The 24 things to do in Colorado

Are you going to discover the Centennial State? Here are the 24 things to do to visit Colorado.

If the mythical large North American spaces make you dream, then you will love your stay in Colorado. Entrance door to the Far West, the state offers a huge variety of landscapes, from the softest to the most spectacular. Mountains, lakes, deserts and stunts: while walking around Colorado, you sometimes feel like embracing the diversity of American panoramas.

Nature has kept its rights in Colorado and can be welcoming. Over the centuries, American native tribes have lived in harmony with it, while settlers have sometimes tried to tame it, especially by digging deep mines in the rock.

As a result, the state is also the cradle of a unique culture and terroir, where traditions become intertwined and persisted. So what do we do in Colorado? Between nature, culture, adventure and history, discover our selection of the 24 essential things to visit Colorado.

In the heart of nature

1. Hiking in the Rockies

How to visit Colorado without passing through the largest mountain range in the United States? Emblemses if it is the gigantic, spectacular and wild nature of the country, the Rockies are a playground for seasoned hikers.

Do not resist the call of nature any longer and offer an unforgettable challenge in these epic mountains. Perhaps you will cross, on the way, some caribou and grizzlys, or traces of the native American tribes that once populated these lands.

2. Explore the Mesa Verde National Park

Located in the southwest of the state, the Plateau de Mesa Verde is both a beautiful natural park and a first-rate cultural and historical site. Indeed, native American tribes have shaped the ochre rock to build on the cliff of impressive villages.

Their remains remain today and are classified as Unesco’s world heritage. They are discovered through hiking in the spectacular canyon that cuts the plateau. A site to be discovered to visit Colorado.

3. Cruise on the Gunnison River

Although they are in dry places, Colorado’s lands are most often closed by a multitude of lakes, rivers and rivers.

The Gunnison River is one of the most beautiful examples. She dug spectacular gorges on her passage, which can be found on a kayak or other boats. In our view, this is one of the most beautiful nature activities to visit Colorado!

4. Admire waterfalls

Borrowed by many rivers, Colorado naturally offers a multitude of waterfalls and waterfalls that are worth a look. Among them, we recommend the Hanging Lake, Fish Creek, or the Booth Falls. Unable to visit Colorado without admiring a waterfall!

5. Discover the Colorado National Monument Park

The natural park of Colorado National Monument is another popular hiking site for those who go to Colorado. At a loss of sight, the red rock forms monumental concretions, similar to immense sculptures. If you have the opportunity to visit the Colorado National Monument at sunset, you will keep a magical souvenir.

6. Swimming in a lake

Visiting Colorado is inevitably passing through one of its many lakes, nestled at the hollow of mountains and forests. Often, a myriad of colors is reflected in it, forming landscapes of postcard.

It is difficult to mention only a few names as many beautiful lakes are in Colorado. However, we especially recommend you go to see it Grand Lake Crater Lake, Dream Lake and Chasm Lake. And for swimming and nautical activities, Colorado offers a multitude of artificial lakes particularly pleasant.

7. Hiking in the Maroon Bells

The Crater Lake, which we have just mentioned, is located in the Maroon Bells Natural Park. In its peaceful waters are reflected the mountains with violet shades, with conifers, which border it. This is the type of idyllic landscape you can discover by hiking in the Maroon Bells, one of the most beautiful natural sites to visit in Colorado.

8. Admire the dunes of the Great Sand Dunes National Park

If we tell you that you could visit Colorado while imagining yourself at the other end of the world? Discover the Great Sand Dunes National Park!

With its sand dunes at a loss of sight, this majestic natural site has false airs of Sahara. We would almost forget that it is at the foot of green mountains, typical of Colorado.

Local cities and traditions

9. Spend a day in Denver

If you want to visit Colorado, then the capital of the state deserves a visit day. Indeed, if the city was once the bastion of ambitious gold researchers and cowboys, it is today a pleasant stopover for visitors regardless of their tastes.

In terms of culture, don’t miss the Denver Art Museum, which houses one of the most beautiful collections of American native art in the world. In terms of entertainment, the capital of Colorado has a thousand activities to offer, from the zoo to the children's museum, to a multitude of restaurants. Not to mention the sport, of course!

10. Play a game of Colorado Rockies or Denver Nuggets

Yes: If you plan to visit Colorado and especially Denver, we can only advise you to take a look at the match schedule of the two local flagship teams. If you're a basketball fan, it would be a shame to miss this opportunity to see Denver's Nuggets play a NBA game. But your stay can also be an opportunity to (re)discover an unknown sport in France, baseball, mixing with Colorado Rockies fans.

11. Attending a rodeo

What if you take advantage of your visit to Colorado to discover a much more unusual sport activity: rodeo? True to its cowboy land legend, the Colorado still continues this tradition today. Throughout the summer, you will be able to attend rodeos across the state.

12. Participate in a food contest

Visiting Colorado is also discovering unusual popular traditions. Place aux food festivals ! This event that celebrates the products of local agriculture throughout the state, makes food a real show. But the inhabitants of Colorado are also lovers of food contests , these competitions consisting of swallowing as soon as possible a monumental amount of food. So, will you dare to take up the challenge?

13. See a concert at Red Rocks Park

Allure nature and culture if you go to Colorado, it is possible! The inhabitants of the state have invented all kinds of ways to live in the grandiose landscapes around them. Red Rocks Park is an emblematic example.

In this splendid nature reserve, a large amphitheatre was built, which hosts an excellent concert program. Seeing your favourite artists in a magical setting, this is one of the unforgettable experiences you will be given to do in Colorado!

14. Dive into the Far West atmosphere of Telluride

You have already discovered the capital dynamics of the state, and want to visit another city in Colorado to discover another of its facets? In this case, the city of Telluride can be an excellent choice.

At the heart of a majestic nature, Telluride is a city that embodies the spirit Far West. Its streets, so typical, have also served as a decor to several films, and will probably inspire you beautiful pictures. But the city is also an excellent starting point to enjoy nature activities, from hiking to fishing to winter sports.

Sports activities

15. Enjoy winter sports

A mountainous region, Colorado is a true paradise for winter sports enthusiasts, which it welcomes in many resorts. Among them, we particularly appreciate the charm of Aspen and Breckenridge, former mining cities converted into hupped stations for the first, arty For the second. So why not take advantage of a visit to Colorado to ski in an enchanting setting?

16. Sports activities at the Garden of the Gods

If you're visiting Colorado with a family, you'll be especially pleased to spend a day at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Famous for its red and sharp geological formations, this large protected park offers a multitude of activities.

For example, you can rent mountain bikes or segways, climb, hike, or adventure routes. But the place also offers all kinds of ways to observe nature, with guides or equipped with cameras.

17. Borrowing the Alpine Loop with ATV

Created at the end of the 19th century, the Alpine Loop is a 129-kilometre long mountain circuit in the south-west of the state. By walking in mountain biking, you will offer a great sporting challenge, while enjoying spectacular landscapes.

Over the course of the walk you will climb two summits, for a total of 2377 meters of elevation. But you will be rewarded by beautiful panoramas which, indeed, are not without recalling our French Alps .

18. Participate in the Pikes Peak Coastal Race

If you want to enjoy the bowl of pure air that offers a visit to Colorado to physically exceed you, we recommend the Pikes Peak race. This famous rib race takes place every year in summer since 1916.

Long 20 kilometers, the road will make you climb 1440 meters above sea level and take no less than 156 turns. An activity to be done in Colorado for belly adventurers!

19. Water activities

Land of lakes, mountains, streams and waterfalls, Colorado is a dream playground to practice all kinds of nautical activities. For example, you can make great canoe rides, but also try rafting, canyoning, or paddle. Your thirst for outdoor adventures will thus be amply satisfied.

History and industrial heritage

20. Visit the Mollie Kathleen gold mine in Cripple Creek

The wealth of Colorado soils has made it a land of pioneers, who have dug many mines to harvest gold, silver and other minerals. This mining past marked both the history of the state and its landscapes, giving rise to new cities throughout the nineteenth century.

In Cripple Creek, Colorado’s mining history is coming to life under your eyes, as you can still visit Mollie Kathleen’s gold mine. An instructive and disappointing six-foot underground visit to discover another facet of Colorado.

21. Discover fossils at Dinosaur National Monument

We find treasures in Colorado soils! At the National Monument Dinosaur, it is a multitude of fossils that you will be invited to deny. And more specifically, dinosaur fossils, who lived many in this region on horseback on Colorado and Utah.

22. Visit the ghost town of Saint Elmo

Amateurs of unusual visits, here is an activity you need to do in Colorado. Saint Elmo is one of the 250 ghost cities in the state. It is in fact old mining cities abandoned at the close of the mine. This fascinating visit will make you make a real journey in time.

23. Borrow a steam train

Don't stop at ghost cities: Colorado also knows how to lose its industrial heritage and give it a new life. In this way, several steam trains still circulate in the state for the greatest pleasure of visitors, such as the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Let's go!

24. Visit the Museum of the Mountain West in Montrose

If you are visiting Montrose, Colorado, the visit to the Museum of the Mountain West is immanquable. It consists of a life-size reconstruction at the time of the Far West, in the form of a village filled with objects of time. The little ones like the big ones love!

How to get to Colorado?

Denver Airport is served by several companies from Paris most often with correspondence.

To find the ideal flight, it is recommended to use a flight comparison as Skyscanner . Once in the State, the most practical is rent a car to move freely, including towards natural sites.

Where to stay in Colorado?

You will find, of course, a rich offer of accommodation in large cities such as Denver or Colorado Springs. However, in view of the large distances that separate the different sites of interest from the state, it is likely that you will be required to visit Colorado in roaming.

The many ski resorts can then be good benchmarks to find accommodations close to nature activities. Don’t worry if you’re visiting Colorado in the summer: these dynamic small cities usually live throughout the year.

Anyway, one Compare hotels You will be able to view the offer of accommodation in the different regions of Colorado in a glance. In addition, if you want a little more intimate comfort and close to the premises, think about the rental of a Airbnb .