Great place to hike during the summer too! Not as well known. Highly recommended to folks headed…read morethis way

Wow. Grand Lake is so beautiful. My husband and I came up for a few hours from Granby to enjoy some…read moresnowshoeing. The rental process was very simple and they sent us out with the map and a few recommendations. We absolutely loved the 2.5 mile loop trail at the beginning (going clockwise around the loop), but about 1/5th of the way around the loop, the trail and sine age completely disappeared. We did follow snowshoe trails that (we ended up learning) were developed by people who just made their own trail. It was impossible to know which way to go, and crazy enough, we had four bars of service with AT&T while on the mountain, so we called back to the Nordic Center for help, and they recommended we head back towards the Nordic Center the way we came, so we did. It was a little disappointing since we never made it out to the river or to see the bridge, but you can only be disappointed for so long when you're surrounded with such beauty.

Great mountain offering bunny slope area and green runs for beginner skiers or snowboarders…read more Also one of the few that offer night skiing. There's a small cafe that serves drinks and food.

I visited Echo Mountain as a first-time snowboarder and paid for rentals, lift access, and a…read morehelmet. I was directed to the beginner area with the understanding that staff would be hands-on and supportive with new riders. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. The staff lacked warmth and did not provide the level of hands-on guidance that beginners need. When I asked for help, the assistance felt hesitant and dismissive rather than instructional. I was sent down the beginner slope without being taught how to stop, slow down, or fall safely. As a result, I gained speed quickly, fell backward, and hit my head on the ice (despite wearing a helmet). I was visibly distressed and remained on the slope for some time without staff checking on me or intervening, which was concerning given that other beginners were actively using the area. Due to the lack of instruction, attentiveness, and overall care, I did not feel safe continuing and was unable to use the snowboarding portion of my visit. I reported the issue on-site and later contacted guest services to share my concerns. I hope management takes beginner safety, staff engagement, and hands-on instruction more seriously moving forward, as this experience did not feel supportive or safe for someone new to the sport.

We held another family reunion here to commemorate the one we had 20 years ago. I'm going to share…read moremy experience and both positive and negative in hopes it's helpful info for other families planning a similar event. BOOKING AND RESERVATION PROCESS: 2 stars My brother booked and placed a substantial deposit over 2 years ago on a large reunion cabin and the adjacent large cabin. As the event neared, we met virtually with camp hosts who informed us that they can't guarantee we get the cabins we reserved. They'll "try," they said, but can't guarantee we'll get those adjacent cabins. Our only theory is the Y reserves the right to bump outsiders should an esteemed member want what we reserved. It all started off on a wrong foot, and combined with the impossible act of reserving additional cabins or rooms on April 1, when reservations open to the general public, it started to feel risky and like we made a bad choice. To me, it seems a reasonable add-on to the reunion booking process to allow us to book additional cabins in advance so we can find rooms for all family. Within minutes at 8:00 am on April 1, small cabins and most lodge rooms were snagged up. They also said we couldn't access the cabins until after 6 pm on arrival day. That meant we had to figure out a way to keep all of our food we purchased chilled until we could put it in our cabin's refrigerator. As it turned out, we did get the cabins we reserved/requested AND they were ready far earlier than our 5 pm arrival time. Total experience? Nerve-wracking. CABINS/ACCOMMODATIONS - 2 stars I get it - lots of large groups use this place. All the more reason to maintain them in a manner that is safe & comfortable for all. We had two sofas, one of which was unusable and a number of small issues that were eventually addressed. THE GOOD/POSITIVE: So much for youngsters to do, but be prepared to spend a lot of time driving kids back and forth to each activity. My "sense" was kids got to try a few new things, like horseback riding and archery, for an add-on fee. Good hiking trails. Downtown Estes (and an additional amusement park), are a short drive away in downtown Estes. Snack shop and little store on campus. All in all, maybe it's my age getting the best of me but I didn't find the accommodations very comfortable- just the 2 aforementioned couches, 1 of which was broken. All other chairs are wooden. So there's a point, as an adult, when the beauty of the mountains starts to wear thin when you're not as comfortable as you'd like to be. Bottom line? Go into it prepared. Try out a smaller cabin before opting to book for a huge reunion to make sure it will fit your family's needs. I wish they were a bit more accommodating and generous with furniture, etc., in their lodging. If you like Rustic, you'll love it here.

Give yourself a day or two to acclimate to the 8,500 ft altitude. I promise you your first night…read moreof sleep will not give you any rest. The staff here is wonderful and there is even the Rustic Cafe inside the registration building to grab a quick bite all day. The YMCA backs up to Rocky Mountain National Park and the entire place is easy to navigate. If you want something out of the ordinary but in-line with history, check out the Lula W Dorsey museum which is also on campus and see all the history the Y has had to offer over the last 100+ years! This is a great place to unwind and really connect with nature. If you have ever heard of shrinyoku (forest bathing), this is a place to do it. Wildlife will hang around here at all times of the morning and later in the evening too. Most of all experience it all and make memories!

Arapahoe Basin was an easy stop on our trip. It was early in the season so only one run was open,…read morebut it was still a solid place to get some laps in. Parking was simple, free, and close enough that the shuttle to the main area was quick. Even with the limited terrain, the mountain had a relaxed vibe and was an easy way to warm up for the season.

First time in CO and this mountain did not disappoint!! The runs are very very long, and the…read moreterrain is very back country-esqe. Loved the fact that runs are super spaced out so you never really are running into people. Each run is about 1-1.5 miles, according to my tracker app, so I do believe that this mountain is for midlevel/intermediate skill level and up. I can see a beginner struggling here, mainly because of the terrain. I also love the peacefulness of the mountain, not loud in any way and you can really just ride and soak up the nature, just be prepared to get tired lol Staff is friendly, and there's lots of parking available...came @1130 and snagged a spot in the free parking lot. We came on a weekday, so it was just first come first serve and free parking.

We were here in the summer season Stayed at BaseCamp. Our…read morecondo was well appointed, so comfortable, especially the bed/bedding. Every staff person that we had contact with was friendly and kind. Food and drinks were very good. The location is beautiful! Highly recommend!!

Granby Ranch Ski Resort continues to be one of our favorite places to hit the slopes--this was our…read morethird visit, and it just keeps getting better. What really made this trip stand out was staying in a condo in Basecamp One. The ski-in/ski-out access was incredibly convenient and added such an extra layer of ease and enjoyment to the whole experience. Being able to step right out and onto the mountain (and back again) made everything feel that much more relaxed and enjoyable. The resort itself has such a welcoming, laid-back atmosphere, making it perfect for families, beginners, or anyone who just wants to enjoy skiing without the pressure of more intense terrain. The slopes are wide, well-groomed, and especially friendly for first-time or casual skiers--you can really take your time and enjoy yourself. The bistro was another highlight once again--the food is excellent and far better than what you might expect from a typical ski resort. It's the perfect place to warm up and recharge. The vibe across the mountain is always a good time. There's great music playing, and you can hear the sounds of wintertime fun all around--laughter, skis carving through snow, and that lively energy that makes a day on the mountain so special. If you're not a regular skier or just want to avoid risking bodily injury on more challenging runs, Granby Ranch is absolutely the place to go. It's fun, approachable, and consistently delivers a great experience. We'll definitely be back again.

Family owned and a homey atmosphere; a nice place to stay in Winter Park - definitely worth the…read morestay. This place is definitely old school compared to a normal hotel, which I loved. Rooms were clean and well maintained, and had all of the basics you would need. Everything related to a ski day was nice here - had storage for skis and boots so that you didn't have to bring them to your room. In the morning they have a nice spread for breakfast including fruit and cereal, and also have some hot items including eggs, toast, sausage, and bacon. Definitely enough to get you fueled and ready for the day. Then there is a van they run that takes you right to the gondola leaving at 8:30, 9, 9:30. Taking the first van gets you there right for the start of day. And you don't have to worry about parking, walking, and paying at the resort. Rides back were at 3:15 and 4:15 which gave plenty of time at the mountain. I didn't get a chance to try the hot tub but it looked nice. There were some cozy spots in the lounge with fireplaces to sit and relax. And a ping pong table that a few kids were using to stay entertained. Parking here was convenient, and the location is good; very close to everything in Winter Park. Overall I was very impressed with this stay. I will definitely look here first when looking for a place to stay in Winter Park moving forward. I thought it was a fair value, and the amenities made for easy ski days where all I had to do was get dressed and show up to the van on time, and not worry about anything else.

The Arapahoe ski lodge made our trip to Colorado so convenient. Delicious breakfast and…read moretransportation to and from the mountain. Hospitality was unmatched!

First time here, skiied two days and had a great time!…read more For Coloradoans this year yielded poor snowfall but for us being used to skiing the Northeast, conditions were great! We definitely aren't used to big open bowls and had a hard time figuring out where 'trails' were so the upper part of the mountain was a struggle. The lodge was nothing special for the most part except that they have a microwave which is awesome.

One of the best ski resorts in Colorado!…read more The Loveland basin is a great area for beginners to start at the bunny hill and make their way to green runs while the Valley offers intermediate and expert blue, black and double blacks runs. The cafe is huge, heated with a few different options for food (such as pizza, pasta, sandwiches) and drinks.

Winter Park Resort is the perfect Colorado mountain escape…read more The views are incredible, the scenery is beautiful, and the resort has something for everyone -- whether you're there to ski, explore, or simply enjoy the mountains. The atmosphere is welcoming, the location is unbeatable, and the entire experience captures what makes a mountain getaway special. It's easy to spend the day outside enjoying everything the resort has to offer and then relax surrounded by some of the best scenery Colorado has to offer. A great destination for adventure, relaxation, and making lasting memories.

My impressions of this park are probably impacted by the fact that they desperately need snow. (As…read moremost ski resorts out here do). However other factors also influenced my impression. They need better access to maps, both the posted sign size and paper maps. For example, a trail map at bottom of each lift and at top of lift would be good too esp when more than 1 lift ends at same location. And why not put a map of ski village buildings on the trail map to help with orientation. I wish they would have groomed the trails more so in the morning so snow would have been fresher. It just seemed to make it more icy by grooming at night. Since many trails were closed people were condensed into those trails that were open. Squeezing more people into a smaller area will course make lift lines crowded but also puts more traffic on the slopes. The lift lines were absolutely ridiculous on the weekend. I didn't pay that much for lift ticket to repeatedly stand in lift line for 20 minutes. Also it would have been nice to have an increase in ski patrol monitoring some of the trails to discourage the aggressive behavior including the boarder who purposely ran into me and knocked me down. (When they laugh and keep going you know it was on purpose) We purchased lift tickets months ago so I don't remember the details of the process except that it wasn't straightforward. I ordered lift tickets for both myself and my husband so assuming I did the same thing each time but no he got a pass with early up access and I didn't. Weird. Okay here are some positives: I do like the availability of restrooms throughout the resort including up on some slopes. That is very nice. I appreciated sharing the slopes with amputees and individuals using wheelchairs. It is nice to see the inclusivity. I also really enjoyed going up to Sunspot lodge in the evening for sunset. That was very fun.

I would expect much more from this place. The operation feels irresponsible. There are many downed…read moretrees and large boulders that are not marked, which makes it a very dangerous place to ski. Skiing is already a dangerous sport, but conditions like this add unnecessary risk. Instead of warning people of danger they are just post on social media about how great it is. What they should say is, be very careful it looks fluffy but there are big boulders underneath the snow everywhere!!!! No mention of that at all! Eldora is the reason we stopped skiing all together. It's disappointing because I expected a much higher level of care and safety. Instead, it feels like the priority is taking people's money rather than keeping guests safe. Shame on you, Eldora. Shame on you.

This was my first skii resort experience and I had a great time. It was a little confusing on where…read moreto go at first to get situated with skii rentals etc but we figured it out . Place was super packed, even on a weekday! But it is the holidays! Resort had plenty of equipment lines moved quick. After that we got on some practice slopes and then had a great day all together skiing after that!

The seven keys lodge is an amazing hidden gem just outside Estes. We found it after going to RMNP…read morefor the last 30+ years. While very rustic and historic the dinner was amazing, reasonably priced and the service attentive and really just perfect. Our wait person was the owners family, a young country western singer. In addition there is a stage outside and live music. Hands down the best Estes dinner experience ever. The staff were all warm and welcoming and dress is come as you are casual even though the food is elevated. Only open for summer season.

Excellent place!! Went here twice while we were in Colorado. Made friends with the bartenders and…read moremet the singers in the band. One was the owner. It has a beautiful view too!! Music was outstanding with Bernie and Mark.