Fun outdoor activities to do before our beautiful Colorado weather fades.

Rock Climbing: For all you thrill seekers out there, rock climbing is great activity. Climbing is an awesome sport, but only if you have the proper gear and knowledge. Many companies in Colorado Springs offer fun and safe guided rock climbing adventures. City Rock, Colorado Climbing Company, Front Range Climbing Company, and the Pikes Peak Alpine School are only a few of the many places that offer climbing courses and trips. If your looking for a safer way to rock climb, indoor climbing is for you. The top 2 climbing gyms in the Springs are the Sport Climbing Center and City Rock. SCC is mainly a bouldering gym with a limited selection of longer “big” wall climbs. City Rock has a large selection of bouldering and longer climbs, but both gyms are great in their own ways. Rock climber Ryan Self describes rock climbing, saying it’s “like no other sport I have participated in. It combines raw power with flawless technique in a dance with rock and gear.”

Hiking: Hiking is a great way to get outdoors and can be fun for the whole family. In the Colorado Springs area there are a ton of beautiful hikes that range from family fun day hikes to intense 14ers. A medium difficult hike and a personal favorite is Stanley Canyon; it is located on the US Air Force Base and is 4.4 miles round trip. This trail follows a beautiful stream that weaves up the rocky, steep canyon to Stanley Reservoir. The reservoir is a fantastic place for fishing, camping, and cooling off.

Camping: Colorado has some of the best camping spots in the United States. Famous places such as Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Flat Tops Trail, Buffalo Pass, and Cottonwood Pass are a great start. RMNP has a little bit of everything, fishing, rafting, tourist attractions, hiking, etc. Cottonwood Pass is home to the famous Taylor Park. Taylor Park is beautiful and has tons of trails for 4 wheeling, dirt biking, and mountain biking. The Taylor Reservoir is located within the park and is great for boating and canoeing.

Fishing: My favorite fishing location is the Platte River. This river is wide and relatively deep with some parts that can be floated by raft. As stated by ColoradoFishing.Net, “For this bring a selection of flies – dries, nymphs, scuds, attractors, terrestrials, big/fluffy buggers and in a variety of sizes. The fish are notorious for hugging the banks and bottom, but will rise during certain hatches and when the mood strikes them. Most of all, do not give up.” Another famous fishing location is the Upper Arkansas River, which sustains a warm dry climate, has 40 miles of public fishing access, and is all-around a great location.

Rafting: The Royal Gorge is the king of the Arkansas River with sweet rapids and beautiful rock formations. Rafting along this section of the Arkansas gives you a unique look at the Royal Gorge Bridge. Contained in this section are class 3 to class 5 rapids.

As stated by Colorado River Outfitters Association, American Whitewater:

“Class I: Fast-moving water with riffles and small waves. Sometimes jokingly referred to as “your bathtub,” it’s still a moving body of water. The risk here is low, but it exists.

Class II: Straightforward rapids with wide, clear channels that are evident without scouting. There are rocks, boulders and other obstacles, but they are easily seen and avoided.

Class III: Rapids with moderate, irregular waves that may be difficult to avoid. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required; large waves or strainers (a sieve-like obstruction of fallen logs or other debris) may be present but are easily avoided.

Class IV: Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. Depending on the character of the river, it may feature large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. Rapids may require “must” moves above dangerous hazards. Scouting may be necessary the first time down.

Class V: Extremely long, obstructed or very violent rapids that expose a paddler to added risk. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep, congested chutes with complex, demanding routes. Rapids may continue for long distances between pools, demanding a high level of fitness. Scouting is recommended but may be difficult.

Class VI: Extreme, unpredictable and dangerous conditions. This class does not mean the run is not doable but is for teams of experts only, and the rapids may not be possible to scout. Rescue may be impossible.”

Whether you’re more of a risk taker or like to play it safe, Colorado has all the right activities for you.