Travel Tips & Trends

Day escapes from Denver

Summer getaways are always welcome ways to beat the heat. Crowds coming to town this August may leave Denver residents wanting quick day trip options out of the city.

Cache La Poudre river rafting
© Bob Klein

Lounge on a sandy beach, picnic, take a swim, launch a boat, catch fish and still get home by dinnertime when you drive northeast to Jackson Lake State Park. The 2,700 acre lake is known for its warm water and sandy bottom, with a designated swimming area. Jackson Lake also has campsites available and a convenience store. 26363 County Road 3, Orchard. 970-645-2551.

Hankering for something wet and wild? Just outside Fort Collins you can get on the Cache La Poudre River, about 90 miles north of Denver for some whitewater fun. Make a reservation, get a life jacket, helmet and splash jacket on, and shoot the rapids with experienced guides in a wander down a riveting Rocky Mountain river. One option for outfitting, rafts and guides is A Wanderlust Adventure company. www.awanderlustadventure.com.

An hour west of Denver you'll reach quaint little Echo Lake at the base of Mt. Evans Scenic Byway. From a lazy summer stroll to hiking, horseback riding, rafting, biking, camping and four-wheeling, you'll find it all near the highest paved highway in North America, reaching an altitude of 14,264 feet. Have lunch at Echo Lake Lodge and get back in your car for a 7,000 foot ascent (in only 28 miles!) to the summit. I-70 west to Exit 240. Heading south, follow Highway 103 to Echo Lake.

Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge Railroad, west of Colorado Springs via scenic mountain roads, will get you onboard an authentic coal-fired steam locomotive for a 45-minute scenic ride through Cripple Creek's old gold-mining district. Trains depart every 40 minutes from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The route heads south out of Cripple Creek, past many historic mines, and terminates near the deserted mining camp of Anaconda before returning to Cripple Creek. 719-689-2640 or www.cripplecreekrailroad.com.

For fearless children of all ages, the furthest stretch in our Denver Escapes is Bishop's Castle, a family cabin turned homemade medieval castle. Two and a half hours south of Denver, this eccentric stone structure is less than an hour from Pueblo. You can wander over wrought-iron bridges and narrow walkways on 160-foot towers with stained-glass windows to meet the resident recycled dragon, breathing fire via hot-air balloon burner. A real gas, the castle has free admission but the owner/builder accepts donations if you can swing it. Highway 165, north of Lake Isabel.