Colorado Winter Retreats to Unplug and Recharge
Find solitude, Unplug (and save big) at these Colorado winter getaways.
After the whirlwind holiday season, it's time to unplug with a winter retreat. Kick back and soak up some solitude in many different ways in Colorado's mountain towns. No company, no parties. Just you and Colorado’s natural beauty and perhaps your favorite sidekick. Here’s where to go to reconnect and recharge this winter. Take advantage of special wintFer lodging and travel deals on your journey. January is Learn to Ski Month in Colorado, as many resorts offer post-holiday lift ticket discounts or lodging deals.Unplug at RMNP
Make your way to Rocky Mountain National Park for magnificent snowy Colorado peaks, frozen alpine lakes, and untracked powdery trails. One of the nation’s top-visited parks in the summer enjoys a slower stream of guests in the winter, leaving plenty of room (414 square miles) to roam and relax. Make home base The Aspen Winds on Fall River in Estes Park, just outside of the national park’s east entrance. Secluded riverfront cabins put you in the middle of nature’s finest, with the convenience of Estes Park dining and shopping just down the road.
Grand Lake Winter Retreat
On the west side of massive Rocky Mountain National Park lies Grand Lake, where a quiet Colorado village delivers winter amusement in the form of snowshoeing, wildlife viewing, ice fishing, and free ice skating behind Town Hall. Cross-country ski at the groomed Nordic Center (there’s even a dog loop for Fido) or take a guided snowshoe tour in the national park. Go deep into Colorado’s peaceful wintry wilderness on a snowmobile tour with Grand Adventure’s guided and unguided snowmobile rentals. The outfitter has Winter Park, Fraser and Grand Lake locations.Unplug in Leadville
Head to sleepy Leadville, Colorado, for a stay and play with more mountains and trees than people and cars. Check in to the Delaware Hotel and cozy up to the 1886 Victorian Inn in the heart of the legendary mining town’s National Historic District. Ice fish Turquoise Lake or drink in lungfuls of crisp Colorado mountain air on the 12-mile groomed Mineral Belt Trail, best enjoyed on cross-country skis or snowshoes. For a refreshing downhill skiing experience, visit nearby Ski Cooper. Colorado’s fifth oldest ski area is family-friendly, quaint (read: free parking), and rich in all-natural snow.
Winter Getaway in Steamboat Springs
There’s more to Steamboat Springs than world-class skiing and their trademark Champagne Powder®. Colorado’s famous western-charmed mountain town is the ideal winter getaway destination with horse-drawn sleigh rides, year-round fly-fishing, soul-soothing day spas, and hot springs. Explore Clark, Colorado, just north of town for vacation lodging in a rural mountain ranch setting. Fireplaces, hot tubs, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, resort spas, and the tranquil Elk River round out the postcard Colorado setting.By Lisa Blake
