Lovely Colorado, United States

San Juan Mountains Colorado

San Juan Mountains Colorado

• Highest point: Uncompahgre Peak

• Country: United States of America

• Parent range: Rocky Mountains

San Juan Mountains, Colorado

• Highest point: Uncompahgre Peak

• Country: United States of America

• Parent range: Rocky Mountains

Roxborough State Park Denver Colorado

• Address: 4751 Roxborough Dr, Littleton, CO 80125

• Area: 5.217 mi²

• Hours: Open today · 8AM–5PM

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day might affect these hours

• Established: 1975

Colorado Springs Golf

Hikes are fine, but a better way to exercise and enjoy the mountain scenery of Colorado Springs is to play golf. In a city dubbed the "Newport of the Rockies" there are scenic golf courses at all prices. While rates at Broadmoor Golf Club, the top public course in Colorado, top out north of $200, at nearby Cheyenne Shadows, on the grounds of Fort Carson, a prime-time round can be had for a small fraction of that. There are a wide range of challenges in Colorado Springs, as well. The long and short of it: Antler Creek Golf Course is the second-longest track in the nation at 8,058 yards. By contrast, the Lee Trevino-designed Appletree Golf Club measures 6,407 yards. Sightseers can take Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak, or they can view the majestic mountain from below as they play the Golf Club at Bear Dance or the jaw-dropping 27 holes as Kissing Camels Golf Course, open to customers of the Garden of the Gods Lodge. Other publics in the area are Pine Creek Golf Course, Gleneagle Golf Club and Monument Hill Country Club. Solid courses in Colorado Springs include the 27 holes at Patty Jewett Golf Course and Cherokee Ridge Golf Club.

• The City of Durango is the county seat and the most populous municipality of La Plata County, Colorado, United States.

• Durango is a small city in southwestern Colorado, near the New Mexico border. The 19th-century Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad steam train passes mountains and canyons. In the city center, its affiliated Railroad Museum displays restored locomotives, aircraft and a baggage car converted into a movie theater. Nearby, the Powerhouse Science Center offers interactive exhibits in a former power plant.

• Elevation: 1,985 m

• ZIP codes: 81301-81303

• Weather: 8°C, Wind NW at 23 km/h, 34% Humidity

At 800 square miles, northwest Colorado’s Grand Mesa is one of the largest flat-top mountains in the world, and its landscape sets it apart from much of the rest of Colorado — that so many lakes can be found so close together is a bit of an anomaly in this high-altitude state.

• Within the Grand Mesa National Forest are 300 lakes and reservoirs, a network of shorelines and waterside retreats that keeps fishers, boaters, hikers and campers satisfied. The Grand Mesa is particularly popular with anglers seeking fish tales among the area’s seven trout species.

• The mesa’s 10,000-foot altitude means cooler temps in the summer. Because it’s below timberline, there’s plenty of trees and green vistas around its lakes. Many of the 300 lakes can be reached by RVs and four-wheel-drive, but some can only be accessed by a quiet hike or horseback ride.

• Tour the mesa along the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway. The full drive takes about an hour, but the byway’s spur off CO 65 to Land’s End is worth taking on an extra half an hour. Perched at the edge of the mesa, the view into the Grand Valley can’t be beat.

• Within the mesa’s borders is a choose-your-own-comfort-level span of amenities — from luxurious lodges to backcountry campsites with no amenities at all — perfect for every sort of outdoors person. 

• Towns around the mesa, like Grand Junction, Delta, Paonia, Cedaredge and Hotchkiss, are good places to emerge for food and services.

• A FEW GRAND MESA LAKES TO CONSIDER:

• The Mesa Lakes area is one of the more popular locales. With eight heavily stocked reservoirs and plenty of drive-up space and campgrounds, it’s a great spot for a quick weekend trip. Jumbo Reservoir offers campgrounds, restrooms, picnic tables and a small store.

• Dig a little deeper into the Grand Mesa to Bull Creek Basin’s backcountry setting. The only way to get to these lakes is via four-wheel-drive, ATV, horseback or foot. The upper portions of Bull Creek offer easy fishing and good pools.

• The Granby Reservoir area is heaven for four-wheelers, with plenty of obstacles and narrow corridors to keep the journey interesting. Its natural Clear Lake is renowned for its easiness at spotting cutthroat trout.

• Folks with large campers and RVs often make their way to Ward, Alexander, Hotel Twin and Baron lakes, where there are plenty of large campgrounds, cabins, tackle shops and boat-launching areas.

• The Trickle Park area has a mix of developed and undeveloped campsites with car and four-wheel-drive access. For a bit of solitude, seek out the Military Park and Stell reservoirs, which don’t see as many fishers as the other lakes in the area.

• Elevation: 2,438 m

• Weather: -1°C, Wind N at 14 km/h, 97% Humidity

• ZIP Code: 81611, 81612 (PO Boxes)

• Local time: Wednesday 7:16 PM

• Population: 6,871 (2016)