This joyous roadside hike is perfect for people of all ages. It's short, and even amateur…read moreboot-strappers from the lowlands or sea level, who routinely struggle at altitude, should be able to make it up and down. Mountain lions do call the area home, as is the case across the high country. What was different here was the size of kitty potty found on the trail. It was 18 inches long. Translation: very big cat. With 4,000 puma statewide, for me, by way of trail signs, this has been a pretty active region. One of the best visuals came one winter while snowshoeing in a remote, deep snowscape. I followed the extended gait of a fellow traveler, in five to ten foot snow, thoroughly enjoying the easily identifiable stride set by a very large mountain lion, the top of the snow constantly disrupted by the sashay of its tail on the rising and falling terra of rolling hills and high alpine meadow.

Nice place with good views and a moderate hike. Ample parking and best of all, it's free!read more

Sneaky cool park. Limited infrastructure that gets job done for access. Enough interpretative…read morecontent to get a sense of area. Really rock formations. Nice low key campsite. A cool place to check out.

One of my Earthwatch colleagues had this place on her "Bucket List". So after a long Friday out in…read morethe San Juan Rift, we stopped at Penitente Canyon for a hike and a few cold beers. Years ago, Penitente Canyon served as a place of worship for Los Hermanos Penitente. The Brothers, Spanish and Indian men of deep faith and commitment, preferred to live secluded in the foothills and canyons of the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains to practice their religion freely. In some areas you can see historic/religious painting left behind on the rocks. Penitente Canyon, while quite secluded, has also emerged as one of Colorado's premier rock climbing areas. The area is part of the 7,529 acre Penitente Canyon Special Recreation Management Area of the BLM. Our group had a wonderful time hiking the canyons, clamoring over the "Rock Garden" and watching climbers in various stages of ascent and decent. It's a beautiful area and well worth a trip in this somewhat remote region. Our late afternoon visit was also the perfect beginning of a busy weekend and a great opportunity to just hang out with new friends.

Emelia is the best river guide ever!!! She took us down in the big 16' raft with 7 of us…read morepassengers and navigated the river like a pro. She's super funny (dry humor, great wit and some hilarious group shots!) and very river savvy. We were safe and it was so fun!! We rafted on a day later in the season with the Animas river running about 200cfs--perfect for a group of with children, novices adults and an active senior. We didn't get stuck once and made it through some tight fits without even touching the boulders. "All Net!" we told her :) The Mountain Waters Rafting crew were awesome. Loved the lead guide's safety presentation that was peppered with some great humour. Punctual; clean gear; loved all the writing in the bus. Great place. Can't wait to book more adventures with them!

Relaxing, Fun, and Perfect for the Whole Family!…read more Our family (kids ages 8 to 15) had an absolute blast rafting with Mountain Waters. It was the perfect mix of relaxing and fun--just enough adventure to keep everyone engaged without being intense. Sam, our guide, was fantastic. She made the whole trip a blast with her quick humor and steady stream of bad dad jokes (which I'll admit--I appreciated more than I should've). She kept the kids laughing and made the whole experience feel easy and memorable. The photos turned out amazing, and I'm just glad we all stayed safe during Beaver Shark season. Highly recommend for families looking for a fun, light adventure with a great guide.

Excellent staff - professional, highly skilled and knowledgeable. We had a great day of fun on our…read morerafting adventure. Ethan did an excellent job of communicating and guiding our group of mixed newbies and old timers. Highly recommend Journey Quest!

We Absolutely loved our rafting trip with journey quest! They were very helpful when we called to…read morebook and very responsive via email even after hours. The guides were all very friendly and knowledgeable. Our guide, Nate even gave my teenager a quick lesson on how to guide the raft. Nate was also very cautious and attentive to my 8 yr old and ensured he felt included and safe. We will definitely recommend journey quest to our friends and family and we will definitely use them for our next rafting trip!

Our family spent a glorious morning on day before the 4th with Mountain Man on the RioGrande. About…read more25 years ago when our kids were small we used to take them on the river with MM. Today my daughter Diana is a guide with them on the river so we all went out with her and had a great time. She knows what she's doing and is part of an excellent team. The river was a bit low making for some fun navigation. All their equipment is first class and they do more than just rafting so check it out. We really having everyone with an oar in the water and taking directions as we navigate the Rock Garden, having water fights and stopping for some swimming and snacks. My kids are now in their mid-20's+ but we had as much fun as when they were five. The scenery between Wagon Wheel Gap and South Fork is as good as it gets on any river. So be sure to add it to your to-do list while in the Valley, and ask for Diana!

I live in Creede year-round and always take our friends/family/guests on a rafting trip with…read moreMountain Man! It's always a hit a great way to experience the beauty of the Rio, learn about these mountains towns, and enjoy a peaceful float. I look forward to next time!