Telluride

Even getting around this mountain paradise is fun—a free public gondola system makes it easy and the ride over the mountain top is a thrill. Learn fly-fishing on the San Miguel River. And don't miss St. Sophia Nature Center, perched high on a scenic overlook with hands-on nature activities and interpretive hikes for kids.

Mesa Verde National Park

Take your children back 1,500 years to discover more than 500 mind-boggling cliff-side dwellings—some of the best-preserved archeological sites in the U.S. The prehistoric people who lived in ancient Mesa Verde mysteriously vanished, leaving clothing, arrows, baskets, and tools as if they might return at any moment. Explore phenomenal 150-room Cliff Palace, amazingly intact Spruce Tree House, or scramble up a 32-foot ladder to Balcony House and then crawl through a tunnel to leave. Unforgettable!

Durango

You're in for miles of smiles when you hit Durango's great trails on horseback, or mountain bike. Or set your sights higher and take a hot air balloon ride through skies that are home to hawks, ospreys, and bald eagles.

Million Dollar Highway

Grab your camera, fasten your seat belts, and get ready for an eye-popping road trip like no other! The 25 miles of Highway 550 between Ouray and Silverton are an engineering marvel. This white-knuckle ribbon of a road winds over rugged peaks, steep cliffs, deep gorges, majestic passes, even an 11,000-foot collapsed volcano—with stunning views around every hairpin curve.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument

Stand at the rim of Black Canyon and gaze down more than 2,000 feet of stone to the turbulent Gunnison River. No canyon in North America combines such a narrow opening, sheer walls, and incredible depth. Six-mile South Rim Road offers a dozen breathtaking overlooks and short kid-friendly trails—Don't miss Rim Rock Trail, Chasm View, Painted Wall, Warner Point, and Cedar Point Nature Trail.

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