Whether you are a tourist or have lived there for a long time Coloradothese nine underrated places to visit have something for the whole family for a unique and fascinating travel experience.
Georgetown Loop Railroad
The Georgetown Loop Railroad offers a family-friendly experience that harkens back to Colorado’s years of gold and silver mining.
The experience is totally immersive and takes visitors on a narrow-gauge train that is both a history lesson and a journey that visits some of the most scenic parts of Georgetown that would otherwise be inaccessible to the average tourist. In winter, you can choose from two specially themed train rides; Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure or Santa’s Lighted Forest.
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National ParkNear Cortez, Colorado, is Cliff Palace, an archaeological site with a dense community of ancient dwellings for the Pueblo Indians who once populated the area. This ancestral site offers in-depth insight into the daily life of these ancient peoples. The expansive park is open to the public for hiking, rock climbing, and general exploration.
International Cannabis Church, Denver
Wherever you stand on cannabis, this foray into the International Church of Cannabis is sure to intrigue you. You can’t miss the building. On the facade is a huge mural with the word WEED on the front. This used to be a Lutheran church, but now it’s a church that subscribes to something called “Elevationalism.” Everyone is welcome. There are no exclusionary practices. You are welcome to sit down, enjoy the peace and, if you feel like it, enjoy a cigarette of your choice. Come here and meet like-minded people who just want to enjoy their weed in peace.
Trinidad
Step back in time to this hidden gem, adorned with Victorian architecture and old-fashioned brick paving.
Trinidad is a historic Colorado town that is underrated and little known, in part because of its proximity, just 13 miles north of New Mexico. Long before the headlines hit the headlines, Trinidad had earned a reputation as the ‘Sex Reassignment Capital of the World’, as a local doctor had a worldwide reputation for his willingness to perform sex reassignment surgery.
Saint Elmo ghost town
Even some longtime Colorado residents know nothing about one of the most preserved and authentic ghost towns in the west. Get easy access to all of St. Elmo on a self-guided walking tour of the 43 buildings that once housed an old parlor, jail/courtroom, trade exchange center, and private residences. A former gold and silver mining colony, St. Elmo became a ghost town in the late 1950s as the remaining residents packed up or died.
Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Strawberry Park Hot Springs, an underrated alternative to Steamboat Springs, offers the same authentic hot springs experience, but without all the touristy trappings.
Granted, it also lacks many of the luxurious amenities associated with luxury resorts, but if your goal is natural hot springs, this is it. Choose from multiple bubbling hot springs that welcome visitors year-round. Please note that access is recommended via 4-wheel drive only, as the road from the highway is unpaved and rough.
Cliffon, Colorado
Very close to Grand Junction, Clifton, CO is like a back door to nature’s bounty. From here you can visit James M. Robb Colorado River State Park for a family picnic, fishing, swimming, hiking, and snowshoeing when the conditions are right.
Bring your cycling and hiking gear as well, as the park is dotted with miles of trails. Clifton’s approximately 20,000 residents welcome visitors who appreciate the town’s proximity to the Colorado National Monument.
Paint Mines Interpretive Park, Calhan
Paint Mines Interpretive Park is a magical place that some call natural psychedelia. Here, a rainbow of colors stretches into the distance, creating surreal landscapes that you may have only seen in your dreams.
The Native Americans used clay from this area to make their incredible pottery. Today you will be amazed by the unique and colorful geological formations reminiscent of nature itself taking up a brush.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes National Park is a unique desert oasis, home to North America’s tallest sand dune, the Star Dune. It is ideal for spring break vacations and offers activities such as hiking, climbing, off-roading and sandboarding. In the summer, visitors can enjoy swimming in Medano Creek at the base of the dunes. With spectacular views of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains and opportunities for sand sledding and stargazing, it’s one of Colorado’s most underrated destinations.
