Colorado holidays - Nature-loving, invigorating and active

Where life is spent slow-paced and al fresco

With 52 national parks, 80 vineyards, mild summers and spectacular landscape, ranching holidays in Colorado can be enjoyed all year round. With a reputation for outstanding hiking, wildlife viewing and pony-trekking, Colorado holidays encapsulate a diversely outdoor, mountain lifestyle.

Explore Colorado

Ranching holidays, either at a working ranch or a guest ranch, are amazing experiences that allow you to get up close and personal with the mountains of Colorado, cascading waterfalls and endless wilderness. Nothing will get you there quicker and more realistically than feeling the undulating landscape beneath the horse’s hooves, as it works its way over the terrain, so clutch the reins, tip your hat and spur your heels further up the trail. Guest ranches also offer a host of other activities and that include; fishing, hiking, rafting, clay shooting, rodeo, sightseeing tours and evening entertainment.

The historic city of Denver is steeped in Wild West history and is known as the gateway to Colorado. It is home to impressive modern arts and culture, wineries, and a myriad of attractions. Colorado Railroad Museum tells the story of the railways in the history of the US. Royal Gorge Rafting, near Canyon City, offers amazing zip line rides through the treetops. Horse riding at Tumbling River Ranch in Denver allows guests to dive into an authentic Colorado experience.

Further reading: Top 10 outdoor adventures in Colorado

When to go to Colorado

Holidays in Colorado enjoy the state’s varied seasonal climate due to varied terrain made up of mountains, foothills, high plains, and desert – each displaying a varied microclimate. Northeast, east, and southeast Colorado are mostly the high plains, while northern Colorado is a mix of high plains, foothills, and mountains.

Visiting Colorado

Colorado is one of the most beautiful mountainous states in the US. American Sky’s tours such as Rocky Mountain Frontiers, offers visitors the chance to see the very best scenic highlights that the state has to offer. It begins in Denver and ends in LA, taking in the very best sights from Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon. The seven-night Wild West Cowboys & Buffalos begins in Salt Lake City and ends in Utah taking in a horseshoe trail, covering surrounding states.

Touring in Colorado

Whether you prefer self-drive or escorted tours, it is absolutely the very best way of soaking up the Rocky Mountains and majestic forestry that make Colorado so special. Wonders of the American West is a nine-night tour starting in Denver and ending with two nights at the Grand Canyon.

Holiday highlights

• Mesa Verde National Park
• Glenwood Springs
• Bear Lake
• Rio Grande National Forest
• Rocky Mountain National Park
• Pagosa Springs
• Hovenweep National Monument
• Colorado Springs
• Colorado Railroad Museum
• Roxborough State Park in Littleton