Background Art: Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan | Location: 61st and Peña Station, Denver

When March 2020 rolled around, I was fresh off the plane having returned from Trinidad and Tobago, then the world shut down. All my post-graduation travel plans were suspended, and I was miserable. Even if I could get into Ireland or Italy or Japan, half of the things I want to do there wouldn’t be open anyway. I was stuck.

Now that things are reopening and COVID restrictions are being lifted, airfare and gas prices are skyrocketing. Since international travel, or even a road trip, would be expensive, I took a closer look at my home state. I love Colorado. That’s why even with the itch to travel that I have, I’ve never considered moving. There are new experiences in every direction, including marveling at the Milky Way Galaxy above.

North – Fort Collins

My mom is constantly watching Hallmark movies, including the Christmas ones year round. Many Hallmark romances start while staying in or fixing up a bed and breakfast. When my mom and I took off for Edwards House B&B in Old Town Fort Collins for Mother’s Day, my dad texted my boyfriend that they were in trouble — the Hallmark women never end the movie with the boyfriends they start with. Our stay ended without any breakups, so I guess we don’t actually live in a Hallmark movie, we just pretended for a couple of days.

Front of Edwards House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

Edwards House could easily double as a movie set. It was built in 1904 by Alfred Edwards after purchasing a lot from his wife’s sister’s husband, Franklin Avery. The rooms all have fresh flowers, and it’s within easy walking distance of the restaurants and shops of Old Town.

The Avery House was built in 1903 and is directly east of the Edwards House. Tours of the Avery House will be resuming June 5 and will be open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Breakfast is served every morning at Edwards House in the dining room or on the patio. They just ask that you select your seating by 6 p.m. the night before, so they can keep it to two parties at a time for COVID safety. There is a menu in the dining room each morning listing what will be served that day, from pineapple pancakes to breakfast tacos. They are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies, which was exciting for my gluten-intolerant mother who is accustomed to having to find her own meals.

Fruit Cup and Orange Juice at Breakfast. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

In the afternoon, cookies await guests in the entryway, and once again, dietary restrictions were no obstacle. There was a gluten-free cookie for my mom on a separate plate to avoid cross contamination.

Cookies at Edwards House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

My mother and I aren’t coffee drinkers, but we did pay a few visits to their tea station. I fell asleep after a taste of Egyptian Dreams each night. Once we were hooked on Happy Lucky’s Tea, we paid a visit to Happy Lucky’s Teahouse only a few blocks away. They offer tea in-house or loose leaf teas to take home, including an Edwards House blend, so you can relive the flavors of your staycation even after you return home.

Tea Station at Edwards House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

While wandering Old Town, I made my mom stop so I could take pictures of all the murals we came across adorning the walls and utility boxes of the city. Murals often aim to deter graffiti taggers, but in this case, their primary purpose is to bring art and beauty to the city. They are plentiful, and trying to pick a favorite was difficult.

Mural in Old Town Fort Collins. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

When our bellies started rumbling, we asked some family and friends who had lived in Fort Collins what they recommended. Blue Agave Grill, The Mayor of Old Town, The Rio Grande, and Stuft Burger Bar made all of their lists. At Stuft Burger, they offer donuts as hamburger buns. Calories don’t count on vacation, right?

When I’m on vacation, ice cream is a must, so we gave Walrus Ice Cream a whirl. The chocolate cinnamon ice cream made me seriously question whether mint chocolate chip is still my favorite ice cream flavor.

Walrus Ice Cream Storefront. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

Fort Collins is known as the craft beer capital of Colorado for a reason. Anyone who can’t find a beer they like in this town should probably stick with wine. Odell Brewing Company, Envy Brewing, Horse & Dragon Brewing Company, Zwei Brewing — the list goes on. Just type “brewery” into your map app, and see where it takes you. We enjoyed the outdoor patio at Odell’s, which offered space for my little cousin to run around while we caught up with her parents.

Horsetooth Reservoir is a 15-minute drive from Edwards House and offers boating, hiking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, and swimming. A $10 fee per vehicle grants you access to the park no matter what activity you choose. The first time I tried SUP was at Horsetooth a few years ago. It is so much easier on a lake than the ocean, or maybe I just don’t have much balance.

Horsetooth Reservoir. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

There are multiple places to rent kayaks, canoes, or SUPs like FOCO Adventures at Little Big’s Lakeside Market or What’s SUP. If you prefer a do-nothing kind of soaking in the sun, there are swim beaches where you can lay out. At night, the reservoir is away from the light pollution of the city, so you can marvel at our breathtaking solar system, provided the clouds cooperate of course.

Rent a Canoe or Kayak Sign. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

South – Colorado Springs

Holden House Bed and Breakfast Inn has been open for 36 years and has expanded over time. Originally, it was just two bedrooms in Holden House, but then the Carriage House was added with two more rooms, followed by the addition of the Rose Victorian with another two rooms.

Living Room at Holden House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

Sallie and Welling Clark, the owners, went through an extensive renovation process to turn the Victorian houses into a functioning, modern B&B. Holden House is more modern than it would have been when Isabelle Holden had it built for herself and her six children, but it has a homey vibe that was probably similar.

Every evening from 5 to 7 p.m., Holden House hosts a wine social complete with snacks. You can get to know the other guests staying at the inn, swap travel stories, and exchange recommendations. After you’re done socializing and have turned in for the night, you can look up at the stars as the rooms in the Carriage House have windows above the beds.

Wine Social Snacks at Holden House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

While checking in at Holden House, eating breakfast, socializing, or checking out, keep an eye out for Mingtoy. She is the inn cat with green eyes and black fur and is more than happy to have her head rubbed or her back scratched. I love cats and was missing my Sugar and Spice at home, so my mom had to wait while I played with the cat.

Mingtoy the Inn Cat. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

I never knew much about the history of Colorado Springs or even that it was much different from Denver. A trip to the McAllister House Museum changed that. Not to be confused with the McCallister House from Home Alone (1990), the McAllister House is a window into the foundation of Colorado Springs, the people who lived there, and the time period. You’ll learn about the McAllister family, their connections with General William Jackson Palmer, and Winfield Scott Stratton, a carpenter and millionaire philanthropist who helped grow Colorado Springs.

The McAllister House. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

Unlike the way we select our houses today, Henry McAllister would have gone through a guide of house blueprints and selected the layout he wanted for his home. If you compare the house to the picture in the guidebook, they are clearly the same.

This sort of history was probably only of interest to me, but The Gazette has their own history displayed in the windows facing the street of downtown Colorado Springs. It was fascinating to me to hear about the history of the publication, but that might just be the weird writer side of me.

Hands down, my favorite thing in Colorado Springs was learning about the sport of kings with a falconry lesson at the Broadmoor. Roger Tucker is a falconer, and in addition to caring for the birds at the Broadmoor, he has birds of his own. The beginner falconry lesson is primarily educational whereas the intermediate lesson gets to be more hands on. The difference between hawks and falcons is demonstrated on live birds of different varieties from all over the world one at a time while they are out weathering (spending time outside). Later, participants get the opportunity to hold a falcon and go for a walk while one of the birds is flying free. Many common English phrases like “fed up” and “wrapped around his little finger” originated as falconry terminology, which fascinated my English-loving brain.

I was shocked at the size of Layla the Eurasian eagle-owl. She must have been nearly three feet tall, and when she flew around the room, her wingspan was something to admire. Cupid, a barn owl, was much more the sort of owl I’m accustomed to seeing in the open space around my house, except for his white feathers.

After learning about the birds, we got to hold Lancelot, a Lanner falcon. He was so calm sitting on my mother’s and my arms, never mind that we were strangers.

Maverick is a Harris hawk who loves to play in the wind, so he was quite happy the day we were there (and many of the days so far this year — who invited all the wind?). Tucker put a tracker on him, just to be safe, and Maverick flew free while we went for a walk. He would fly up ahead and come back when Tucker whistled. Then he’d fly off behind us to circle back again at the next whistle. He even flew right between my mother and me standing only a few feet apart.

The morning after our falconry lesson, we were supposed to try paddleboard yoga. At Dragonfly Paddle Yoga, that’s exactly what you do — yoga on a paddleboard in the middle of a lake. They have specially made paddleboards to increase stability; you could fall in, but it’s less likely than you would think. The boards are also equipped with anchors so the class isn’t drifting away in downward dog. What a way to start the day, or so I imagine. That pesky wind from the day before was still hanging around, so paddleboard yoga was cancelled.

Photo: Dragonfly Paddle Yoga

Garden of the Gods is a no brainer stop for me because the park is free, which is how Charles Elliot Perkins wanted it to be. After his death, his seven children followed through on his wishes. They donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs under the condition that it, “remain free to the public, where no intoxicating liquors shall be manufactured, sold, or dispensed, where no building or structure shall be erected except those necessary to properly care for, protect, and maintain the area as a public park.” I like traveling as economically as possible, so how could I pass up free hikes with beautiful scenery?

Rocky Mountains and Garden of the Gods. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

East – Pawnee National Grasslands and Jackson Lake State Park

When I want to hike or camp, I typically head for the hills, or mountains in our case. In the opposite direction however, there are still opportunities for such activities. Pawnee National Grasslands has campsites and allows dispersed camping anywhere on the grasslands. Be sure to remember your sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses, because there are no trees or shade to speak of. If you burn like I do, these are must-haves, and even if you don’t, it’s best to protect your skin.

Pawnee National Grasslands. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

If you need a reprieve from the heat, pile into the air-conditioned car and drive the Pawnee Bird Tour route. The grasslands are home to a larger selection of birds than some people would guess we have in all of Colorado. When night falls, stop looking for birds, and start counting the stars. With no building in sight for miles, there is no air pollution or other obstructions, just a beautiful view.

If you’re feeling a little rusty and want to brush up on your aim or if you’re new to shooting you can practice at the Baker Draw Designated Shooting Area. It has 25-, 50-, and 100-yard shooting opportunities. The whole time you’re at the shooting area, or anytime you’re handling a gun, remember to practice gun safety. There is no faster way to ruin a vacation than with a trip to the emergency room.

If too much sun and no shade makes you grumpy like it does me, Jackson Lake State Park is a bit more hospitable. Their campgrounds have trees and a view of the lake. If you have a boat, the boat ramp is already open for the year. Boats are subject to an aquatic nuisance species inspection. ANS stations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, so you can squeeze one in before getting on to the fun.

Jackson Lake State Park. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

Fishing is allowed with a Colorado fishing license, which can be purchased at designated locations, over the phone, through the myColorado app, or online. Try to keep your line from tangling with that of your neighbor and what could go wrong?. 

Right next door to Jackson Lake is Andrick Ponds State Wildlife Area. Spring turkey and waterfowl hunting is allowed with a permit and a reservation, made online or over the phone. 

West – Estes Park

Estes Park offers many places to stay, haunted or otherwise, but my boyfriend and I stayed at Aspen Winds on Fall River. Their condos are incredibly spacious and, as its name implies, they back up to a small river. There are two-person swings behind the condos overlooking the water, so you can swing, listen to the running water, and relax. At night, it’s a wonderful spot to stargaze. Sitting outside at night swinging with my boyfriend was a romantic moment I hadn’t anticipated, making it all the more sweet.

Swings at Aspen Winds. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

For travelers 21 and over, there is moonshine for sale and for sampling from Estes Park Distilling Company downtown. The moonshine is sold in mason jars, with easy-pour spouts also available. One of the distillery’s best sellers is its Expresso Moonshine. It is caffeine-free, so you can drink it late at night without losing any sleep. I was partial to their peppermint moonshine and have plans to try it in hot chocolate; my boyfriend went home with some sweet tea moonshine. In the same building is Bob and Tony’s Pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza with their booze?

For dessert, I had to take my boyfriend to try some saltwater taffy — it is everywhere in Estes. The taffy pullers in the windows of The Taffy Shop and Purple Mountain Taffy Company never fail to mesmerize, but I dragged him away and into the store. The shops have an overwhelming number of flavors (The watermelon was delicious.), but they allow sampling to help you make your choice.

While you explore downtown, keep an eye out for wildlife. It is not uncommon to see deer or elk trotting down the appropriately named Elkhorn Ave. We were taken aback by the sound of hooves on concrete behind us and across the road. Be sure to maintain a respectful distance, just because they are in town does not mean they aren’t wild animals.

Elk on Elkhorn Ave. in Estes Park. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

If you’re not seeing enough wildlife in town, Rocky Mountain National Park is a four-minute drive from Aspen Winds or an eight-minute drive from downtown. From May 27 through Oct. 10, 2022, timed entry reservations are required. Day passes, weekly passes, or annual (yearlong) passes are available. There are more trails than you could dream of hiking in a single summer, so you’ll never have to do the same one twice, unless you want to of course. My family is partial to any hikes where there is water — lakes, rivers, waterfalls, you name it.

Sprague Lake. Photo: Ashley Kay Mauer

The post Colorado Summer Staycations: Find yourself under the stars this summer seeing Colorado in a new way appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Dear Reader,
It’s summer, and it’s time to get out of the office. Put down the Blackberry and warm up the GPS. Get on the road and off the map. You have no excuses. Our backyard is waiting for you.

Enjoy,
YS

Kids & Family
Recreation & Outdoors
Food & Drink
Arts & Culture
History

BONUS +The Real Wyoming

The post Staycation Guide appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ranch
Wyomingite: Jessica Garnick-O’Neal
Co-owner, Triangle C Dude Ranch

What you will see: The wild West meets good ol’ family fun

Be prepared to: Ride horses, square dance and live out your cowboy fantasies

What to expect: Garnick-O’Neal advises visitors to decide what kind of experience they want to have and then go searching for a dude ranch that fits; Triangle C is a program-driven ranch with several different activities for adults, kids and the whole family, including hiking, horse-back riding, rodeos, etc. “I think it’s just about letting go—to allow yourself to experience something that is totally different,” she said.

Westerners will always hold sacred their wild West roots. They will never stop romanticizing wind blown pioneers living off the land and sun-stained, hard-as-nails ranchers.

It’s at dude ranches where visitors play cowboy or cowgirl—soaking in the sun and clinging to those Western roots.

“We represent the heritage of the West, of cowboys and the Western spirit,” said Jessica Garnick-O’Neal, who grew up on a dude ranch and now runs the Triangle C Ranch near Jackson Hole with her family. “And it’s unbelievable to show people that. People love the luster of the cowboy life and the romanticism of living off the land. Modern day dude ranches capture that.

“And really, it’s a good way to share with people a way of life that is dying,” she continued. “It’s keeping a strong hold on a way of life that is waning.”

Garnick-O’Neal knows that in a world of roller coasters, sunny beaches and Cirque du Soleil, the word “dude” may seem like the coolest thing about dude ranches. But, she says, it takes courage to opt for a guest ranch experience.

“It’s not necessarily the coolest thing to do if you are in the rat race. It takes a certain spirit to even say, ‘Let’s go to a dude ranch instead of Disneyland or Club Med,’” Garnick-O’Neal said. “It’s an adventurous vacation. And they are looking to forget where they came from, for something new and a different way of life. No traffic or cell phones or computers. It’s a big thing for people come out and turn off their cell phones, but at the end, it’s a really nice experience to have.”

Plus, she said, if you want to experience quintessential Wyoming, you must visit a dude ranch. Each dude ranch offers something different—family friendly or adults only, education opportunities or lots of manual labor—and allows the visitor to get a real Wyoming experience within their own comfort zone.

“When people leave the ranch they will have a place for Wyoming in their hearts forever,” Garnick-O’Neal said. “It’s different than just driving across I-80. You experience real life. It’s raw.”

Drinks:
Wyomingite: Julianne Couch
Author, Jukeboxes & Jackalopes: A Wyoming Bar Journey

What you’ll see: Anything off the beaten path

Be prepared to: Meet the locals and test your liver’s capabilities

Must see: Out of the way: Visit the Spotted Horse, the only bar in the town of Spotted Horse (population: 2…both of whom own the bar). Off I-80, The Desert Bar in Wamsutter is a funky place that shouldn’t be missed. On the way: Couch advises stopping by the Silver Dollar Bar & Grill in Jackson Hole’s Wort Hotel as well as The Capitol Grille in the Plains Hotel in Cheyenne.

Julianne Couch doesn’t look like someone who frequents Wyoming dive bars, warmly lit with Pabst Blue Ribbon neon signs and the smiles of guffawing truckers. She doesn’t talk like someone who consorts with grizzled bartenders and roughneck ranch hands who perch on barstools like birds on a wire.
In fact, she seems quite sober.

Still, Couch, an English professor at the University of Wyoming and a writer, is something of a sociologist who observes and comments on the bars, watering holes, roadhouses and taverns of the Cowboy State. Her Jukeboxes & Jackalopes: A Wyoming Bar Journey is an ode to the wild West, telling the stories of Wyoming’s cities, towns and speed bumps through the most revealing of places: the bars. Jukeboxes & Jackalopes is not a “travel guide,” but it paints a picture of the real Wyoming—something you can’t get from following @wyomingtourism on Twitter.

“You always know where you are in Wyoming by what’s on the walls of the bar,” Couch said with a laugh.
The average traveler who cuts a path through the grasslands and wheat fields of Wyoming likely will not use her book as a reference. Couch knows that dive bars—and one-bar towns—may not be destinations, but they are the nuclei for a community’s culture. If you want to absorb the ethos of a town, she says, go to the bar. If you want to get to know the people and stories of the land, go to the bar. If you want to sit back, relax and breathe in the musty air of old timey Americana, go to a Wyoming bar.

Plus, the point of Jukeboxes & Jackalopes is not about getting boozy with the locals, it’s about getting “off the interstate and out of the guide book.”

“To see Wyoming, I tell people to get a map and be prepared,” said Couch, who is now working with her husband, photographer Ronald K. Hansen, on a photo companion to Jukeboxes & Jackalopes. “If you get out of your car and see that there is no one else, that’s a Wyoming experience. If there is no gift store or convenience store, that’s a Wyoming experience. That’s what attracts people to Wyoming: not being around people.”

Except, maybe, heading to the bar.

Wildlife:
Wyomingite: Kevin Taylor
Program Coordinator, Wildlife Expeditions, Teton Science Schools

What you’ll see: The fauna of Wyoming

Be prepared to: Get up close—but not too close—and personal—but not too personal—with moose, birds and critters

Must see: “If you visit Wyoming, you gotta take a hike in the middle of Grand Teton National Park. It’s just so classically Wyoming,” Taylor said.

You want to see a moose. You don’t care about the chuck-wagon dinner or seeing Old Faithful blow some air. You just want to know what a moose looks like as it grazes on dew-dripping flora.

Kevin Taylor knows where the moose are, and he’ll make sure said moose does not trample you.

As the program coordinator for the Teton Science Schools’ Wildlife Expeditions, Taylor knows Wyoming like it was his own backyard. Probably because it is.

“There are volumes of books written about the area. Still, if you are on your own, where do you even start?” Taylor said. “We help folks maximize their time and experiences here. This is our backyard. When we are not leading trips or hiking with folks, we are doing this on our own. This is our passion.”

By “this” Taylor means the ecosystems, habitats and biology of the fauna in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. The nonprofit’s tours include everything from early morning excursions into the Wyoming wilderness to look for, of course, moose to 14-hour adventures to get glimpses of the fauna of Yellowstone. But there is one thing these journeys are not: guided tours. Taylor says those words are like nails on a chalkboard. He and his co-workers are not guides; they are seasoned biologists. And what they provide is a life-changing, thought-provoking, educating experience.

“I don’t expect them to go home and change the world,” Taylor said. “But I hope they leave knowing that the greater Wyoming ecosystem is an amazing place…I like the idea of relating the experience to the amazing places that people have at home too. Whether or not they remember the gestation period of an animal is not important, but developing a connection with wildlife increases the value someone places on it.”

History:
Wyomingite: Sarah Chapman
Owner, Go Native America

What you’ll see: Everything from a different perspective

Be prepared to: Have your world-view changed as you explore Wyoming’s tribal lands

What to expect: “You are coming here to see the emotion of the area, the history, culture and people. Expect beauty. Of course, we show people what they want to see. On the other side, there’s usually some culture shock,” Chapman said.

Sarah Chapman looks out her office window and does not see the luxuries of modern life: roads, cars, stores or toothy kids playing in parks.

She sees the land of the American Indian. She sees the ground on which battles were fought, lost or won. She sees the sacred and the hallowed, the politically unjust and the socially unfair.

Chapman will take you to this Wyoming—if you’d like. She will make sure you no longer see the state—or any state—as a system of roads and highways connecting different municipalities and homes, national parks and reservations. She will show you that below the surface it’s all “Indian country.”

Chapman and her husband own Go Native America, a renowned Wyoming-based tourism company that introduces visitors to the tribal side of life. They offer a variety of different tours that take travelers to significant tribal locations throughout the state. Visitors don’t just learn the history of Wyoming’s native people but visit sites, learn the politics and the culture, and even visit reservations.

“The people who take our tours are the kind of people who want to know what is going on. They want to stand with their own two feet and talk with the people,” Chapman said. “In many cases we show people places that they never knew existed.”

This is not cowboy country, she says. It was, is and will always be the land of the Cheyenne, the Lakota and the Kiowa.

“All you need to do is lie on your back and look at the stars to understand why it’s Indian country,” she said. “There is so much total beauty out here. You can see it on this level or see beyond that. That’s what people who tour with us are trying to do: see beyond that sight.”

The post Staycation + Bonus: The Real Wyoming appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

My mom and I are arguing. And I’m losing.

It’s one of those spats I initiate to keep the spark in our bond. I once read it was healthy for a mother and her daughter to engage in regular disagreements, and I’ve been pushing her buttons ever since. It’s good family fun.

This time, mom takes the defensive right away, and she knows she is right.

I’m in the midst of making the argument that my childhood was void of quality vacations (like giggle-til-Slurpee-comes-out-of-your-nose vacations)  when she interrupts. She starts listing off day trips and road trips, amusement parks and national parks, an epic journey to California during which our 1981 Buick Skyhawk broke down three times, and a daunting expedition through Wyoming, where we were rear-ended the middle of Yellowstone.

“Yes, real fun for a 12-year-old: traversing the rugged Wyoming terrain with a neck brace,” I say dryly.

She again counters, this time adding to her defense countless intrastate vacations: treks to Elitch’s (not the new, shiny one but the Elitch’s of yore with Log Ride and long-gone rickety roller coasters), Sundays  spent hiking hogbacks and long weekends staring at the perfect blue skies of Aspen.

My argument goes down faster than Old Faithful’s squally spurt, so I abandon ship and hope she forgets the conversation by my birthday.

But it started to haunt me as Lacy, our associate editor, and I pulled together the Staycation Guide you’ll read in the pages to come. As we sifted through tourism guides and maps of Colorado, more memories of my childhood and early adulthood came swirling forward. Hours spent splashing in Glenwood’s springs, and weekends walking around Estes Park.

And all of a sudden I was flooded with guilt. How could I think that trips through rocky canyons or hours in the Tattered Cover were less special than all-inclusive resorts in Mexico (especially with drug wars and swine flu in the picture)? Or that my childhood vacations were sub-par because they were marked by classic road-trip befuddlement—getting lost, getting stranded, traffic jams and fast food?

I often think being a Colorado native ruined this state for me. It’s like I spent my youth blind and unwilling to savor what Colorado has to offer. It took years for me to appreciate the beauty. It took years to even see the beauty. And still I often sit on the sidelines while visitors and newbies play.

So often I bump into those “super stoked” newcomers who live for winter weekends when they make the pilgrimage up I-70, not bothered by horrid traffic or blizzard conditions. Or those guys—you know, the ones who spend more time in their tents than at home (you recognize them by their multi-purpose roof racks—tagged with Fat Tire and REI stickers—and labs named Mandy, more fitting companions than wives or girlfriends). These  archetypes inhale Colorado like it was the most perfect drug. Yet, my perfect weekend involves crossword puzzles, Netflix and wine.

So, here and now, I vow to abandon my indifference to our purple mountains’ majesty and amber waves of grain. I’m getting out of the gym, out of my car, off the patio and away from my laptop. By the end of the summer, I will have climbed a 14er; spent a weekend camping someplace not found on MapQuest; joined one of those be-Spandexed flocks of cyclists; and ridden the whitewater of the Arkansas.

I will need you—those “active” and “outdoorsy” residents of Colorado who have riddled me with guilt—to hold me accountable. Though, if you don’t, I’m sure my mom will be there to remind me.

The post Guilt Trip appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Daytrip
The Wildlife Experience
Take a day to play at The Wildlife Experience museum in Parker, which combines interactive exhibits, large format film, fine art and natural history. You won’t want to miss their newest exhibit, “Globeology,” with more than 25,000 square feet of interactive exhibits exploring seven different biomes from around the world. The new exhibit opens May 23. thewildlifeexperience.org

Elitch Gardens:
A childhood classic. elitchgardens.com

Colorado Rockies Game:
Take them out to the ballgame this summer and see if the Rockies can recover from last season. rockies.mlb.com

Weekend
Mesa Verde National Park
Spend a weekend exploring the legacy of the Ancestral Puebloans who lived in the canyons of Mesa Verde National Park from 600 to 1300 AD. The park is home to more than 600 cliff dwellings, and ranger-led tours provide an up-close and personal view of some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the United States. Take part of a day to visit Yucca House National Monument, just 10 miles from Mesa Verde, and explore the unexcavated community center of the Ancestral Puebloans. Another easy site to add is Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, with the Anasazi Heritage Center archeology museum displaying Ancestral Puebloan artifacts and the Lowry Pueblo’s 40 rooms and eight kivas. visitmesaverde.com

Glenwood Springs:
Visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park (glenwoodcaverns.com); relax in the springs while your kids enjoy the slide; and hit up Zip Adventures on your way back (zipadventures.com) for a high-flying good time.

Great Sand Dunes National Park:
Remember how much fun you had playing in the sand box…This is kind of like that, but way bigger and better. Camp, hike and get dirty.

Week
Tour Colorado’s National Parks and Monuments
For an unforgettable family vacation, take a week to explore Colorado’s national parks. Start in Rocky Mountain National Park’s Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to get an official park map, log book and park newspaper. Find a campground and then choose from numerous hikes, drives, wildlife viewing, programs and more. Then take Trail Ridge Road to the south entrance of the park and follow Highway 40 west across the state to Dinosaur National Monument near the Utah border. Schedule a river-rafting trip through the canyons of the monument. Be sure to stop at the Quarry Visitor Center and take the Fossil Discovery Hike (approx. 1.5 miles) to see a variety of fossils.

Once you have your fill of fossils, take Highway 64 south to Highway 139 south until you reach the Colorado National Monument. The drive on Monument Road is a beautiful and easy way to see the park. Trails ranging from easy to hard are accessible all along the road with spectacular views, your reward for a little walking. Spend the night in Grand Junction. From Grand Junction, take Highway 65 south to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park to experience an entirely unique landscape with walls that drop more than 2,000 feet and show some of the oldest exposed rock on Earth, dating back nearly 2 billion years. Hiking in the canyon is popular, and ranger-led tours can teach you all about the area’s history, flora and fauna. River rafting, guided boat tours and horseback riding are also available.

End your Colorado grand tour by taking the family to the biggest sand box they’ve ever seen. The sand dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park are the tallest in North America and offer opportunities for hiking, sledding, skiing and “sand boarding.” In the spring, Medano Creek creates a wide, shallow stream at the base of the dunes, creating Colorado’s most unique beach. The water peaks in mid- to late-May and shrinks back toward the mountains through July. nps.gov

America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass—Annual Pass, cost $80

Colorado State Fair:
Aug. 24–Sept. 1. More than a rodeo, the state fair serves up all sorts of fun. This year, Foreigner headlines…need we say more? coloradostatefair.com

Dude Ranch:
There are tons to pick from in Colorado. Visit coloradoranch.com for details. Or see our Wyoming Guide to get advice from a real, live dude rancher.

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