This short hike to the falls was one of the most worthwhile mini adventures taken in a long long…read moretime... The reward was this magical ice covered masterpiece of nature... We got super lucky with our timing and caught the falls in one of the most amazing moments.... Do not pass this one up...

A 30 foot frozen falls await you up a fairly steep one mile trail that has lots of rocks and plenty…read moreof ice/snow melt in late March. Be sure to wear shoes/boots with good grips for the trail. The hike is well worth it. As I approached the falls, the sound was just surreal as I could hear the water flowing below the frozen ice from the falls. There is also a beautiful blue glow from the frozen falls. A must see if you are near the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

A wonderful and welcome place to stop since the nearby City of Walsenburg issued a disaster…read moredeclaration and homes and businesses were without water. Glad the state park was open.

Fantastic state park! Two lakes, swim beach, camping and picnic facilities. We've seen bears and…read moredeer. Caught catfish, muskie, rainbows and browns.

My wife and I visited the Castle, and it was, in a word, "Perfect"…read more The location, the people, the staff, and the wonderful environment. Great place to reflect and enjoy. Mel

We finally got the opportunity to visit this Colorado landmark and structure. We were fortunate…read moreenough to be visiting the area, and they had just opened up Hwy 160 the day before (closed for more than a month due to the Aspen Acres forest fire). The castle was larger and taller than I expected, and we spent hours wandering around it taking photos (there were some areas like the tallest tower, we were not brave enough to quest). They had a nice gift store on location where I got to meet Jellybean the small dog, and they also have portable toilets on site which were well maintained. After visiting the area and even living in Colorado in the past, we had never thought about visiting Bishops Castle and now regret we did not do it earlier. Definitely, a must see landmark in Colorado and they do take donations.

Great Lake with camping spots and Beautiful views. A little on the windy side. The lake is long so…read moregood for wakeboarding or tubing. Bathrooms are clean and have lots of toilet paper! South shore camping is known to have more nature. There was a mountain lion spotted in the area before our arrival. There are critters so make sure food is secure when you leave the site for the day. Not good if you want your dog off leash. Even well behaved dogs, they are very strict.

We never made it to the campground. horrible signage after we got off I-25. We had to use 3…read moredifferent GPS to finally get on the right road and finally found a park entrance sign from a main road, but never saw signs to the campground. as out-of-state travelers I would never recommend this park. we got out of the area and went another 22 miles to a KOA in Raton, NM.

An Afternoon Well Spent !!…read more It has been many years since I've been to the Raton area and typically whenever I was in the area it was just a quick to use the bathroom or get gas. On this visit, it was on a Friday afternoon and I had a few hours to kill and wanted to actually see some of the area. I remembered from years past that there were some lakes up in the mountains that I had always wanted to see and now was my chance. The Park is only about 20 miles from Raton and the roads were not that busy. The drive up is really nice as you see mountains, hills ranches, and some great scenery. On the way to Lake Maloya I stopped at one of the smaller lakes, Lake Alice and spent about half an hour checking it out. There really isn't access to that lake but you can tell its frequented by anglers. It is a nice small scenic lake. I then made my way up to Lake Maloya which is a reservoir for the area and right on the Colorado border. The lake is magnificent!! On a nice warm summer day, there was a nice breeze and no bugs. There were boaters on the lake, some people canoeing and some campers but it was not that busy at all. I spent a good two hours stopping and driving farther up the lake until I came to the gate that takes you to Dorothy Lake ( for another time). The views are just amazing, I suggest bringing a canoe or kayak and spending a good day there. I'm not sure if there is swimming since I didn't see anyone swimming in the water. Next up was Sugarite Canyon, and when you stop at the main entrance they use the honour system where you pay, so please pay!!! I made my way to the visitors center and got a map of the trails. The canyon is a great place to hike and I saw no one else on the trail and felt like I had the place to myself. I can't describe how nice it was walking through the canyon, and all there is to see. I highly recommend hiking with a buddy since it is in a remote area and I saw a few different animal tracks as I made my way through the trails. In short, this area is worth a visit, you can spend a few hours there or a few days, its truly part of the magnificence that is New Mexico.

Google know all about this place but not yelp? We are fixing…read morethat right now. As the parks service says "The nature enthusiast will appreciate the abundance of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and wildflowers among the lakes, creeks, forests, and meadows. Nearly all outdoor recreation activities are possible: Fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, and camping." All true. This is a huge park. Full of lakes, trails & wildlife. We took a 6 mile loop trail starting at the dam yesterday and saw NO ONE else. Lots of scat indicate there lots of moose and bear around, so be aware. There are numerous other trails as well add the aforementioned activities. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Great Sand Dunes National Park is otherworldly and honestly one of the most unique landscapes to be…read moreexperiences in North America. It's a bit of a smaller park in terms of trails and not going to be like RMNP so make sure you know what you're getting into. We planned our trip for May when the creek is usually flowing and the dunes are optimal for sledding. Unfortunately for us we hit a patch of bad weather and it was drizzling our whole day spent here. Additionally the park is experiencing a dry spell and the creek that is usually flowing in May was still dry. C'est la vie! We still had a blast climbing the dunes, letting the kids play in the sand, and taking in the views. To be honest the views are the best part - it's incredible to see these dunes and learn more about the history of the landscape in this region of Colorado. We didn't get to sled as the conditions were not ideal for it but we plan on someday returning and doing the full experience. If you're on the fence about coming here it's well worth a visit!

We stopped at Great Sand Dunes National Park during a scenic drive to Durango and were impressed by…read moreits unique landscape. The massive dunes set against the surrounding mountain range create spectacular views unlike anything else in Colorado. The visitor center was well maintained, with clean restrooms, an informative museum, and had a short film highlighting the dune ecosystem. There is also a large gift shop, though prices were on the higher side. While I would not consider it a destination on its own, it is absolutely worth a stop if you're traveling through this part of the state. Note: No vehicles of any type are allowed on the dunes.

Lake Como trail was a lot of fun. The hike to Lake Como isn't easy so pack light. I would also…read morerecommend starting early in the morning because there isn't a lot of shade along the trail to protect you from the sun. Don't forget your bug spray (I've never seen so many mosquitoes in my life). Be careful on Blanca and Ellingwood because it's easy to lose the trail.

Things you MUST know about the most common Mount Blanca trail:…read more 1. Hardest Off Road trail in the country. 2. Overnight camp at beautiful Como Lake. There are 2 campsites one will cross before getting to Como Lake if your in a sticky situation. 3. Takes about 5-7 hours to get to Como Lake. There may be a large stream or two interrupting the trail at some parts that one must navigate (over 100 yeards after rainfall) 4. 3 hours to summit blanca after leaving Como Lake. 5. Will pass 3 lakes in all reaching peak. One with a large 50 foot waterfall. 6. Not many people climb this fourteener compared to others because of its location. 7. Ellingwood and Little Bear are accessible from this peak. 8. This is a Moderately Difficult Fourteener. 9. Como Lake and Summit offer spectacular views.

Beautiful breathtaking drive! Recommend if height and sheer drop off in both sides is not a…read moreproblem, take your time and enjoy the epic view

This is a great drive narrow one way foad.DO NOT GO if you are afraid of heights…read more As far as hiking it it is steep and rocky lots of cactus . If you stay on the road way watch for car and step off pavement about half way up from entrance you will see dinosaur footprints and fossils in the rocks way cool.take water with you it will be needed