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As summer approaches, many travelers are seeking to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Families want to go camping, adventurers want to go rock climbing and everyone wants to find a great body of water to offer them a reprieve from the heat. There are many places throughout the world where you can enjoy outdoor adventures but you might just find that the best spots are the ones located in your own backyard.

Take the state of Colorado for example. An easy-to-reach location that offers affordable travel options for all types of visitors, Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in the country. With red rock mountains, gorgeous acres of trees and stunningly beautiful lakes, it’s a place that you’ll want to visit again and again (and one where you’ll be glad that you brought a camera along with you!)

To really enjoy the outdoor opportunities available throughout the state of Colorado, you’ll need to know about the best parks located there. Each one is going to have different activities so review them carefully to find the one (or several) that sounds best for you and the people that you’re traveling with. Here’s the insider scoop on some of the best Colorado parks:

National Parks in Colorado

There are four national parks located in the state of Colorado and the real traveler will want to visit each of them:

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• Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The name of this park may be a mouthful but you’ll be speechless when you see how uniquely pretty this place is. It is the site of the deepest section of a massive canyon that stretches nearly fifty miles through Colorado. This canyon is one of the steepest mountain descents in North America so it makes for a great challenge to climbers and for some great waterfall pictures for amateur photographers.
• Great Sand Dunes National Park. Sand dunes are always an interesting sight to see and the ones at this national park are no exception. In fact, they are the tallest sand dunes in North America so if you’re only going to get to see one sand dune park in your life, this would be a good one to make a stop at. Lakes, forests and tundra keep the landscape here interesting.
• Mesa Verde National Park. This national park is a preserved heritage site where people go to view the amazing historic cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people who once lived in this area. It’s the kind of place where you can experience both the wonder of nature and the importance of history.

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• Rocky Mountain National Park. This is probably the one national park that would come to mind if you were asked to name one in Colorado since the Rockies are practically what Colorado is known for. It offers a great combination of rugged terrain and more family-oriented leisure spots so that it can be enjoyed by a diverse group of visitors. Surrounded by natural forests and filled with lakes and rivers, it’s the Colorado National Park where you can really enjoy almost any activity.

Best Colorado State Parks

Not to be outdone by the national parks, Colorado’s state parks are home to some of the area’s best nature, wildlife and recreation opportunities. There are many different parks to choose from as a visitor but here are some of the ones that you won’t want to miss out on:

• Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area. One of the adventure sports most commonly associated with Colorado during the summer is white water rafting. It’s a sport that can be enjoyed in many different areas but this one is the best state park for getting out on the water and riding those waves. The Arkansas River is the most popular place in the state for white water rafting and the park itself offers a variety of additional activities including everything from the adventure of mountain biking to the leisure of watching wildlife.
• Barr Lake State Park. This is another Colorado state park where you can enjoy a diversity of activities and one which might be better suited to people of all different outdoor activity skill levels. Fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, camping, picnicking, and mountain biking are just a few of the activities that are enjoyed here. Additionally, it’s a great park for seeing wildlife in a safe setting because there’s a nature center here that lets you do exactly that.

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• Lone Mesa State Park. If you happen to be one of the people in Colorado who is interested in finding a park for hunting, this is your spot. It’s closed to the general public but open to people with hunting permits and it offers much of the scenic beauty that you’d find at more leisure-oriented Colorado parks.
• Mueller State Park. People who are primarily interested in hiking will find that their purpose is well suited in the 5,000-acre Mueller State Park. There are many miles of trails to enjoy here and there aren’t a lot of distractions from people who aren’t interested in hiking. The one thing that might distract you, though, is the wildlife since there is a whole lot of it to see here (including elk, mule deer and black bears).
• Rifle Falls State Park. People who are drawn to the natural beauty of waterfalls will find that Rifle Falls is one of the best spots to enjoy that natural attraction. Much of Colorado is home to great waterfalls because of the combination of sheer mountainsides and running rivers that cross the state but this one is one of the best spots for the average person to see that type of wonder. It doesn’t require extensive hiking to be rewarded with the waterfalls here and there are amenities for people traveling with multi-generational groups.
• Steamboat Lake State Park. Travelers that are looking for a more relaxing side of Colorado will find that this Colorado state park is one of the best bets for that. You can enjoy some outdoor activities that are less adventurous than they are leisurely (such as boating and fishing on the lake). There are trails in the area and camping facilities so it’s a great place for a quiet family vacation or a spot to get away from the world and just ponder life.

Colorado Parks: Honorable Mentions

Not every outstanding park in Colorado is a national park or a state park. There are some smaller locations and public city parks that are worth visiting if you happen to be in the area where they are at. There are even a few that are worth making a destination of their own. Here are a couple to consider:

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• Pike’s Peak Mountain / Garden of the Gods. This is one of the most popular natural tourist attractions in Colorado; Pike’s Peak itself is one of the most-visited mountains in the entire world. Some people come to see the amazing mountain and others come to challenge themselves to climb it. It’s the center attraction of the rest of the Garden of the Gods, a public park with unique geological formations and red rock mountains that are appealing to the traveler from anywhere in the world.
• Washington Park. Located in Denver, this is one of the state’s best public parks for those people seeking out the basic great neighborhood park for enjoying a summer day. Attractions that draw people to the park include an impressive array of flower gardens, a recreation center, a lawn bowling and croquet field and several walking trails.

Finding Colorado’s Best Parks

This list should get you started on your way to finding the best Colorado parks to visit while you’re in the state. However, there are many more parks to choose from. Colorado is home to more than forty different state parks and there are numerous small city parks to enjoy in each area as well. Do your research and spend time wandering throughout the state to find the parks that would make your Colorado must-see list.

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