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Rocky Mountain Road Trip
Your Colorado Family Vacation Awaits
By April E. Clark
Many travelers may think of snow and ski trips when they consider Colorado for a vacation destination, but autumn is just as jam-packed with mild, temperate weather and fun outdoor activities as winter. With an estimated 300 days of sunshine per year, the state's alpine climate features temperatures ranging in the 70s during clear fall days and low humidity – perfect for camping, white water rafting, fly fishing, backcountry hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding and golf, just to name a few.
"Colorado was completely different when I visited during off-season," says Sherida Schouweiler, a mother of two from Sacramento, Calif. "Previously, I had been to Steamboat Springs to ski with my brother and I definitely know the snow was better than the Sierras. On my second visit, during warmer weather, I just remember thinking how beautiful it was and how surprised [I was] that everything was so green. It's wonderful to view the scenery and just be outdoors."
Highlights of Schouweiler's visit to the Centennial State in late summer included a drive up Independence Pass and a hiking trip with her family to the Maroon Bells, located south of Aspen, said to be one of the most photographed areas of Colorado. "We saw spots where beavers had chewed on the logs near Maroon Lake and it was really interesting to see that up close," she says. "I have a great photo of me, my husband and our son, Ryan, in his backpack carrier in front of the Bells that I still have hanging in my house."
Pack up the KidsMost visitors to Colorado agree that it's the varied degree of outdoor activities available that makes this scenic Western state a iteral playground for adults and children alike. Family-oriented adventures include panning for gold in the creeks surrounding Central City and "digging" for prehistoric animal footprints and fossils along Dinosaur Ridge, about 15 miles west of Denver, and Dinosaur Loop, a 486-mile scenic byway that passes through Dinosaur National Monument and the Colorado National Monument.