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Colorado Trip for Family of Four?

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Anybody got a suggestion for a good way to do a week in Colorado to tie in a great bike park, some outdoors for the family and decent spot with real good pool for the kids?

Me, wife, 9 & 7 yr old active girls. Mid to late July/early August.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,927
14,445
where the trails are
shouldn't be too hard to have a good time.

what types of things do the wife and kids like to do? touristy things, or stuff your packs and hike/bike/raft all day?
 
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canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
20,190
19,156
Canaderp
Could drive up Mt Evans. Really fun drive and the kids can check out some of the goats that hippity hoppity on the rocks.

Have to climb to the actual peak, which offers the most amazing views. Yeah, its cheating driving up there but oh well. Watch out for the cliff though lol

 
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$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
Anybody got a suggestion for a good way to do a week in Colorado to tie in a great bike park, some outdoors for the family and decent spot with real good pool for the kids?

Me, wife, 9 & 7 yr old active girls. Mid to late July/early August.
monsoon season.
do not camp.

hit off the beaten path towns & wide open spaces. recommend crestone & then onto SW (cortez). of course, take a day & make a point of getting lost up in the mtns, far, far, far away from people.

gah, i hate people.
 

$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
oh, if you're near the people's republic of boulder, tour the butterfly museum & the celestial seasonings plant.

srsly, your kids'll love it.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
PM me - I can tailor some suggested activities depending on what you want. :D
Can't tell if this is a trap? :think:

oh, if you're near the people's republic of boulder, tour the butterfly museum & the celestial seasonings plant.

srsly, your kids'll love it.
My girls would geek on a butterfly museum.

They're outdoorsy and like to hike and swim like fish. I was looking at Winter Park's website but looks like a lot of dough. I need a place that is like Snowshoe but in Colorado. Cheap hotel on site with fun passes tossed in.

Then we can shoot out into the mountains for exploration and keep the wife and kids happy on down days with a pool.

Big thing is that unless it's LEGITAMITELY heated, she freezes.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,378
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
Can't tell if this is a trap? :think:



My girls would geek on a butterfly museum.

They're outdoorsy and like to hike and swim like fish. I was looking at Winter Park's website but looks like a lot of dough. I need a place that is like Snowshoe but in Colorado. Cheap hotel on site with fun passes tossed in.

Then we can shoot out into the mountains for exploration and keep the wife and kids happy on down days with a pool.

Big thing is that unless it's LEGITAMITELY heated, she freezes.
Glenwood Springs is the obvious choice...

To be honest, if I was touring CO from out-of-state I'd avoid *anything* near the Front Range mountain locations (Winter Park, Breck, Vail, Estes).
 
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MTB_Rob_NC

What do I have to do to get you in this car TODAY?
Nov 15, 2002
3,428
0
Charlotte, NC
Bizutch... You will like Winterpark. The bike park is a lot of fun and much like SS in the summer there are deals to be had if you look. In the summer you just need to stay in the town vs the resort for deals, which is about a 10 minute drive or so from the resort. If I were you. I would ship my bike ahead of time (ground) to these guys.
http://www.acultureofspeed.com/

They had good insights on where to stay, what to ride etc and in general are just a good bunch of folks. Ask for Santiago.
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
If you want a chance at a bike park, you are basically looking at Winter Park (Trestle) and Sol Vista (which is not too far from winter park). The stuff that I will suggest is very touristy, but you are going with kids and that is the kind of stuff that kids generally like.

Estes Park: Tourists-Yep, but you can see tons of Elk, Buffalo and other animals there. You could also swing through the Stanley Hotel, which was built by the inventor of the Stanley Steamer, which they have displayed in the loby. It is also the Hotel that Stephen King based the book The Shining on. There are plenty of shops and such in town, including a little Go-kart/bumper water tube park. Hiking, rafting, fishing etc are all available.

St. Marys Glacier: Touristy-Yep. It's easy to get to and you could hit it up on the way to or from winter park. It's a short rocky hike from the parking lot up to a small glacial lake and glacier. A few hours would be plenty of time to spend there. It's sceanic, easy and your southern kids would get to play on the snow in the middle of the summer. I haven't been there in over 10 years, so I'm sure it has receded a bit, but it's been there since the ice age so kids seem to think that is cool.

If you are in Boulder, you can drive out through the Canyon to Golden and on to I-70 just south of Idaho springs. There is a lot of rock climbing and bouldering through the canyon..you can even pan for gold or swing up to BlackHawk and gamble in hopes of paying for your trip. This route will allow you to access St. Mary's and Winter Park. While in Boulder you can also see real live trust fund- want to be-hippies on the Pearl St. Mall.

If you are going budget, strap on your hiking boots..it's free and there is plenty of sceanic hikes in the mountains. I lived out there for about 10+ years, mostly in Vail and there are a lot of great hikes in that area. Piney Lake, in Vail is a great little gem and offers a great hike into the Gore Range. Just be aware that if you hike around the Boulder area, there is a pretty healthy mountain lion population.
 

$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
They're outdoorsy and like to hike and swim like fish. I was looking at Winter Park's website but looks like a lot of dough. I need a place that is like Snowshoe but in Colorado. Cheap hotel on site with fun passes tossed in.
oh, totally forgot about telluride. their public transportation is a system of mountain top gondolas, that's free, and runs from 7am - midnite 7days/wk. there's always living social / groupons / amazon stuff to lure you there (fun passes, etc.)

srsly, make a 2night stop over there; you won't regret it (but stay on the 'old' side of town, not the resort side).
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
A girl friend of mine was stalked by one there on a bike ride. She looked into the woods to see one running along side of her 10-20 yrds away.

Unlikely? Yes, but wareness never hurts.

BTW, Ballr here on RM runs Sol Vista's bike park (or at least is very involved). If you can get in touch with him he may have some suggestions of where to stay on a budget. He's OG Colorado.
 
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SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,378
12,533
In a van.... down by the river
A girl friend of mine was stalked by one there on a bike ride. She looked into the woods to see one running along side of her 10-20 yrds away.

Unlikely? Yes, but wareness never hurts.
Awareness that mt lions *exist* is fine... but the chances of a mt lion interacting with a group of people (solo is *slightly* less safe) is basically nil. It's nothing to worry about. And do NOT tell your wife.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
the most fun i had in colorado was the first time i moved there....living in breckenridge for a month...fvcking off on a 4 wheeler in the mtns at the end of tiger rd.
 
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$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
I'd like to say something sarcastic, but this sounds like a pretty cool family vacation.
only if he makes a stop at telluride; otherwise, meh

did i mention the gondola is free? they also all have bike hooks, so rent one for 4 hrs (~$50) & kill it. it's not sol vista / winterpark / keystone, but it's fun
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,927
14,445
where the trails are
Wildlife encounters are less about where you are and more what TIME you're there.

I'll just leave this here. :D


Butch: I'd think Crested Butte would be awesome that time of year.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
Wildlife encounters are less about where you are and more what TIME you're there.

I'll just leave this here. :D


Butch: I'd think Crested Butte would be awesome that time of year.
go to youtube and search mountain lion hunt hounds.......
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,531
Exit, CO
Crested Butte would/could be killer as well. Bike park, check? Super scenic, quaint, and awesome mountain town? Check. Plenty of hiking and other whatnot for family time? Errrr... most likely check as well. The definite downside of CB is that it's at the end of a road... and is kinda far away from a lot of stuff. Although on the way there or the way back you could spend a little time in Salida, and maybe check out some rafting. Pretty good whitewater there.

Telluride area is also cool, and if you couple it with some time in Durango that might work well. There's a freaking rad train that runs from Durango to Silverton that the family might dig, and halfway there's a resort that offers a nice canopy zip-line tour. Pretty nifty.

Steamboat might not be a bad choice either. Hot springs, bike park, hiking trails, cool town.

That said, as much as it pains me to say this, Winter Park has everything you've described, in spades. Other places could be just as cool, but the access WP has to Rocky Mountain National Park I think gives it an advantage.

Whatever you choose to do, hit www.vrbo.com and sort out your lodging. It's an awesome resource and I've always had killer luck finding a great place to stay for a reasonable rate.



BTW, Ballr here on RM runs Sol Vista's bike park (or at least is very involved). If you can get in touch with him he may have some suggestions of where to stay on a budget. He's OG Colorado.
MT and the Momentum guys have not been involved with the SolVista Bike Park for a couple of years now, FYI. The basic trail alignment from when they built everything still exists, and is generally still pretty fun, but the new company that has been contracted to maintain the bike park there does less than adequate trail feature construction, IMHO.
 

$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6


blowin' up quick
should be out by the time you get here.
but CO will look like NM
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
Dang...smoke on the mountain.

I like how the news only reports on how many multi-million dollar mega-homes are burning. To heck with the guy who has nothing and lost everything. We need to know about the rich and extravegant who have no place to vacation until the insurance policy builds them a new megapolis! :think:
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
Dang...smoke on the mountain.

I like how the news only reports on how many multi-million dollar mega-homes are burning. To heck with the guy who has nothing and lost everything. We need to know about the rich and extravegant who have no place to vacation until the insurance policy builds them a new megapolis! :think:
.
To be fair, a cheap place in Black Forest is gonna cost you a minimum of $350,000.
 

$tinkle

Expert on blowing
Feb 12, 2003
14,591
6
.
To be fair, a cheap place in Black Forest is gonna cost you a minimum of $350,000.
yeah, but it will come w/ 5 acres zoned for equestrians

and a heartbreak story: friend of mine just fixed up his place & was due to list it today, b/c they're underwater & were going to scale down.

1 out of 2 ain't bad?
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,138
16,537
Riding the baggage carousel.
yeah, but it will come w/ 5 acres zoned for equestrians

and a heartbreak story: friend of mine just fixed up his place & was due to list it today, b/c they're underwater & were going to scale down.

1 out of 2 ain't bad?
One of the night shift guys is transferring to BNA in two days. All his sh1t is packed for the move, but as of this morning he thinks his house is probably gone. Makes unpacking a lot easier I guess. :(