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
719-395-2447
Downhill Skiing
Close-by Ski Cooper is especially good for families & beginners. Five lifts cover easy terrain.
Leadville, CO
719-486-2277
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
719-530-5000
Copper Mountain ski resort is about 75 miles west of Denver on Interstate 70. The resort has 2,465 acres of in-bounds terrain.
Frisco, Colorado
866-841-2481
Full-service recreational facility with ski lessons, rentals, on-site lodging & terrain parks
Breckenridge, CO
970-453-5000
Keystone Resort consists of three mountains – Dercum Mountain, North Peak, the Outback – and five bowls, offering skiing at all levels.
Keystone, CO
970-754-0001
Arapahoe Basin is an alpine ski area known for staying open sometimes into early July.
Keystone, CO
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
It’s the famous Vail international ski resort.
Vail, CO
970-754-8245
It’s the famous Aspen international ski resort.
Aspen, CO
800-908-5000
Cross Country Skiing and Snow Shoeing
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 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.