trails, which in turn attach to dirt trails for
both hiking and mountain bike adventures.
Even more urbanized bike trails will take
riders past dozens of local attractions, such
as the Cherry Creek Shopping District, the
REI flagship store, Chatfield State Park and
Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Park.
Denver Parks and Recreation happily
provides bicycling, hiking and jogging path
suggestions about the area’s 250 parks.
The department can be contacted either by
phone (720-913-0696) or through its website
( www.denvergov.org/parks).
The Colorado Trail— a 483-mile-long stretch
running from Waterton Canyon near southwestern Denver to Durango—provides an
option for the serious mountain bikers and
hikers. The Colorado Trail Foundation partnered with the United States Forest Service
to build and maintain the trail, considered by
many to be the preeminent outdoor adventure in the Denver area. Most people go on
daytrips along the trail, and it is suitable
for beginners and experts, with a variety of
options for skill level and length of trail.
The Colorado Trail is a destination for anyone
who is interested in long distance biking.
People actually come from around the world
to experience it. According to the Colorado
Trail Foundation, “It is possible to do the trail
and detours via bike without any vehicular
support by re-supplying in Frisco, Leadville,
Buena Vista and Silverton. Allow maybe 15
to 20 days for the trip. Cyclists can also travel
the entire trail with detours in a variety of
supported ways, lighten their load and trim
their number of days. A mountain bike is a
great way to travel the trail, but expect to
push the bike on some of the steeper, rockier
pitches.” For more information on the Colorado Trail, visit www.coloradotrail.org.
WHITE WATER RAFTING
The white water rafting industry in Colo-
rado is thriving, and continues to grow each
year as more people discover this exciting
pastime that allows participants to see some
of the most beautiful parts of Colorado.
The state has some excellent rapids. More
than 20 rivers across eight major basins
in the state attract rafting outfitters. The
most popular rivers are the Colorado and
Arkansas. Rafting season starts in May,
peaks in mid-June and continues into the
fall. Sometimes the season will extend into
April or October. Rafters hoping for big
waves should go earlier in the season. There
are a number of rafting outfitters that offer
short expeditions that are suitable for chil-
dren and adult beginners, as well as thrilling
journeys of several days or longer for the
more adventurous and experienced. For
more information on rafting outfitters, visit
www.coloradoraftingassociation.com.
BOATING
Many people throughout the metro Denver
region enjoy boating. One reason for this
might be the large number of lakes and
waterways for boating, swimming, fishing
and more. The following listings provide
information about some of the Denver
area’s boating resources, including lakes,
clubs, and parks that permit boating.
Aurora Reservoir
5800 S. Powhatan Road, Aurora, 80013
303-690-1286; www.auroragov.org
Bear Creek Lake Park
15600 W. Morrison Road
Lakewood, 80465; 303-697-6159
www.lakewood.org/bclp
Cherry Creek Marina & Yacht Club
4800 S. Dayton St.,
Greenwood Village, 80111; 303-779-6144
www.cherrycreekmarina.com
North Shore Marina at
Chatfield State Park
11500 N. Roxborough Park Road
Littleton, 80125
303-791-5555; www.cpw.state.co.us
Quincy Reservoir
17900 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora, 80015
303-693-5463; www.auroragov.org
Standley Lake Regional Park
9785 Eagle View Loop, Westminster, 80021
303-425-1097; www.ci.westminster.co.us
CLIMBING
Coloradans love mountain climbing—
whether inside or outdoors. Not ready to
climb the Rockies? Indoor climbing walls
dot the metro Denver area, offering opportunities to safely learn climbing techniques
before traversing the natural rock faces of
the outdoors.
Erie Community Center
450 Powers St., Erie, 80516
303-926-2550; www.erieco.gov
Paradise Rock Gym
6260 N. Washington Street, Suite 5
Denver, 80216; 303-286-8168
www.paradiserock.com
REI
1416 Platte Street, Denver, 80202
303-756-3100; www.rei.com
ROCK’n & JAM’n
9499 Washington Sreet, Unit C
Thornton, 80229; 303-254-6299
www.rocknandjamn.com
Thrillseekers Inc.
1912 S. Broadway, Denver, 80210
303-733-8810; www.thrillseekers.cc
Westminster City Park
10455 Sheridan Blvd., Westminster, 80030
303-460-9690; www.ci.westminster.co.us
Wheat Ridge Recreation Center
4005 Kipling St., Wheat Ridge, 80033
303-231-1300; www.ci.wheatridge.co.us
HUNTING AND FISHING
Hunters and fishers rejoice! Colorado has
ample opportunities for both activities.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages 230
wildlife areas and oversees 6,000 miles
of streams and more than 2,000 lakes
and reservoirs. The department regulates
fishing activities for fish found in the waters
of Colorado, including rainbow trout
and walleye—popular species for fishing.
The division publishes a weekly report of
Colorado’s fishing conditions in order to
keep fishers informed. The department
