Moving to Colorado was one of the best decisions my hubby and I have ever made. For two nature lovers who canโt get enough of the outdoors, the never-ending outdoor activities in Colorado canโt be beat!
Years ago, we were living in Southern California. But we were miserable. Between working full-time jobs and then adding hours of commuting to our schedules each day, we had no quality of life.
By the time the weekend rolled around, we were exhausted. We had barely enough time to run some errands, take care of a few household chores, and then crash for some much-needed relaxation. Then the work week started all over again. It was a vicious cycle.
Something had to give.ย We also knew that between the taxes and high housing costs, weโd never be able to afford the type of house we would want there. It was time for a change, a reset. We needed to leave California but didnโt know where to move to.
Since we werenโt moving for jobs or family, we had an unlimited amount of options for places to live! How were we going to decide? We ended up buying an RV and traveling through the country for over a year, seeing each of the 48 contiguous states of the U.S.
There are so many amazing places in the United States, but Colorado took the prize! We ended up settling down in Denver, CO and have loved Colorado living for our home base.
With the endless options of outdoor activities in Colorado to choose from, itโs hard to narrow them down. But here are the Top 5 Outdoor Activities in Colorado! #colorado #thingstodoincolorado #coloradooutdoors Click To TweetThe accessibility to nature creates the perfect balance by giving a big city like Denver so many options for outdoor activities. Pair that with the great weather throughout the year, and you get year-round adventure opportunities in Colorado!
There are a ton of reasons why Colorado is awesome and why we moved to Denver. But the endless outdoor activities in Colorado are one of the main reasons we chose to live in Denver.
With so many options to choose from, itโs hard to narrow them down. But Iโll try to limit them to just a few of my top picks so I donโt overwhelm you. ๐
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Top 5 Outdoor Activities in Colorado
1. Hiking
The Rockies contain the highest peaks in central North America. In fact, the highest peak of the Rocky Mountain range is actually located in Colorado. Itโs Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet.
Mountains with an elevation of 14,000 feet or higherย are calledย โfourteenersโ or โ14ers.โ And there are 58 Colorado 14ers! See the full listย HERE. Many people in Colorado make it their goal toย hike the 14ersย as a right of passage.
Itโs no wonder that with so much to see and explore, Colorado was ranked #2 ofย The Best U.S. States for Hiking! I like howย Colorado.com sums up Colorado hiking:
โThe best way to define hiking in Colorado is through the numbers:ย 41 Colorado State Parks, 12 national parks and monuments, 13 national forests and grasslands and 58 14ers (peaks that rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level). All of these add up to thousands of miles of Colorado hiking trails waiting to be explored.โ
Well said! And now Colorado Parks and Wildlife has a comprehensive online guide to over 39,000 miles of trails across the state with theย Colorado Trail Explorer mapย that includes 5,683 miles of hiking trails! Get out there for some Colorado hiking and explore Colorado on foot!
Try a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!2. Biking
Denver was ranked #2 out of theย Top 10 Most Bikeable U.S Cities of 2018.ย According toย Denver.org:
โThe Mile High City boasts more than 85 miles of paved trails that connect to hundreds of additional miles of dirt trails offering mountain bike adventures. These trails also connect riders to dozens of notable attractions, including Cherry Creek Shopping District and Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Park.โ
Check out their guide toย Denver Bike Trailsย and the Denver Bike Map. And even if youโre not right in Denver, there are sure to be other bike trails nearby, including both paved trails and dirt mountain bike trails.
Colorado is a bike ridersโ paradise with options for all bike riding skill levels!
You may also like:ย Best Hiking Gear for Beginner Hikers: Everything You Need for a Day Hike
3. Camping
Colorado was ranked #1 forย The Best U.S. States for Camping. With gorgeous scenery, endless outdoor activities, and very few bugs, itโs no surprise that Colorado is one of the most popular places to camp in the U.S.
Luckily,ย Colorado Parks & Wildlifeย manage more than 4,000 campsites throughout the state. Wondering where you can find some good Colorado campgrounds for a Colorado camping trip? Take a look at 5280 Magazineโs comprehensive Guide to Camping in Colorado!
Whether you want to camp by tent or RV, there are plenty of options for all campers! As avid RVers, we even had our first tent-camping experience in Colorado where we camped on a beautiful lake. It was the perfect camping spot for our first time!
You may also like:ย 10 Reasons Why Traveling by RV is the Best Way to Travel
4. Water Activities
Letโs start with fishing. Colorado was ranked #8 ofย The Best US States for Fishing, but we think it should be higher up on the list! We had an absolute blast fly fishing in Estes Park and highly recommend a fly fishing excursion if youโre not an expert fishing angler. But if youโre a pro, Colorado is definitely where you want to be!ย
Want to go on a fishing excursion in Colorado? Groupon can have some great deals! Thatโs where we found the one for the fly fishing excursion we did.
If youโd rather be focused on the water itself though rather than the fish in it, youโve got plenty of choices, including boating, kayaking, world-class whitewater rafting, stand-up paddleboarding, and tubing/river floating.
One of our favorite outdoor activities is taking our 2-person water lounge tube with a built-in cooler for a leisurely float on the Platte River in Littleton. You can even take the river all the way up to Downtown Denver!
And whatโs the perfect way to end your day of outdoor activities in Colorado? Our other favorite water option โ soaking in Colorado hot springs! Luckily, Colorado has more than 30 hot springs to choose from after a full day of physical activity outside!
You may also like:ย How To Visit the Mind-Blowing Rifle Falls State Park (Colorado): Everything You Need to Know
5. Snow Activities
The fun doesnโt stop when the snow starts! I donโt have to tell you that Colorado is known for its skiing/snowboarding. If powderโs your thing, Colorado.comย claims that withย 28 ski areas and resorts โColorado is, after all, the number one destination for skiing in the country and home to Americaโs best ski resorts and ski vacationsโ, most of which are within 100 miles of Denver Metro!ย
You can also go the more economical/adventurous route by skipping the lift ticket and going backcountry or cross-country skiing! Want to get out in the snow and do something other than ski or snowboard though? How about sledding, tubing, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing? So many options for fun in the snow!
Since moving to Colorado, our new favorite winter activity is snowshoeing, which is basically just hiking in the snow.ย Why shouldnโt you hike just because thereโs snow? Itโs a completely different (and amazing) experience in Coloradoโs winter wonderland! Here are some ideas forย Winter Hikes in Colorado.
Wrapping Up the Top 5 Outdoor Activities in Colorado
If you love the outdoors, and you love being active, Colorado is the place for you! On top of all the awesome outdoor activities in Colorado, Denver has a great Downtown, and the people in Colorado are super friendly!
Weโve made some truly wonderful friends in Colorado who we hike, snowshoe, and float the river with every chance we get. Being outside and active with friends in a place you loveโฆ does it get any better than that?
Where do you live? And what are some things you love about living there? Share in the comments below!
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Love this! Iโve always wanted to visit Colorado!
Thanks, Katie! Colorado is ahhh-mazing! I hope you get the chance to visit sometime and do some exploring. There’s so much to see and do!
I love Colorado! Youโre right the amount of outdoor activities is amazing! Someday my husband and I will either move to the mountains or in a beach town on the coast. Maybe even both if we can make it happen!
We love living in Colorado! We used to live in Southern California close to the beach, but we opted for mountains over ocean. If you can find a place with both, we’ll move there with you and be neighbors! Haha!