Villa Grove, Colorado

Joyful Journey hot springs offers the full hotel and spa treatment, but in a valley where most people live off the grid, we chose the more rugged experience.The yurts gather together like penguins huddling not far from the springs. The wooden slates offer welcome relief from the frigid valley wea...

The Area: The maze of large round boulders in Penitente Canyon was once a refuge for a radical Christian sect. Now it is home to some radical mountain biking trails! Think Moab features, Fruita flow, and no crowds. Read below to find out the best trails to ride in this area, and combine riding wi...

This is an awesome camp spot for individuals who do not have a 4x4 or AWD and want a secluded getaway! It does require to drive about 3 miles along a dirt road before arriving at the dead end of 188A, but can be easily cleared. From what I could see on the drive in there were only 4 camp spots de...

If you're willing to go off the beaten path to a neat little ghost town, St. Elmo, Colorado is the place for you! About 2 and a half hours west of Colorado Springs, Colorado lies the town of St. Elmo, high up in the White River National Forest.The town itself was founded in 1880 when they discov...

Skyline drive is a one way scenic roadway mainly going north to south. The 3 mile drive takes you about 800 feet above Cañon City. It starts on the west side of 50, and ends in a residential neighborhood southwest of where it begins. There are multiple pull offs on the right and left side of the...

Wherever you are in Colorado, turn your route towards Buena Vista in South West Colorado - you will not be disappointed. To start, Buena Vista is a really cool town with great places to eat and visit. So make sure you check out the city before heading up Cottonwood Pass. When you are ready to hea...

Where to camp: San Luis State Park is located 15 miles west of Great Sand Dunes National Park, San Luis State Park features views of San Luis Lake, the Great Sand Dunes and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The campground provides water and hot showers, which we enjoyed after a day of hiking the d...

The Great Sand Dunes are one the most unique landscapes in Colorado. These massive dunes are the tallest sand dunes in North America. Hiking these dunes can be very difficult, but well worth the amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. If you plan on visiting in the summer, be sure t...

Outside of the national park there are two different companies that can rent sand boards and sleds for your day use at around $20 per board per day. However, If it is raining a lot and the dunes are too wet, or if the dunes are frosted over both companies will not rent out their boards in order t...

The Mosca Pass trail is an (approx) 6.5 mile out and back hike that takes you through beautiful ponderosa and aspen forests to summit 1500 above the start. The trailhead parking is the first left after the Great Sand Dunes visitor center. It is a moderate hike, but allow for several hours, as the...

Finding a winter or early spring adventure that won't take you deep into dangerous mountain territory, while still providing epic vistas, is a challenge in Colorado. There are a few 10,000' tall ranges that sometimes escape deep snow, which are inviting for a first step into the alpine wonderland...

This Trail starts at about 11,200 feet right before the top of cottonwood pass. The trailhead starts at the LAST pull-off before you reach the top of the pass, so if you reach the top, you've gone too far. The hike isn't a super difficult one, but you will go through numerous streams and flooded ...

Shelf Road is secluded, rural, and has great climbing. There are so many areas to choose from and it has a great diversity of route levels (mostly sport routes). My personal favorite area is "The Gallery" and "The Bank." Everyone is friendly and gives each other a hand.Sand Gulch Campground, righ...

Shelf Road, which was once a toll road from Cripple Creek to Canon City, is now a maintained dirt road that most high clearance two wheel drive cars can make.  It will take over an hour to travel the 25 miles or so, and it can be completed going from north to south or the opposite.  I will explai...

Starting in the town of Buena Vista, head west on E Main Street until it turns into State Highway 306. After about 40 minutes of driving and some winding roads the Continental Divide sign welcomes you to a gravel parking lot. You can get out and hike as you please, but the view from the parking l...

Starting at the North Cottonwood trailhead just outside of Buena Vista, Colorado. This hike will take you 4.5 miles to the lake with about 2750 feet of elevation gain. The hike is mostly mellow and you'll likely see hikers heading up to Horn Fork basin to hike Mt. Harvard and Columbia. Campsites ...