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Known for its outdoor recreational potential, any avid outdoors person will find heaven in Colorado. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking any of the 58 fourteeners (that is, peaks over 14,000 feet), rock climbing, and mountain biking, just to name a few, attract adventure lovers. Colorado is sort of like the busier, more trafficked cousin of Wyoming. 

Whatever season or time of year, the potential for outdoor activity is infinite and the natural beauty never falters. The same summits that you climb in the summer are the ones that host skiing in the snowy months; it is hard to decide whether the peaks are more gorgeous as perfectly-glistening snow caps or as grass- and flower-smothered slopes.

The towns that populate Colorado range from bustling cities to, for the most part, smaller alpine villages. Most are constructed with great, rustic charm and backdropped by towering peaks. Those towns may be upscale or humble, but all boast inspiring landscapes and immaculate natural beauty.

Below are a few of the must-visit and must-experience towns, parks, and sites that the heavenly state of Colorado holds.

Colorado Destinations To Put On Your Bucket List

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Telluride

Why visit?

Telluride is a beautiful ski and former gold rush town, perfectly nestled in a valley and framed by towering summits all around. You will love exploring the town by foot before driving to surrounding hikes and sites.

Best time to visit

Fall offers stunning foliage, winter offers world-famous skiing, and summer months offer art festivals, amazing outdoor recreation, and hip mountain vibes.

Must-do:

Take a complementary gondola ride during summer months, indulge in one of the eclectic and top-of-the-line restaurants, poke your head into fancy shops on Main Street, and hike Bridal Veil Falls (Colorado’s longest free falling waterfall). 

Event calendar can be found here.

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Creede

Why visit?

Creede is a historic mountain town with tons of character, opportunity for outdoor recreation such as: fly fishing, rafting, hiking, and camping, quiet grandeur and beauty.

Best time to visit

Summer is the best time to visit due to outdoor recreation potential and the recurring rodeos in Pagosa Springs or in Alamosa. If you are a ski bum, then Wolf Creek Ski Area will be your go-to!

Must-do:

Whitewater raft the Upper Rio Grande, take in a show at the excellent historic Creede Repertory Theatre, get a drink at Kip’s Grill or Tommyknocker’s Tavern, rent ATV’s, and explore the old mining district located behind the town. 

Event calendar can be found here.

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Vail

Why visit?

Vail is known for its top-notch, rather expensive and high class vibes, including dining, shopping, and year-round events. Vail is a simply beautifully built town, with streets that you will love to explore and an atmosphere that will inspire every visitor.

Best time to visit

Any time of year! Stunning during summer months, outdoor recreation reigns with mountain biking, fishing, and hiking, but winter takes the cake here in Vail. Vail Ski Resort has every right to boast of out-of-this-world skiing and snowboarding. Massive slopes and bowls will impress everyone who experiences it. Avoid weekends in order to avoid those crowds, though.

Must-do:

Ski or snowboard these slopes, whether a “Jerry” or old pro. Hike the Booth Falls Trail to experience a little bit of everything: alpine meadows, pine forests, and aspens forests. Walk around the enchanting streets of Vail by day or night, and take the mountain gondola for an astonishing view of what seems like the top of the world.

Event calendar can be found here.

Aspen

Why visit?

Aspen is a pristinely-situated Colorado town, best known to be a ski town and a destination for leaf peepers. Its historic charm goes back to its beginning as a mining town, and is remembered through its boutiques, famous opera house, local history museum, and more.

Best time to visit

Beautiful any time of year, Aspen is one of the quintessential US destinations for fall foliage. It boasts an incredible display of golden colors come Autumn, due to its aptly-named aspen forests.

Must-do:

Wander around and in the aspen forests, no matter the time of year, get on the Roaring Fork River via paddle board, kayak, or whitewater raft, and catch a show at the famous, character-filled The Belly Up Aspen. 

Event calendar can be found here.

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Durango

Why visit?

Durango is an awesome, perfectly-preserved former mining town, and hits the mark of one of the oldest, coolest Colorado villages. The downtown area is a huge, historic area to explore, and the bars, coffeeshops, and shops are all gems for you to uncover.

Best time to visit

Any time of year will be a pleasure. Warmer months offer hiking in the San Juan Mountains, swimming, camping, off-roading, and hunting for natural hot springs.

Must-do:

Explore downtown Durango, hike any surrounding trails (such as the Animas Mountain Trail), check out the Durango Silverton Train (whether or not you decide to make the train trip),  and make the drive to Silverton down the crazy, curving mountain highway. 

Event calendar can be found here.

Buena Vista

Why visit?

Buena Vista is the gateway for several fourteeners, lies in close proximity to four world-class ski resorts, is crossed by the whitewater glory (the Upper Arkansas River), and is renowned for its natural hot springs resorts. It is bustling with art galleries, ghost tours, tiny vibrant bars, mountain culture vibes, and interesting locals.

Best time to visit

It is closely situated to four major ski resorts, is like nothing else in this world when blanketed by fresh white powder, and has a plethora of hiking, fly-fishing, mountain biking, and more during spring and summer months.

Must-do:

Buena Vista’s natural hot springs is a huge highlight. There are a few resorts, particularly Mountain Princeton Hot Springs, where you are able to sit in the freezing mountain stream but be warmed by the hot springs bubbling up along the river’s fringes. 

Event calendar can be found here.

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Breckenridge

Why visit?

Breckenridge is fun, stunning, beautiful, all wrapped up in one. It is busy and popping with nightlife, shopping, annual events, adored by locals and tourists alike. It offers world-class summer and winter outdoor recreation, and is a dream to wander around.

Best time to visit

If you ski or snowboard, do not miss hitting these outstanding slopes. Ski lift lines get notoriously long on weekends and holidays, so go during the week if possible. Warmer months of the year also make for an amazing destination.

Must-do:

Visit Breckenridge Ski Resort and experience the winter wonderland perched above the alpine village, experience the vibrant local culture in pubs, boutiques, book stores, and more, and try to line up you visit with one of the outstanding local events.

Event calendar can be found here. One of the coolest events includes the ULLR Fest, featuring the world’s longest ski shot!

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Ouray 

Why visit?

Ouray is nicknamed as both the “Switzerland of America” and as “Outdoor Recreation Capitol of Colorado,” and it can stick to its guns over these bold claims because Ouray is spectacular! A must-visit for anyone wanting to experience the heart of Colorado, along with its sister town, Silverton, Ouray is snuggled in an alpine valley, framed by mountains. It is well known for its natural hot springs, old mining town history, intimate and charming downtown area, waterfalls, and more.

Best time to visit

Summer is the most popular time of year, as the roads to and from Ouray can be treacherous when icy and snowy. Winter offers the Ouray Ice Park, where seasonal ice climbs become a popular activity.

Must-do:

Indulge in a day pass to one of the natural hot springs in town, seek out Box Canyon, take the Perimeter Trail along the cliffs above the town for a panoramic view, hike to Cascade Falls Park, and do not forget to take the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton! The Million Dollar Highway links the two villages with mind-bending and nerve-wrecking turns and drop offs. Drive carefully and enjoy extraordinary views of the San Juan Mountains!

Event calendar can be found here. 

Silverton

Why visit?

Dropped in a gorgeous, spacious valley and walled in by the San Juan Mountains, Silverton is like a little world in its own. Silverton’s mining past grants it considerable historic charm and keeps it a National Historic Landmark. There are tons of outdoor recreation possibilities for you outdoorsy people.

Best time to visit

Silverton is always beautiful, but warmer months make this town more accessible when ice and snow does not block the mountain pass.

Must-do:

As mentioned above, take the connecting Million Dollar Highway to Ouray for an incredible day trip. It really does not get better than that! Also take the time to explore this rugged, intimate area by foot, poke your head into eclectic mountain shops where you will surely meet characters, and take advantage of any of the outdoor recreation opportunities, such as renting ATV’s.

Event calendar can be found here. 

Rocky Mountain National Park

Why visit?

This national park is known for its epic landscape that is recognized and loved by all in Colorado and remains a popular outdoors recreation destination. It sports alpine lakes, meadows, forests, peaks, and epic trails and scenic drives, and can appeal to any level of hiker or camper.

Best time to visit

Open all year, the park does have some seasonal highway closures and shortened visitor center hours in the wintertime due to the slower traffic and immense amount of snowfall that accumulates. Warmer months at the park ensure that you will be able to experience everything that the park has to offer.

Must-do:

Drive the “Highway to the Sky,”  the Trail Ridge Road, camp under the stars, make a visit to the gateway town of Estes Park, which has a ton to offer, and hike to Mt. Ida if you are up for a challenge or to Chasm Lake for an extraordinary alpine journey.

Rocky Mountain National Park website can be found here.

Photo credit: Maura Bielinski

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Why visit?

Known as the Grand Canyon of Colorado, you won’t be able to tear your eyes from this incredible geographical feature. It is an expansive, deep gorge with sheer cliff walls that seem to change color by differing times of day. The Black Canyon is so called because its steep walls make it difficult for sunlight to enter the gorge, keeping the canyon walls shrouded in dark shadows.

Best time to visit

Summer is the ideal time to visit so that you take advantage of camping, hiking, fishing, and boating here.

Must-do:

If you’re an avid hiker, make the steep trek down to the Gunnison River! Take the Gunnison Route Trail for all-body workout down and up this only 1.8 mile long trail. If you are more comfortable with staying near the rim, stroll the Warner Point Nature Trail.

The park website can be found here.

Pikes Peak

Why visit?

Did you know that the “Purple Mountain Majesty'' in the beloved American the Beautiful song refers to the mighty Pikes Peak? This prominent peak clears the heavens at 14, 115 feet and is a hallmark of American pride. The gateway town that you most likely will be staying in or passing through is Colorado Springs, a bustling and vibrant mountain community that is growing exponentially right now.

Best time to visit

Warmer months remain the most popular time of year to make a visit to this renowned landmark.

Must-do:

Hike or drive it! Experienced hikers will enjoy the arduous, 13.5-mile long, 7400-ft elevation gain trail that climbs the peak. Key word: experienced hikers. Other trails can be found in the area without actually attempting the entire summit, such as St. Mary’s Falls Trails. Otherwise, take the winding 19 mile paved toll road for exquisite and soaring views of our beautiful country’s mountainsides. Plan for 2-3 hours!

The history of Pikes Peak can be found here.

Conclusion

Colorado should make everyone’s travel bucket list and warrants at least one solid visit, but I guarantee that once you visit, you will be 100% trying to plan a second trip in the following year. This incredible state has all the wilderness an outdoor person could want, but also offers wonderful mountain villages for less outdoors-inclined travelers. Colorado is the kind of state that rejuvenates our love and pride in the natural beauty of our United States.