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...

Start at the Music Pass trail head south of Westcliffe, Colorado off County Road 119. You will need a 4x4 with high clearance to get to the actual trailhead as the last 2.5 miles are rough. Otherwise, park at the Crape Creek TH and walk the 2.5 miles up to Music Pass Trailhead.Once on the trail...

Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, Willow Lake offers a stunning destination to a rigorous hike. The hike is approximately 9 miles out and back with 2800 feet of elevation gain. The trail is well marked and maintained. However, the hike rarely levels off. Be prepared for a steady incline...

There are a couple different trailheads that lead to Kit Carson Peak, but the one from Willow Creek Trailhead will give you the opportunity to peak another fourteener, Challenger Point, and let you pass through and/or camp at Willow Lake, which is a beautiful destination by itself. If approaching...

Venable-Comanche Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Westcliffe, Colorado.

Start out on the Shavano and Tabeguache Trailhead off of FR 252 outside of Poncha Springs, at about 9,700 feet, and begin your trek into the forest. In the first half of a mile there are a few trail marker signs that should be read carefully to insure the right path is followed, but these signs ...

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...

Head toward Nathrop, CO on U.S. High 295. Turn east between mile markers 144 and 145 onto Chaffee County Road 301. Take the road until the pavement runs out and turn right onto Chaffee County Road 300. Drive a couple miles on the road and through the Ruby Mountain campgrounds (paid lots only) unt...

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...

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...

Few places can match the epic scale of this bizarre wilderness in southern Colorado. Great Sand Dunes National Park contains 750 foot tall sand dunes (the tallest in North America) resting at the foot of 13,000 foot peaks (the Sangre de Cristo range). However, to really experience the park in its...

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...

The Basics: Picture this: Winter on Colorado's Front Range. It snowed yesterday. You're stir crazy because today it's 60 degrees and sunny outside, but the trails are a muddy mess! Cue Oil Well Flats. Located just an hour outside of Colorado Springs, this trail network rarely sees precipitation, ...

When you begin the trail, make sure to choose the correct trailhead from the parking lot (located on the south side of the lot to the left, NOT behind the bathroom). From there, begin a moderate climb through a shaded fir forest to the tree line. Emerge in a meadow at a pond and the lower lake, ...

This is a great hike that is very close to Buena Vista, CO. This trail is on the east side of town and is accessible in the spring. The hardest part of the hike is locating the trail-head. It is located in the northern part of Four Mile Canyon and is in San Isabel National forest. Starting in Bue...

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...