|
Denver OutdoorsIf you enjoy hiking and rock climbing combined with unique sightseeing opportunities you will enjoy many of the trails in the area. If you are more of a nature enthusiast you can enjoy a unique combination of activities from wildlife watching to educational presentations at a beautiful state park. There are lakes to please any one who enjoys fly fishing that also provide a beautiful backdrop for outdoor photographers. Denver offers a fine golfing experience with a choice of courses. If you are feeling a little more adventurous you could go whitewater rafting or take a trip in a hot air balloon. Fly Fishing The Flyfisher,
Ltd. Golfing City Park
Golf Course Evergreen
Golf Course Wellshire
Golf Course Willis Case
Golf Course Hiking Colorado
Trail Mountain Biking Colorado
HeartCycle Association Visiting Area Parks Barr Lake
State Park Castlewood
Canyon State Park Chatfield
State Park Cherry Creek
State Park Whitewater Rafting Geo Tours/Whitewater
Raft Trips Rio Expeditions Hot Air Ballooning Life Cycle
Balloon Adventures, Ltd. |
||
|
The
Flyfisher, Ltd. promises a unique and rewarding fishing experience in
the serene streams of central Colorado. The Flyfisher offers all types
of fishing gear and information, although it specializes in fly-fishing
equipment, guides, and classes. The professional and attentive guides
lead adventurous tourists, year-round, into the wilds of Colorado to search
for the ever-elusive trout and throngs of other species of fish. The informative
guides discuss entomology, provide technical assistance, supply the proper
fly, and exhibit successful techniques; they cater to guests of all skill
levels. Tours are custom designed to suit the needs of any visitor, from
the avid fisherman who wishes to be waist deep in a stream from dusk till
dawn to the family that desires a tour of the countryside and a quick
dip and lesson. Please call the Flyfisher at (800) 922-5014 to schedule
a class or tour.
City
Park Golf Course offers all the joys of an 18-hole regulation course with
panoramic views of downtown Denver and the surrounding mountain ranges.
Visitors, surprised by the unique challenges of this course, play on greens
and fairways that are spread across undulating hills densely populated
with trees. The picturesque scenery only adds to the deep relaxation of
the game. Please call the City Park Golf Course, located on the corner
of York Street and 26th Avenue, at (303) 295-4420 for more information.
Evergreen
Golf Course, which premiered in 1925 to rave reviews, continues to attract
masses of avid golfers to its 18-hole course and the countryside setting
where it abides. Evergreen – the only municipal course located outside
of Denver – offers a unique setting created in the middle of a ponderosa
and Scotch pine forest, which slopes down to the radiant Evergreen Lake.
The skyscape bursts forth through the majestic trees and reveal a pristine
sierra. Emulating Scottish designs, Evergreen confronts its visitors with
“blind” approaches and imperceptibly complicated hazards.
Visitors, up to the challenge, should call (303) 674-4128 for reservations
or information.
The
Wellshire Golf Course, designed by Donald Ross in 1926, is one of the
top-rated public courses in America. With a winding layout that curves
through long standing trees, Wellshire offers an experience made challenging
by the flora that surrounds it. Locals, realizing that the foliage obscures
a golfer’s view, have seen fit to rename holes 12 and 14 “amen
corner.” If the challenge doesn’t bring you back to Wellshire,
the verdure of the vegetation, the beauty of the streams, the magnificence
of the waterfalls, and the serenity of the lakes will. Please call the
course, located at 3333 S. Colorado Blvd., at (303) 692-5636 to reserve
a tee time.
The
well-bunkered holes of Willis Case Golf Course spread out under spectacular
Rocky Mountain vistas. The slender, inclined fairways that lead to diminutive
greens are surrounded by a myriad of old trees. Visitors consistently
return to Willis Case because of the challenge of the claustrophobic course
and the sheer splendor of the surrounding nature. Willis Case, located
at 4999 Vrain St. across the street from Inspiration Point Park, offers
resplendent views of both Denver and the encircling mountains and prairies.
Visitors can call Willis Case at (303) 458-4877 for information and reservations.
Meandering
from Denver to Durango, the Colorado Trail offers a 500-mile path that
traverses eight mountain ranges, seven national forests, six wilderness
areas, and five river systems. Showcasing some of the most picturesque
settings in Colorado, the Colorado Trail leads visitors from peaceful
savannahs to craggy mountaintops. Visitors find that the trail is a unique
challenge because of the drastic changes in altitude and the huge area
that it covers. The trail, maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation
(CTF), offers less-experienced hikers short circular trails so they too
can experience the grandeur of wild Colorado. Please contact the CTF at
(303) 384-3729 for trail maps or more information.
Since
its inception in 1980, the Colorado HeartCycle Association has strived
to dispel the commonly accepted myth that strenuous activity at high altitude
is detrimental to the heart and lungs. The HeartCycle, also the name of
the main event the association holds each year, has grown steadily ever
since – expanding outside of the Front Range area in 1985, outside
of the state in 1986, and outside of the country in 1988. Today the organization
offers 16 separate tours (of varying degrees of difficulty) that are located
all around the world. The tours are limited to members of the association;
however, anyone can obtain a membership by filling out an additional section
of the registration form at www.heartcycle.org. Membership is $20 for
individuals and $25 for families. Please visit the website or call the
HeartLine at (303) 267-1112 for more information.
Barr
Lake State Park is a naturalist’s dream come true. With 330 species
of birds identified in the park, Barr Lake offers some of the finest bird-watching
in the state. Whether sitting at ease in the lakeside gazebo, punting
on the lake, or riding the Eagle Express (a motorized shuttle trail ride),
visitors will see wildlife roaming free in this unspoiled patch of wilderness.
The park also includes a vital wildlife refuge and the extraordinary Colorado
Bird Observatory. As motorized boats are limited to 10 horsepower or less,
the placid waters of the lake are preserved for those who wish to go sailing
or canoeing. Hunting and fishing are allowed in certain locations with
the proper permits that can be obtained at the park office, which is located
at 13401 Picadilly Road. Please call the park at (390) 659-6005 for more
information.
Castlewood
Canyon State Park, located in the Black Forest of central Colorado, offers
a multitude of distractions for its visitors – hiking, rock climbing,
sightseeing, and bird- watching are just some examples of what this park
has to offer. The ruins of the 100-year-old Castlewood Canyon Dam provide
a starting point for many of the trails, which lead down into the canyon.
As visitors descend into the canyon, they can catch an altitudinous view
of the remarkable canyon walls and unique ruins of the valley. The park,
located at 2989 S. State Highway 83, is open from 8 a.m. to sunset each
day except national holidays. Visitors may contact the park office at
(303) 688-5242 for more information.
Just
outside of the Denver Metropolitan area, Chatfield State Park’s
intricate system of hiking trails winds through the undulating hills and
substantial reservoir of the park. The serene environs and immaculate
scenery attract 1.5 million visitors each year. Chatfield, the closest
full-service state park to Denver, offers camping, hiking, biking, horseback
riding, a marina, and a hot air balloon launch. The parks multifarious
ecology makes the complex system of trails the most popular attraction
in the park. Please call the park office at (303) 791-7275 for more information.
Cherry
Creek State Park, complete with an 880-square-foot lake, specializes in
aquatic recreational activities. Boating, fishing, and swimming are the
big draws here, although the park also offers camping opportunities, picnic
facilities, an observation platform for bird-watching and wildlife viewing,
and a system of trails that wind through the foothills of the Rockies.
The park, located at 4201 S. Parker Road, is also the launching point
of many whitewater rafting trips offered in the area. Visitors can reach
the park at (303) 699-3860 for more information.
Geo
Tours has been safely conducting visitors downstream since it opened in
1981. Choosing to stay small in size, Geo Tours offers a more personalized
service than other local competitors. Whether you’re looking for
a heart-pounding descent with big air or a leisurely float down river,
Geo Tours will supply everything you need to enjoy your adventure. They’ll
even rearrange launch times around your schedule and provide transportation
to your raft when possible. Geo Tours’ guides are all certified
in first aid and CPR, and their desire to impart river safety upon their
guests supersedes their expansive knowledge of geology, natural history,
and useless trivia. Please call Geo Tours at (800) 660-7238 for reservations
or more information.
Rio
Expeditions, a family owned and operated facility, offers whitewater rafting,
fishing, and mountain biking tours. Brad Crimmins, the president and founder
of Rio Expeditions, has been guiding guests downstream for 19 years; the
professional staff is certified in first aid, CPR, and river rescue –
exceeding all state requirements. Rio Expeditions, located at 8249 Webster
St. in Arvada, offers a multitude of tour options and are willing to meet
the special needs of any individual or group. Their state-of-the-art rafts
are fully equipped with life jackets, wet suits, first-aid supplies, and
cell phones (in case of emergency). Transportation to and from your car
is provided, and rides from Denver or other locations can be arranged.
Call Rio Expeditions at (800) 291-2080 for reservations (which require
a 50 percent deposit) or more information.
Visitors
to Denver should consider a trip to Life Cycle Balloon Adventures, Ltd.
for an exciting adventure floating high above the Rocky Mountains. A special
treat for the entire family, Hot Air Ballooning in Colorado offers panoramic
mountain views and a chance to skim along the surface of a river or the
treetops. Life Cycle, the oldest ballooning company in Colorado, uses
only balloons that are inspected and certified by the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA); their pilots are all experienced and licensed by
the FAA. Using the various layers of wind, these professional pilots steer
the balloon along a path, five to 10 miles in length and one to 1½
hours in duration. Reservations are not required, but it is suggested
that you make them two weeks in advance in order to guarantee your desired
flight date. Visitors may contact Life Cycle at (800) 980-9272 for reservations
or information.