot springs on the way to Aspen. But, as mentioned, if Steamboat is too far, so is Aspen.

Not a big Colo Springs fan - just a small city with a lot of touristy stuff around it. AFA, Pikes Peak & Garden of the Gods are interesting, but not in the active category.

Breckenridge & Vail probably fit your requirements the best.

thanks for all the responses, we originally thought we would only be in Colorado a few days. We are now going to be able to extend our vacation for a week, so I am not so limited with the choices. Aspen is now a possibility Crested Butte, or Steamboat to name a few. Thanks please keep the suggetions coming, you guys are great! PJ

If you have a week (or more), you have many more possibilities.

Steamboat Springs is a authentic little ranch town, and like the others, is beautiful, but it is a bit out of the way from other scenic places in Colorado. Also, while it's surrounded by mountains, the valley it's in is very wide, so you won't feel as tucked into the mountains as a lot of the other towns are.

If you're thinking about staying in one ski-resort type of place, choose Aspen or Vail; they've got a lot of the same feel (except Aspen used to be an old mining town, which you can tell, barely, and the restaurants are more expensive). The Maroon Bells, outside of Aspen, are beautiful and would probably be a good low-level day hike.

If you have more time, consider going even further west, and possibly visit Mesa Verde. It's a unique place, and if you can get there, it will be a memorable experience. And Durango is not too far from there. Durango didn't really click with me, but many other people really like it.

I respectfully disagree that Aspen and Vail have the same feel. Aspen is a late 1800s silver mining town and Vail is a 1970s quasi-European ski resort. I don't thik Vail has aything like the Hotel Jerome or the Sardy House. Both are great but not much alike.

Aspen gets labeled as expensive but there are hotels and accoadations in all price ranges. One night you might eat expensive food with hoity toity service at La Montagna at Little Nell and the next night you can be drinking beer and eating sliders (think White Castle) at the Red Onion, I think the oldest dinig establishment in town.

I have friends who only go to Aspen in the summer when prices at the St. Regis, Little Nell, and Hotel Jerome are more affordable. We stay much more cheaply at one of the many condos availalbe in town (now those are like Vail, totally 70s).

If you have a week, I would stay in Vail a couple days and see Beavercreak and Cordillera (theres a rodeo nearby)then drive through Glenwood Springs (do the pool and the cavern tour)and on to Aspen. Definitely make the trip to Maroon Bells outside of Aspen.

Wow, nice typos. My index finger has a boo boo and I'm typing without it. Sorry I didn't proofread. Yikes!

Depending on what you are into - rafting the arkansas river in June would be a blast. Lots of outfitters - we used Buffalo Joes last year and they were a great group to go on.

Rocky Mountain NP is wonderful too for hiking. Estes park can be a touristy nightmare, but the park is wonderful.

You can get lots of good rmnp info here:

rmnpforums.com