The area near Buena Vista, Colorado offers some of the very best winter recreation—hot springs & spas, downhill or cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, or touring three national parks. And Buena Vista’s Main Street and South Main Street areas are prime with boutique shopping, dining, brewery/distillery, galleries/studios, Heritage Museum, live music venues, and other unique places to check out. Stroll by our historic architecture, or watch the sunsets along the banks of the Arkansas River. And with our unique weather pattern, the valley floor typically does not hold snow, allowing for hiking, biking and fishing year round. Plan to enjoy some of these activities before, after or during the dance weekend.
Check out the town’s latest Visitor Guide, or the local Chamber of Commerce page.
Hot Springs & Spas
We have 3 hot springs in the area – and each are unique. They are fed by natural spring water that is non-sulfurous, so they don’t stink.
(Copyright – Mt. Princeton Hot Springs)
Mt. Princeton Hot Springs
Located between Buena Vista and Salida, CO, the hot springs waters at Mount Princeton Hot Spring are natural and odorless. The hot springs bubble out of the ground at 120 degrees at the source. And there is a Spa, for a bit of pampering, too.
Nathrop, CO
mtprinceton.com
719-395-2447
(Copyright – Charlotte Hot Springs)
Charlotte Hot Springs & Botanical Gardens
A Luxury Hot springs retreat in Beautiful Buena Vista, CO! This is the newest hot springs to open in Buena Vista area – – yet it has some of the oldest family connections – the Merrifield family first arrived to the area in the late 1800’s.
19256 County Road 343, Buena Vista, CO
https://www.coloradohotspringsresort.com/
719-395-6015
(Copyright – Cottonwood Hot Springs)
Soak in geothermal, gravity-fed mineral waters. Historically noted for their medicinal and therapeutic value, the springs were used for centuries by the Ute Indians as a spiritual gathering place.
Buena Vista, CO
cottonwood-hot-springs.com/colorado
719-395-6434
SKI & SNOW SPORTS
(Copyright – Mt. Princeton Hot Springs)
Downhill Skiing
Close-by Ski Cooper is especially good for families & beginners. Five lifts cover easy terrain.
Leadville, CO
719-486-2277
Monarch Mountain
Also nearby, Monarch Ski and Snowboard Area is about 20 miles west of Salida, Colorado on U.S. Highway 50. The resort is situated on Monarch Pass, at the continental divide. It has 54 trails, two terrain parks, and an extreme terrain area.
Salida, CO
www.skimonarch.com
719-530-5000
Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain ski resort is about 75 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70. The resort has 2,465 acres of in-bounds terrain.
www.coppercolorado.com
Frisco, Colorado
866-841-2481
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Full-service recreational facility with ski lessons, rentals, on-site lodging & terrain parks
Breckenridge, CO
www.breckenridge.com
970-453-5000
Keystone Resort
Keystone Resort consists of three mountains – Dercum Mountain, North Peak, the Outback – and five bowls, offering skiing at all levels.
Keystone, CO
www.keystoneresort.com
970-754-0001
Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
Arapahoe Basin is an alpine ski area known for staying open sometimes into early July.
Keystone, CO
www.arapahoebasin.com
888-ARAPAHOE
970-468-0718
Loveland Ski Area is on the continental divide, near the town of Georgetown, Colorado and the eastern portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel.
Dillon, CO
720-552-5458
800-736-3SKI
Vail Ski Resort
Iconic peaks. Legendary Back Bowls.
Vail, CO
www.vail.com
970-754-8245
It’s the famous Aspen international ski resort.
Aspen, CO
800-908-5000
Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing
The Arkansas Valley is home to dozens of great cross country ski and snowshoeing trails, with options for novices to experts alike. You can even use the trails right at Adventure Unlimited where Stellar takes place, if you bring your own gear.
Poplar Gulch trailhead – near St. Elmo, about 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista.
St. Elmo, CO
mtprinceton.com/colorado/st-elmo
719-395-6434
Other spots close to Buena Vista include:
Cottonwood Lake, which is approximately 11 miles from the town, has gorgeous lake and mountain vistas.
Chalk Creek Trailhead – Located in Chalk Creek Canyon, the Chalk Creek Trailhead is part of the Colorado Trail, offering breathtaking views of Mt. Princeton and the Chalk Cliffs.
Snowmobiling
White Mountain Snowmobile Tours, Inc.
White Mountain Tours is Colorado’s highest elevation snowmobile tour company. You may choose a standard two-hour tour over groomed high mountain terrain, or a high-performance ride through powder-filled back country bowls.
Leadville, CO
whitemountainsnowmobiletours.com
800 247-7238
Buena Vista Snowmobile Club – The Snow Drifters
Hundreds of miles of backcountry trails near Buena Vista are groomed each year for snowmobilers to enjoy along with nearly limitless trails for those who wish to ride unmaintained routes. Grooming trails are local clubs The SnowDrifters in Buena Vista. From the lower regions of the Upper Arkansas River Valley, trails wind upward, topping out at 12,000 feet-plus.
See the town’s latest Visitor Guide, or the local Chamber of Commerce page for more Ski and Snow Sports ideas.
Collegiate Peaks Scenic & Historic Byway
The Collegiate Peaks Scenic and Historic Byway is an inspiring 57 miles full of breath-taking views of the largest concentration of 14ers in the country. The byway gets its name from the prominent Sawatch Range peaks named after Ivy League Universities: Oxford, Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Princeton.
National Parks
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado spans the Continental Divide and encompasses protected mountains, forests and alpine tundra.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park surrounds part of a deep, steep-walled gorge carved through Precambrian rock by the Gunnison River.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is in southern Colorado. It’s known for huge dunes like the towering Star Dune.