This is more than a non-skier’s guide to winter in Colorado or a roundup of cool après-ski activities. This is my ultimate Colorado winter bucket list for epic off-slopes fun. Make this winter your season of adventure by trying some — or all — of these 23 unique experiences.
Stay in a backcountry hut
There are multiple hut systems in Colorado. Most require reservations (and at this point likely are available only on weekdays if at all), but there are a couple of huts available on a first-come, first-served basis. Since my last name is Broome, of course the Broome Hut off Berthoud Pass is my favorite. Despite an elevation gain of almost 800 feet (and an altitude of 11,350 feet), it’s one of the easier backcountry huts to reach via ski or snowshoe at about a mile.
For the ultimate traverse in the San Juan Mountains, book Mountain Trip’s hut-to-hut ski touring adventure linking Opus and Thelma huts. For a luxury experience, book Red Mountain Alpine Lodge.
Go birding at Barr Lake
More than 350 species of waterfowl and shorebirds have been spotted at Barr Lake State Park near Brighton, but winter is prime time to spot bald eagles. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a pair of bald eagles have been spotted in the wildlife refuge every year since 1986.
Watch bison in the snow
To see majestic beasts covered in snow just 20 minutes from downtown Denver, take the 11-mile Wildlife Drive at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge. More than two dozen bison live at this urban wildlife refuge that served as a weapons arsenal during World War II. In addition to bison, you might spot raptors, deer and coyotes. You can also see bison at the Buffalo Herd Overlook in Genesee Park by taking Exit 254 along Interstate 70.
Chow down at Tennessee Pass Cookhouse
Before you savor a four-course dining experience in this idyllic, rustic-yet-elegant cookhouse, you have to ski, snowshoe, or hike a mile in the winter wonderland of the San Isabel Forest near Leadville. Reservations are required. Dinner is served daily and lunch is served on weekends during the winter season (Nov. 24-April 16). Wild game, fish and vegetarian options are on the menu. The potbelly stove warming the solar-powered yurt is a piece of history from Camp Hale.
Dine at North America’s highest elevation restaurant
Il Rifugio at Snow Plume in Arapahoe Basin sits at 12,456 feet, making it the highest restaurant on the continent. Il Rifugio is Italian for “the shelter.” Dining on European fare while enjoying the stunning 360-degree view of snow-covered peaks might make you feel like you’ve been transported to the Italian or Swiss Alps. Il Rifugio is only accessible by skis or snowboard in winter.
Drive a dog sled
If you’re a dog lover like me this mushing experience should be at the top of your list. Dog sledding with Good Times Adventures in Breckenridge is my all-time favorite winter adventure in Colorado. Lead your own team of huskies on a 6-mile tour. This thrilling escapade is your chance to yell, “mush, mush,” as you wind along trails in the scenic Swan River Valley. Good Time Adventures also offers snowmobile tours.
Escape to a lake
You can experience the inaugural winter season at Twin Lakes near Leadville. Tenderfoot Farms and newly renovated Roadhouse Lodge are now open year-round. Red Feather Lakes is celebrating its 100th anniversary. This popular summer destination is a winter haven if you’re craving solitude in the snow.
Giddy up to a ranch
Escape to one of Colorado’s dude or guest ranches for fun skiing, snowshoeing and sledding. Snow Mountain Ranch near Granby offers one of the most affordable ranch experiences in the state. Latigo Ranch near Kremmling offers seclusion for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. Both Snow Mountain and Latigo offer day passes, but why not stay where you play? Combine a luxury stay with pampering at Devil’s Thumb Ranch or Three Forks Ranch, which have on-site spas.
Hike to Hanging Lake
This trek is popular in summer, but in winter you might have the picturesque travertine lake to yourself. You need trekking poles and microspikes or snowshoes to hike the 1.2-mile steep and narrow canyon to Hanging Lake. The elevation gain is 1,000 feet from the bottom of Glenwood Canyon up through Deadhorse Creek Canyon.
Ride in a sleigh to Pine Creek Cookhouse
Wrap up in a cozy blanket and gaze at the star-filled sky on the 1.5-mile sleigh ride to Pine Creek Cookhouse near Aspen. Don’t miss the smoked trout dip or wild game momos. You can also take a sleigh ride for lunch or work up an appetite by snowshoeing or skiing to your fabulous meal.
Take a balloon ride
Go up, up, and away on an early morning ride with Wild West Balloon Adventures in Steamboat Springs. Enjoy the bird’s-eye view of beautiful Yampa Valley. In Snowmass, Above It All Balloon and Unicorn Balloon offer rides with spectacular views of the Elk Mountains.
Try ice climbing
Whether you’re a beginner or expert, Ouray Ice Park is one of the best places in the world to ice climb. If you don’t want to try it yourself, head to Ouray for the annual climbing festival in January. Or try Lake City Ice Park, which has expanded to offer more than 75 routes.
Go ice fishing
Grab your auger and fishing gear and bundle up! Peak ice fishing season is December through February. Ice fishing is easiest to access at Georgetown Lake; you can spot the warming huts from I-70. Chambers Lake near Walden, Crawford Reservoir near Hotchkiss, and Trinidad Lake State Park are also great options if you’re seeking a serene spot. Don’t forget your fishing license.
Skate outdoors in Evergreen
Take a few spins at Evergreen Lake. The 40-acre lake is said to be the world’s largest Zamboni-groomed outdoor ice rink. It’s a great place to learn to skate or join a pick-up game of hockey. Check Evergreen’s parks and recreation website for updates on ice conditions.
Tour on snowshoes
Winter is the time to explore Rocky Mountain National Park without the crowds. Joining a ranger-led snowshoe walk is a wonderful way to experience its winter landscapes including iconic spots like Bear Lake. Snowshoe walks are typically offered mid-January through early March. The outings are free, but reservations are required.
Ride a winter coaster
For an exhilarating ride through tight turns and corkscrews in the forest, go on a winter coaster ride. Zip down 2,500 feet on the Gold Runner at Breckenridge Ski Resort. Race along 3,400 feet of track on the Alpine coaster at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. Or try the Rocky Mountain Coaster at Copper Mountain. At 5,800 feet, it’s one of the longest alpine coasters in North America.
Try skijoring
This mashup of ranch and ski lifestyles involves a horse pulling a skier along a course of gates and jumps. The Leadville Ski Joring event is held the first weekend of March and has been going on since 1949. You can join in, or simply enjoy the spectacle. You can also see skijoring down Lincoln Avenue during the Steamboat Winter Carnival, Feb. 7-11.
Ride a snowmobile
Rev your engine on a grand snowmobile tour. Grand Lake is dubbed the “Snowmobiling Capital of Colorado” and sports more than 300 miles of trails. It consistently ranks in the top 10 snowmobile destinations in the country. Grand Adventures leads a guided tour into Arapaho Roosevelt National Forest. Grand Mesa is another snowmobiling hot spot. Thunder Mountain Lodge offers guided tours and snowmobile rentals.
Soak in steamy hot springs
There are 23 soaking experiences along the 800-mile Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop. Try Strawberry Park Hot Springs near Steamboat Springs or Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort near Salida. Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa recently added two pools for a total of 40 water features including five wooden Ofuro tubs. The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs is home to what is labeled the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring aquifer.
Join Two Helmet Day
This adventure takes from you from the slopes on the world’s largest flat-top mountain to singletrack trails in Grand Junction. Don your ski helmet in the morning as you enjoy Powderhorn Mountain Resort. Then switch to your mountain bike helmet in the afternoon as you ride the Lunch Loops. Seventy percent of the runs at Powderhorn are beginner or intermediate levels. The Lunch Loop Bike Park has trails for all skill levels.
Tubing and sledding shenanigans
If you’ve got a need for speed, zip down a tubing lane at Keystone’s Mountaintop Snow Park, Frisco Adventure Park, or Winter Park’s Coca-Cola Tube Park. You can borrow a sled from the Sled Shed at Runway Sledding Hill in Breckenridge. Take your own sled for fun at Firecracker Sledding Hill in Telluride or Yee-Haw Hill at Saddleback Ranch in Steamboat Springs. Or just head to the nearest park with a decent hill.
Visit a ghost town
Ski or snowshoe to Mayflower Gulch between Copper Mountain and Leadville. This is a popular summer hike, but in winter you ditch the crowds as you climb an old wagon road to the ruins of the Boston Mine Camp at close to 11,500 feet elevation. A glacially carved rock amphitheater serves as the backdrop. The round-trip trek is 3 miles.
Visit ancient ruins
Watching it snow on the Ancestral Pueblo ruins at Mesa Verde National Park is one of my most magical Colorado experiences. Winter is the quietest season at the park which is open to hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. From the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum, Sprue Tree House is the easiest cliff dwelling to see when the snowflakes fall. Cliff Palace Loop Road closes annually on Dec. 1 or after the first significant snowfall, but you can still snowshoe or cross-country ski on the road to see the largest cliff dwelling in North America. Or pick up free rentals at the visitor center then snowshoe the Point Lookout Trail for a spectacular view.
