Recreation

The area near Buena Vista, Colorado offers some of the very best winter recreation—hot springs, downhill or cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, or touring three national parks.  Plan to enjoy some of these activities before, after or during the dance weekend.

 

Hot Springs  

 

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

 

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.

Nathrop, CO

mtprinceton.com

719-395-2447

 

Downhill Skiing

 

Ski Cooper

Close-by Ski Cooper is especially good for families & beginners.  Five lifts cover easy terrain.

Leadville, CO

www.skicooper.com

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

Loveland Ski Area is on the continental divide, near the town of Georgetown, Colorado and the eastern portal of the Eisenhower Tunnel.

Dillon, CO

www.skiloveland.com

720-552-5458

800-736-3SKI

 

Vail Ski Resort

It’s the famous Vail international ski resort.
Vail, CO

www.vail.com

970-754-8245

 

Aspen Ski

It’s the famous Aspen international ski resort.

Aspen, CO

www.aspensnowmass.com

800-908-5000

 

Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing

St. Elmo

St. Elmo is about 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista.

St. Elmo, CO

mtprinceton.com/colorado/st-elmo

719-395-6434

 

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

 

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.