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When you visit Colorado, you're given more than just an unforgettable vacation. This is the state that gives you a complimentary curriculum in geography, geology, history, wildlife identification and nature appreciation. Even if you hated school, you can't help but get caught up in the extraordinary, subtle lessons in this area of dramatic contrasts. You'll walk in the footsteps of dinosaurs, touch artifacts from Native American battles, marvel at gold nuggets the size of newborn babes, and study the vertebrae of a fossilized butterfly that flew millions of years ago-when Colorado had an inland sea.

You'll climb to the summit of 14,110-ft. Pike's Peak (by cog railway, in your own car, or under your own power). You'll stand at the foot of a 450-ft. sandstone monolith in the Colorado National Monument, scramble to the top of 700-ft. high mounds of sand in the Grand Sand Dunes National Monument, and float down rivers whose waters started as trickles atop the Continental Divide, running pall mall to the nearest ocean.

You'll come face to face with Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and long haired white mountain goats that always seem to be in a state of molting. You'll learn the meaning of purple mountain majesty in the midst of drop-dead scenic panoramas such as Rocky Mountain National Park's Trail Ridge Road, where 14,000-ft. peaks are at eye level.

But, we're not just a pretty place on the map. Our cities, with their museums, galleries, coveted shopping, professional sports teams, live theater, amphitheater music concerts, fairgrounds and amusement parks make your stay fun-packed as well as educational and inspirational.

You can chow down on buffalo burgers, rattlesnake sausage, five-alarm chili and barbecue to die for. You can be swept up a mountain to dine on six courses at its summit. Or take along a llama who's toting your gourmet lunch. Or attend one of many resort tasting festivals for a soupcon from each restaurant.

You can sleep under the stars in hundreds of campgrounds, be charmed to tears at quaint bed and breakfasts, economize at modest motels or indulge yourself in luxury hotels and resorts. We at Colorado Activity Centers look forward to your visit. Our many sponsors will appreciate knowing you learned of their services from this guide. Have a wonderful stay.

Paradise Found

If you think Colorado is beautiful wearing its mantle of white, wait—the best is yet to come. Summer is the reason so many winter enthusiasts (who visited for just one season of skiing) stayed and became year-round Coloradans.

Summer in the Colorado Rockies is a gift of incredibly blue skies, brilliant days in the 70’s, star-studded nights under an electric blanket, and practically no humidity. Wildflowers cover the mountainsides. Fish are jumping.

The high peaks never quite lose all their winter snow. Mountain highways serpentine through the tundra; four-wheel drive roads lead the adventuresome into remote canyons and Above-timberline passes. Shaggy white mountain goats and majestic bighorn sheep approach your car, hoping you’ll forget that you’re not supposed to feed the wildlife.

The lakes and waterways on Colorado’s plains and into the foothills see boaters, fishermen and tubing devotees. On the mountain rivers, rafters choose mild to wild waters—the Colorado River for float-trippers; theArkansas River for roller coaster-type thrills.

Golf, at Colorado’s heady elevations (the Mount Massive Golf Club near Leadville, has a 10,430-ft. high layout) boosts your ego as drives travel up to 15% farther in the thin air, than at sea level. What goes around comes around—your short game presents the challenge.

There are biking roadways up and down Colorado’s “Front Range” from Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs to Pueblo. In the hills, paved paths circle lakes and stretch across passes. And, mountain biking single tracks ribbon their way through high mountain meadows and forests.

Colorado claims 52 peaks higher than 14,000-ft. Trails ascending most of them are popular with hikers determined to “bag a fourteener.” Technical climbing isn’t called for here; stamina and a good set of legs will do the job. Don’t forget the water bottle.

Prefer other means of transportation in the high country? Try horseback riding in the national forests, jeep touring above timberline, llama trekking (you walk; they carry gear and goodies), hot air balloon sunrise flights, sky-diving sunset jumps, hang gliding, hay wagon jaunts, or narrow gauge railroad rides from Silverton to Durango or up the Georgetown loop. Ski resorts run their chairlifts and gondolas (plus mountain bikes) up the hills; bike, walk, ride or pilot an Alpine Slide sled down the mountain. Ride an incline railway to the bottom of the Royal Gorge, a 1,053-ft. chasm near Canon City, or ride another one to the summit of 14,110-ft. Pike’s Peak. Explore the Cave of the Winds, or go 1,500-ft. into the side of a mountain at the Country Boy Mine in Breckenridge.

Sit surrounded by sandstone monoliths at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, listening to concert tunes and watching the lights of Denver twinkle in the distance.

Or, sit on the slopes or in a tent at a mountain music festival. Bluegrass, blues, jazz, pops and classical fetes along with art festivals in the cities on the plains and the resorts in the mountains combine to fill everyone’s summer calendar. Shakespeare, outdoors in Boulder, ballet and melodramas in the mountains, opera in historic Central City, and Broadway show travel troupes at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts... it’s culture any way you like it.

Marvel at the stunning dioramas at Denver’s Museum of Natural History, view Native American artifacts at the Denver Art Museum, and learn about unsung heroes at the Black Cowboy Museum.

Try to solve the puzzle of why the Anasazi Indians vacated their elaborate cliff dwellings centuries ago, and where they may have migrated. (Walk, and climb through these remarkable structures in Manitou Springs, and in the Southwest corner of Colorado.) Or, just spectate at a Colorado Rockies baseball game in stunning Coors Field in lower downtown Denver. Next door, ride the rides and scream the screams at Elitch’s amusement park. Kick the city off your shoes at rootin’ tootin’ rodeos statewide.

Colorado’s summer gift lets you discover ghost towns, gourmet dining, art masterpieces, boutiques, antiques, skyscraper peaks, roaring rapid rivers and more wildlife than you can shoot with a telephoto lens—moose, deer, elk, buffalo, foxes, bald eagles, coyotes, and an occasional bear.

Colorado Fairs

As American as mom's apple pie and the fourth of July, community, county and state fairs allow country folks the opportunity to exhibit their agricultural, handicraft, and cultural accomplishments in the hopes of garnering recognition for their proud achievements. Youngsters, too, who are members of 4-H organizations, get the chance to showcase their projects, many of which involve the raising of livestock and the unselfish commitment to countless hours of hard work. Fairs, at any level, are bonding experiences. Urban meets rural; urban learns about rural way of life, fostering understanding and involvement in America's future.

And, fairs are fun! Lots of down-home fun! If you're fortunate enough to be in Colorado when a fair is presented, take the time to enjoy this special slice of Americana. Smack in the middle of contemporary Summit County, with its condominiums, and world-class resorts, the Mountain Community Fair captures the mindset and the hearts of residents and visitors. The early July event, held at the Silverthorne fairgrounds, lets you walk into a world of rodeos, equestrian events, food and crafts sales, and come face to face with an unpretentious lifestyle.

In Colorado's mid-mountains, at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo range, the 11th Annual Chaffee County Fair will be held in the fairgrounds at Poncha Springs July 29 through August 2. But, the granddaddy of them all is the Colorado State Fair that takes place in Pueblo during the last two weeks in August, closing with a bang Labor Day weekend (Aug. 22-Sept. 7, 1998).

Not only will you find the requisite 4-H livestock displays, food and creative crafts entries, and a fine arts fair, but the grounds will be hopping with mind-boggling feats atop horses, bulls and steers at the national PRCA rodeo. An all-American horse show will feature the best of the quarter horses, pintos and morgans. The carnival grounds here draw families like magnets. And, America's best country-western entertainers never miss the chance to perform at Pueblo's annual event; there's name-brand live performances every evening during the 17-day event.

National and State Parks of Colorado

The numbers are staggering. Colorado is privileged to be home to 11 national parks and monuments, 17 national forests, and 40 state park and recreation areas. What does this say about us? We're fun; we're dramatically impressive; we're full of contrasts; and we're as big as the great outdoors. Rocky Mountain National Park, less than two hours northwest of Denver, is our "most" park-most visited, most popular, and most awesome. A gaggle of 14-ers (peaks over 14,000-ft.), and a highway that puts you almost eye-to-eye with their summits, Trail Ridge Road, is the country's highest continuous paved byway. Here, tundra flowers, barely a quarter-inch in diameter, bloom above timberline.

In the valleys, keep your wildlife checklists handy; you're bound to fill the page with Buffalosightings of hawks, eagles, coyote, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and even hundreds of species of butterflies. If you're fortunate enough to be here during the elk rut in early fall, you'll hear the males bugle-a hauntingly melodious call that remains with you forever.

The park's eastern gateway is from Estes Park, a mountain charmer with 300 shops and restaurants; at the western gateway is Grand Lake, majestic with its 150-mile shoreline. Kids love the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. No wonder-700-ft. high dunes of sand to climb, roll or four-wheel drive down. These miles of piles stretch along the San Luis Valley floor, against a backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo mountains in southern Colorado. At Mesa Verde National Park, in the southwestern corner of the state, evidence of the ancient Anasazi civilization remains in their marvelously engineered cliff dwellings. Here, you can explore their ceremonial kivas, and wander through their mountainside homes.

From ancient civilizations to Jurassic parks (without the live guys) the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a testament to the time when this central mountain region west of Pike's Peak used to be an inland sea. More than 80,000 specimens of fish, insects, pine cones, fragile butterflies, and petrified sequoia trunks are dramatic reminders of a forgotten time.

Lest we forget the dinosaurs populating Colorado's lowlands, Dinosaur National Monument, up in the northwest region, and the Grand Valley near Grand Junction, are paleontologists' playgrounds. Rated as two of the most scientifically important areas in the world, dinosaur remains are discovered here almost daily. Also, near Grand Junction, the 20,000 acre canyon area of arches, spires and natural monoliths in the Colorado National Monument show what millions of years of rain and wind can do to a landscape. The 23-mile Rim Rock Drive through the park is so spectacular, you suffer sensory overload.

In western Colorado, near Montrose, the Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Monument, lets you peer deep, 3,000-ft. deep, into one of the narrowest gorges in the world. While, near Colorado's eastern border, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, is a reconstructed 1830's fur trading fort, a major commercial stop along the Santa Fe Trail. Today, it's furnished with antiques and artifacts excavated at the fort site.

When 15 million acres of Colorado are under national forest domain, this means the U.S. Forest Service has reserved the land for your recreation, adventure and travel, as well as the government's natural resource development and land preservation. Within their boundaries, you'll find historic sites, ghost towns, scenic byways over mountain passes, and preserves of shortgrass prairies.

Catering to everyone's recreational wishes, are Colorado's state parks, open year-round and as varied as the state's topography. There are 500 miles of hiking trails in the high country and on the plains. Paved biking routes, warm and cold water fishing, sandy beaches for swimming and waterfront camping, lakes and reservoirs for water skiers, jet skiers, sailors, motorboat jocks and windsurfers. There are parks with total RV hook-ups and services, those with access for the physically challenged, and more than 3,000 campsites for rugged, backcountry types to those used to the comforts of civilization.

Whitewater Rafting In Colorado

The very word excites some visitors, and intimidates others. Not to worry. Rafting or kayaking the state's waterways ranges from the mild to the wild. From float trips down the Colorado River with ever so small whitecaps...to the rough and ready Arkansas River with all the excitement Brown's Canyon can offer.

One of Mother Nature's better recycling projects, is to take all the snow she laid on Colorado's high peaks and ski slopes in the winter, melt it down in spring, and let it fill streams and rivers with a run-off rush that lasts through summer. Generally, rafting season is May through July and into August; during heavy snow years, waters may be high enough to raft into September. There are almost 20 major rivers whose headwaters begin in Colorado, their courses dictated by the Continental Divide. Waters on the east side of the divide, run through eastern Colorado, and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean. West slope waters run their course on the other side of the state, clear to the Pacific Ocean.

River waters are rated from Class I to Class V. Families and beginners usually choose Class I waters, affording leisurely float trips with drop-dead scenic views at every bend of the wide open rivers.Class V waters give you an adrenaline-pumping ride for your money. Here, your guide will negotiate rushing rapids through narrow canyons--hold tight, mind-cleansing adventures for whitewater junkies. Your rafting guide will explain the criteria of the Class I to Class V water ratings, and assess your level of experience before assigning you a trip on a particular river. Certain outfitters use rafts where passengers help paddle; again, your experience will determine whether yours should be a teamwork paddle trip, or a leave the driving to the guide on the trip.

Choosing an established, reputable rafting company is important. The Colorado River Outfitters Association can provide you a list of member companies, staffed by tested, certified, and experienced professionals. You'll have a choice of half- or full day (with lunch) trips. Unless your outfitter operates river-side, your rafting trip will include bus transportation to the put-in and take-out points on your river journey. There's no doubt about it--you will get wet. Even if you're on a gentle float trip, splashing comes with the territory. Expect to be fully soaked on the radical rides. And, bring a change of clothing for the return bus trip. (Many outfitters rent wet suits and wet shoes, to guard against the icy chill of late spring and early summer run-off water.) Because of rafting's popularity, reservations are highly recommended.

For the experienced water enthusiast in good physical condition, kayak rentals and lessons are available at many river locations in the state. There's a bounty of recreation on the state's lakes and reservoirs. At many places, you can launch or rent sailboats, canoes, fishing boats, paddleboats, ski boats, or family pontoon boats. Guided sailboat tours let you enjoy pristine mountain surroundings, without the concern of skippering. Lake Dillon, with its 25-mile shoreline, is spectacular against the backdrop of the Gore and Ten Mile Mountain Ranges. Steamboat Lake Park in Routt County offers a variety of boating opportunities. On Grand Mesa, the world's largest and highest flattop mountain, you can boat on some of the mesa's 200 lakes. Warm water reservoirs attract windsurfers, jet skiers, swimmers and scuba divers. Pueblo Reservoir, in southeastern Colorado, is a favorite family destination; its sandy beaches and giant water slide are popular with the kid in all of us.