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Get Outdoors in Colorado

If your group tour of Colorado doesn’t include ample time in the outdoors, you’re doing it wrong.

Colorado is defined by its diverse mountain scenery, and its residents are some of the healthiest and most active people in the country. Groups that visit the state can take advantage of the abundant natural wonders and beautiful weather to get active and have unforgettable outdoor experiences.

Expansive outdoor parks in Colorado Springs and the Royal Gorge area welcome visitors of all activity levels. Glenwood Springs’ geothermal activity brings the chance for a hot soak.

In Grand Junction, on the Colorado River, outfitters can take groups on adventures, fast or slow. And in Ouray, the San Juan Mountains teem with opportunities to discover classic Colorado beauty.

Colorado Springs

About 70 miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs is one of the state’s most-loved destinations. Its two main natural attractions offer a number of outdoor options.

Garden of the Gods preserves towering sandstone formations, some more than 300 feet tall. Groups can take guided hikes that range in activity level and difficulty. Segway tours offer the opportunity to see the sights aboard a stand-up, two-wheeled motorized vehicle. Jeep tours allow groups to explore off-road areas they wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise.

Pikes Peak is visible from Garden of the Gods, as well as much of the rest of Colorado Springs. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway is an easy way to get to the top of the mountain, and after taking in the spectacular views there, groups can return to the bottom aboard the train or rent mountain bikes for an adventurous downhill ride.

www.visitcos.com

Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs is situated in the western part of the state, where skiing and snowboarding dominate the landscape during winter. Groups that visit in warmer seasons will be able to take advantage of beautiful scenery and geothermal features that lend themselves to a variety of outdoor activities.

Thermal hot springs have drawn groups to the area for hundreds of years. Glenwood Hot Springs, established in 1888, is the largest mineral hot springs pool in the world. Next door, Yampah Spa and Vapor Caves is a naturally occurring underground steam bath. Opened in 2015, Iron Mountain Hot Springs features 16 soaking pools along the Colorado River. And professional whitewater rafting outfitters can guide groups on paddles through scenic Glenwood Canyon.

Visitors can see the area’s subterranean wonders at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. This Western-themed park is famous for its cave formations, which visitors can explore, as well as its high-altitude roller coasters and thrill rides.

www.visitglenwood.com

Brian Jewell

Brian Jewell is the executive editor of The Group Travel Leader. In more than a decade of travel journalism he has visited 48 states and 25 foreign countries.