colorado springs things to do in december

Clinging to a sheet of ice with crampons and ice picks certainly delivers a unique thrill, but beginners should seek out professional guides to get started. Rocky’s steep slopes and frozen waterfalls make it a top destination for ice climbers. Try Ice Climbing Ice Climbing Deposit Photos Check the park newspaper ( or inquire at any visitor center for a current schedule. Park rangers lead free snowshoe trips on both sides of the park, plus animal programs and full moon walks. Explore Rocky Mountain Park with a Ranger Bear Lake Ranger Station in Winter. Need a detailed trail map of the park? Buy the Rocky Mountain National Park Trails Map Pack at REI.com. (Always check avalanche conditions before heading into steep terrain.) Popular winter destinations include Cub Lake, Mills Lake, and the Bear Lake Loop. Tromp through quiet forests and visit frozen waterfalls throughout the park. Want to explore the park’s trails in winter? All you need are a pair of snowshoes. Snowshoe Rocky Mountain Trails Gloria Wadzinski Here are some great articles to get you started. You can rent skis in the gateway towns of Grand Lake and Estes Park, and you can even get lessons at Grand Lake’s Nordic Center. Outside the park, skinny skiers head to Brainard Lake Recreation Area for ungroomed trails and Eldora Mountain Resort’s Nordic Center and Devils Thumb Ranch for groomed trails. Step into a pair of backcountry Nordic skis and break your own trails in the park-the west side has deeper snow and flat, ski-friendly valleys, while the east side offers more challenging trails to alpine lakes. Go Cross-Country Skiing Cross-country Skiing at Devil’s Thumb Ranch. Need help on choosing a pair of binoculars? REI.com has this helpful article and has a plethora of binocular brands. Head over to the west side’s Kawuneeche Valley to look for giant moose picking their way through the snow, and scan the cliffs on Fall River Road for bighorn sheep. The quiet season is a wonderful time to spot elk, which come down from the high country and congregate in park meadows and the town of Estes Park. Watch Winter Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park Tony Boicelli A warming hut revives frozen toes on weekends. Kids (and adults!) love sliding down the old bunny hill on a sled or snow tube (rentals available in Estes Park). This onetime ski resort inside Rocky Mountain National Park remains open as a sledding paradise. Go Sledding at Hidden Valley Child sledding with a snow saucer. If you buy from the shopping links on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work. But have you seen the ice sculptures, tried ski biking, or skijoring? And don’t miss the festivals.Īt National Park Trips, we independently source all of the products we feature. Of course you can ski, snowmobile and snowshoe.

Colorado springs things to do in december