This is an awesome roadside stop for a short, but steep hike. When we went the water was a tickle,…read morebut it was still very pretty. The real highlight is the birds, with a great variety in the treetops. I wish we got there a bit earlier before the headed up. Only downside are the portapoties right by the entrance that smell horrible, even just walking by.

The waterfall is easy to find, with a small parking lot right off the highway and excellent…read moreaccessibility, including easy viewing for those with mobility challenges. Unfortunately, due to the current drought conditions, the waterfall was only flowing at a fraction of what I've seen in photos from previous years, which was a bit disappointing. That said, it was still a pleasant stop on our drive to Durango. I was able to get some nice photos and enjoyed watching the many friendly chipmunks around the parking area. While I wouldn't make a special trip just to see it in its current state, it's definitely a worthwhile and convenient roadside stop if you're already passing through the area.

A great swimming pool and spa-like area for adults too. I really enjoyed this place! The water was…read morewarm! The environment was fun and relaxing. A variety of different pools and activities are available. There are also two restaurants with yummy food options. I appreciated the tranquil greenhouse for adults only. I hope I can visit again soon. This is a really unique and special place!!!!

This is a oasis/spa in the middle of the Colorado plains and just on the outskirts of Great Sand…read moreDunes National Park. Definitely recommend this resort as at least a two (2) night base camp for your ultimate planned NP excursion. Arrive/check-in then rent your Sand Boards for your next day use at the NP (and arrive early at the NP before the sand gets too hot!). After your Sand Dunes park play, return to this resort to unwind and relax in a natural, therapeutic spa fashion. Be aware: There is good, tasty food on-site (breakast, lunch and dinner) and the selection is varied but not elegant! And, there is no other food locations in the area. BYOB and mixers - you can buy ice upon arrival. Finally, get to the Adult Greenhouse before 11am to secure a lounge chair as there is not many. Kudos to all the facility and concession personnel, most of whom live nearby, that do their utmost to ensure that your stay is memorable.

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.

Our family of 5 had the most amazing kayaking experience down the Rio Grande. Curt is so patient…read moreand knowledgeable. He explains things so well. We were also blessed to have Mike with us as well and he took amazing pictures and videos. Paula was our chauffeur and she was the best. I don't think there isn't anything she doesn't know. She knew so much history about the area and gave great food tips too! We cannot wait to come back again and raft when the river is faster or try some other adventures with Curt. You cannot go wrong with Narrow Ridge!

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!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I spent a morning taking a guided rafting trip with RMSR. We had…read morethe privilege of having Anela as our guide with Maki on the raft just behind us. Both are fabulous, hardworking ladies. Somehow, we were the only two guests on the raft with Anela, so we felt we had personalized service and room to spread out. I believe there were 4 other rafts that morning with all of us cruising down the river together. The morning of the tour, we arrived a bit early. The ladies in the shop had us fill out the necessary waiver. There is a selection of merchandise available to purchase and a small restroom available to use in the shop. The van ride to the launch area was fairly short. The guides handed out life jackets to each guest and made sure the life jackets were nice and snug. No helmets or wetsuits were needed. Before getting on the rafts, Anela gave the morning safety speech of what to do if someone should fall out of the raft. Fortunately, no one did on our tour. The week prior to our tour, the area had received rain each day, so Anela mentioned that the water level in the river had come up. Our tour was a few hours long and a very relaxing float. There were a few slightly choppy areas on the river, but nothing rough at all. The scenery along the Rio Grande is beautiful. We had the option of jumping out of the raft at one location, and only one guide in the group decided to jump out. I personally wasn't sure how I'd get back in the raft, LOL. Our guide Anela was fantastic, super friendly and informative. The beauty of the mountains was incredible. We will book again next summer!

Our family highly recommends Rocky Mountain Ski and Raft. We booked a guided rafting trip…read more(following rail-biking). As soon as we arrived at the shore to depart the sky opened and poured down icy hail! We contemplated continuing on with our tour, as we booked for 8 people (prices were great, but 8 bookings adds up), however our guides were very supportive of the fact that the weather was well past inclement and offered to allow us to rebook the tour for later in the day. I am so grateful we had that opportunity! Our party included 2 adults and 6 children ranging from a toddler to teens and it was perfect for everyone. All of the staff were extremely friendly and we can tell the family that runs the operation takes pride in their work and business.

Beaver Creek Christian Camp & Retreat Center is located in the heart of the Rio Grande National…read moreForest and offers a beautiful setting in the mountains just west of South Fork, Colorado. Beaver Creek is dedicated to promoting Christian Education, recreation, and social welfare of youth and adults regardless of race or disability and is open to all denominations. I stayed here recently as part of an Earthwatch Expedition titled: Geology and the Landscaping of the American Southwest. We were treated as honoured guests by Jen and Ernie and I came away very impressed, and thinking that their summer camp might be a good experience for my son. The food was plentiful and amazingly good, and our stay in the all-season Berkstresser Lodge was almost luxurious by summer camp standards. The bunk beds (with foam mattress) were comfortable and having a nice hot shower at the end of a long work day was a welcome treat. There's also a catering kitchen, laundry machines, decent conference room space, and if you're lucky a sweet "guard" dog named Tigger. I also enjoyed admiring Fall's yellow Aspens, watching the stars at night, hearing the coyotes during our sleep, appreciated that coffee was available at 6 AM, and welcomed occasional Internet access. However, when you're out here in G-d's country, what's the point of wi-fi? I would highly recommend the Beaver Creek Youth Camp for your next group function. For this Earthwatch group, this facility met and exceeded our expectations. The grounds are also spacious, pretty, relaxing, and maybe just the thing you need to put your life's work into perspective.

I had my son attend the camp last summer. It was extremely affordable compared to any other camp,…read moreand my son enjoyed himself. The setting is beautiful! I highly recommend the camp to others (fyi - my son was 12 and going to start 6th grade in the fall).

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.

Drove up from Taos (via Dallas) to checkout this course. I had high hopes this could be my next…read morego-to-course. Boy was I wrong. Wish I played a day after they mowed cause it was SUPER long.

Quick look rating: 4/5 Quality…read more The Monte Vista Golf Club is a nice little golf course. It is a small flat course that is pretty wide open. If you hit a bad shot, with it being so wide open, most people can get back on track pretty easily. The big plus to this course is that you can spank that little white ball and it will fly at this altitude! It can really help boost your ego! Brought my relatives here and they loved this little course. My little nephew really loved how far he could hit his golf balls! That was worth it's weight in gold! Now the course is north west of downtown Monte Vista and is a little tough to find, but much easer to use your GPS off of you smart phone. Fun little course!