A great hot springs/pool in the area. Perfect for kids and the adults who constantly have to get in…read moreand out of the water. This is improved by the fairly lax safety they got going on here. No one cares who is on the slides or how many kids are at the bottom. Diving board? Sure, jump off it while kids are swimming in the deep end. There were lifeguards there if things got truly bad, but the hands-off approach allowed a good amount of appropriate youthful riskiness. And the heat of the water ensures you will all be relaxed and mellow by the end of it all. It's more expensive than a typical city pool, but it's nicely heated by the hot springs.

This is a hot springs public pool that's really great for children and families. Affordable prices,…read morethree slides, two diving boards. It's close to town and easy to get to. You can bring in snacks, but there's also a snack bar available. I only gave three stars because the lifeguard situation is not what it should be. There is at least 60 people in the pool, with all slides and diving boards open.. and there is only one lifeguard out who is sitting in a deck chair only half paying attention to anything. There's so many little kids, that there's lots of parents close by to keep an eye on their kids and those around them.. but the slides are a little dang mess. There are kids jumping in on top of each other because they aren't clearing underneath. This is such a great spot, I wish they would just beef up that aspect and it would be perfect.

This place is amazing! I always wondered how we have a Gator and Reptile Park in Colorado and…read moreunderstanding that it is because the geothermal well provides 87F water year-round. Upon entering, we were greeted by Matt who welcomed us with the biggest smile and asked us to share our experience that we had in the Crocodile Rescue in Zambia. Matt and the other employees are so passionate about all the rescued animals at the Park. We were greeted by another employee who explained that all the animals have either been confiscated by law enforcement, given up by their owners, or simply found (the giant iguana was found sitting in a tree by a man walking a neighborhood). All the animals have pasts that aren't the best but they get to live the rest of their lives in a sanctuary getting the proper care they deserve. The Park is vast and there are plans to make it even larger. What I thought would take only 30 minutes took well over 2 hours. I am a kid at heart and also love photography so this was best way to spend our early afternoon. I absolutely adore the staff!! They are amazing and are passionate, which shows in their personalities and how they light up talking about all the different animals.

I was really, really taken with this place. It was really cool to see the gators and the snakes and…read moreemu, and just all the critters that have been rescued. I was really glad to see that there's a place like this that supports those critters but also saddened by how many had been pets at one time. It was a great place to support would definitely go back. We all enjoyed our visit. I recommend buying food to feed the gators, cause I was really fun.

As a pair of traveling campers when all else failed Base Camp pulled through! We did not have an…read moreRV and only had tents, but the timing could not have worked out better. They had just finished a 10x10 tent pavilion and we were first to try it out and it is safe to say I am super excited to come back at my next trip to the sand dunes to see how everything has progressed. The hosts are super accommodating and really tried their best to make sure we were taken care of. 10/10 would recommend!

Level sites, easy in and out, great showers and bathrooms. Be sure to visit Alamosa visitor center,…read morelots of great information about the area and Colorado in general.

In the brief, golden interlude when winter loosens its grip on southern Colorado, the great…read moreseasonal spectacle returns to Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge. This is a sweet spot of the year, the weeks when migratory Sandhill Crane descend upon the San Luis Valley in numbers that feel almost biblical. For surrounding towns, it's a quiet boon: birders arrive with thermoses and binoculars. Life-size crane cutouts celebrate the moment affixed along Main Street, or 1st Avenue as locals know it. The valley briefly hums, and then pauses with delighted witness. If you can go now, while they're still there, do. At dawn the refuge opens in a soft hush, frost silvering the marsh grasses. Then the cranes begin to gather: thousands of them, wings flashing pale gray, their ancient, bugling calls carrying across the wetlands. The viewing pullout known as 8S is the place to linger. The cranes bow, leap, and wheel in loose companies while flocks of Canada Geese drift nearby with neighborly indifference. It is difficult not to feel you've stumbled upon something grand and improbably joyful. It is a wonder written in wings and wind.

The Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge entails a fairly vast amount of land in Southern Colorado…read more Its 14,804 acres is located in an area referred to as the San Luis Valley. Along with two other wildlife refuges in the Valley, Monte Vista "provides [a] crucial feeding, resting, and breeding habitat for over 200 bird species and other wildlife." For some reason, my significant other doesn't see as much wildlife as he used to. It could be because of that jerk farmer neighbor of his that speeds 85 miles-per-hour down the dirt roads and all other highways. Or just an influx of humans moving into the area over the years. Most recently my daughters & I awed at the geese flying in V-formation overhead. These huge birds honked loudly & proudly over the refuge and surrounding farm fields. Their calls are quite an amazing alarm clock, or an exceedingly annoying one, depending on your wakefulness mood. Lol. During the winter, the wind can cut through improper clothing and give your body a full chill. In fact, the wind blows quite a bit in this valley throughout the entire year. But when I was most recently here on September 3, 2023, the weather was balmy -- such a treat compared to the dreadful heat we were having in Southeastern New Mexico. If I had a nice camera, I'd attempt to capture the various species in existence, but I don't so I can't. There is a visitor center near E County Road 6 S on Highway 15. Haven't visited there yet but perhaps someday...

Looking for something to do and we came across this. It was $24 for two people to have unlimited…read morebowling for two hours which I feel is a very reasonable price. The lanes you can tell are very old and well used couldn't tell how oiled they were house balls definitely have seen some days but I can't complain. They have a restaurant inside the bowling alley and it seemed to have good smelling food coming from the kitchen. We came on a Saturday around 5:30 and the place was absolutely dead.

The food was delicious!! The service was great! Our waitress was Raylynn and she took the time to…read morevisit with us about the restaurant/menu, the bowling alley and the Valentines specials! We had no idea they had such a great selection on their menu. We definitely want to try breakfast next!

Had to choose one star only because there isn't anything lower. They canceled my membership…read morebecause I did laps in their pool and a family was so entitled they decided that they shouldn't have to share the pool with anybody and they felt crowded come on dude is a public pool what did you expect. Same problem with a hot tub you can't get in a hot tub and sit there because they don't like to share and if you end up complaining to the front they'll take your membership away and do not try to end up taking a shower because somebody's got their s*** hung all over the shower hook so you can't put your towels on them and then you get in trouble for removing them this place sucks the staff is aces I have to admit unfortunately the owners are either ignorant and competence or just plain frigging mean. If you really want a place to exercise I wouldn't try this place you'll probably regret it.

anytime is better too expensive all the extra add ons make the bill even more expensive . Just need…read morea simple gym

The High Dune Trail on First Ridge is probably the most popular trail in Great Sand Dunes National…read morePark. The first dune you reach from the main parking lot, it's definitely not the tallest dune in the park but it leads to beautiful views of GSDNP. There are no trail markers for this hike - you'll cross the Medrano creek bed after leaving the parking lot and then follow the dunes and make your own way. Hiking in sand is definitely a more difficult experience, so do yourself a favor and take the shortest route to the top. While the trail is "technically" to the top of the dune, you can do some exploring at the top to get different views. And let me tell you, it is 100% worth it because it is so incredibly gorgeous from the top. This hike can get more intensive than you think - some of these hills are steep with the sand deep. There is absolutely zero shade cover, so you will be hiking in direct sunlight - wear a hat and plenty of sunscreen. On the same note, the sand can get INCREDIBLY HOT, so make sure to wear good hiking shoes to protect your feet. And pack a lot of water and snacks (remember, pack in, pack out!). We took about 3 hours for our full hike, but it will also depend on how many breaks you take and how equipped you are to hike in sand. These are the same dunes you'll see people sand-boarding and sand-sledding on. If you have the chance, rent a board and take part. It's a lot of fun! Overall, a great hike to introduce you to the sand dunes of the park. While there are some longer hikes that take you to taller dunes, we only had about 6 hours to spend in the park, and we also wanted to go sand-sledding. Super happy with this hike, the experiences, and the wonderful views of the park it gave us. Highly recommend!

This ranch is absolutely amazing. From the accommodations, to staff, to the view and location this…read moreplace is 5 stars! I hope to be able to go back soon. Highly recommended!