I've wrestled with this issue since I started the blog: how to describe the difficulty of a trail in terms that are not completely arbitrary. So far, my approach has been subjective expressions like: "So easy, my two-year-old can do it," or "I got winded on the assent carrying the baby in her backpack," etc...
I encountered a trail rating system that I like and will be using in all of my forthcoming posts. The system employed by Jerome Malitz in his excellent book, Rocky Mountain National Park Dayhiker's Guide. The number "ranks the comparative difficulty of the hike by equating 1000 feet of elevation gain with a walk of 2 miles of average difficulty and then adding this to the number of miles required for a round trip." (pg 10)
Using this system, the hike at Mt Falcon Open Space from the trailhead to the Presidential Retreat site and back, including the side trip up Two Dog Trail ranks 4.8.
According to Malitz, the comparative difficulty coincides to the numerical rating like this:
1.0-5.9..........Easy
6.0-9.9..........Moderate
10.0 and up...Difficult
Be aware that "comparative difficulty" is still somewhat arbitrary. You will want to consider you own physical condition, taking into account your ability to acclimate to the altitude. And it never hurts to "ramp-up" your hikes. Start with one that ranks as a 3 or 4 and see how well your entourage tolerates it.
If you're going to be hiking in RMNP, consider purchasing Malitz's book. I also recommend The National Geographic Trails Illustrated: Rocky Mountain National Park. The map is keyed to the book. Malitz gives great, detailed trail descriptions and the book has some stunning photos. I hope I can take some as good. You can link to Amazon.com from the menu at the right and purchase the book and the map.
Have fun!
27 November 2007
Baby Backpack
As you read, you'll hear me refer to rides our daughter takes in her backpack. While this is a pretty commonplace piece of baby gear, I thought is worthwhile to offer a few suggestions about this since it is essential to the dayhiking parent of an infant or toddler.Safety is the primary concern, so look for a backpack with an adequate harness. Most only have 3-point systems. This has worked out fine for us. Be sure that the carrier you buy will accommodate your child's weight. There seem to be two cutoffs, 35 lbs and 48.5 lbs. If you do a lot of moderate to difficult hiking, I recommend getting a carrier with a higher weight rating. That way, you can tote Jr. around until he's almost 3. Also, don't put your baby into a backpack carrier until he's able to hold his head up confidently. Smaller babies belong in a front carrier. Refer to and follow the manufacturer's safety guidelines.
We have a model manufactured for Graco that has an injection-molded plastic frame and nylon body. It is equipped with a 3-point safety harness and removable carry-all. When Eliana was smaller this was a great piece of gear. As she has grown, however, it is proving to be less than ideal. First, it is getting uncomfortable for me. The shoulder straps aren't sufficiently padded, so that as my daughter gets heavier, the straps dig into my shoulders. And although the pack is rated for a child up to 48 lbs, it is uncomfortable to use for extended hikes with Elle at 30 lbs. Also, the bottle-holders built on the outside of the carry-all are too small for a sippy cup. But the most disturbing issue is that the safety harness is too getting too small. This is unexpected since she could gain another 18 lbs and still fit into the weight rating (and my daughter isn't especially tall). I can't complain too much, we've gotten plenty of use out of it...and we bought it at a consignment shop for $30.
From my own research (since I've got to replace the one I have really soon), I've concluded that it's better to buy a baby carrier made by an outdoor outfitter instead of one made by a baby gear manufacturer. Baby gear manufacturers don't really have the dayhiking enthusiast in mind. An outdoor outfitter is more likely to think about details like shoulder strap construction and overall weight (the model we have weighs about 11 lbs empty). They make packs that real backpackers use to carry 60 or 70 lbs, all day over strenuous terrain. There are a number of websites that sell backpack carriers, just make sure that you get one that will accommodate your baby for as long as you intend to use it. The max weight tends to be 48.5 lbs but some are as low as 33 lbs. I'll come back with a recommendation once I get a new one.
I'm looking to spend about $150 for a new piece of gear that I'll only get about a year's worth of use from...but there's always Ebay.
Have fun!
Red Rocks Park
A part of the Denver Mountain Parks system, Red Rocks is an interesting geological wonder as well as a world-class entertainment attraction. The Red Rocks Amphitheater is the only natural 
stone entertainment venue in the world. In recent years, a variety of performers including the Beatles and Rolling Stones, have played on this stage. The concert season runs from May to October and people planning to use the park for hiking or picnicking should check the concert schedule ahead of their visit by clicking here. The park generally closes early when there is an event in the amphitheater.
The Trading Post Trail is the only maintained trail in the park. It is a 1.4 mile loop that circles through the rocks and affords some very nice scenery. Don't be daunted by the signs posted at the trail head. This is a pretty easy hike. There is a very short area that has a pretty steep drop just west of the marked trail head. This drops you into a canyon filled with choke cherry bushes. The trail is well marked and when the grade drops or climbs steeply, there are erosion barriers that serve as steps. There are also a few short stretches toward the end of the trail where the trail is only about 30" wide with fairly steep drop-offs on the left hand side. The trail does cross the road in several places as well. That being said, my two-year-old was able to walk about .7 miles of the trail unassisted and rode easily in the backpack on the remainder.
The Trading Post itself has some great souvenirs of your visit to Red Rocks, as well as a snack bar and fudgery. There is a small display of photographs taken of artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Denver playing at the amphitheater.
The Red Rock Amphitheater was the brainchild of John Brisben Walker (the ruins of his mountain castle can be seen at Mt. Falcon Open Space Park just southwest of Morrison), who in 1907 invited opera performers up to the then unimproved rock formation to sing and give account of the incredible natural acoustics of the site. After the City of Denver acquired the property for Walker in the mid-1930's, with the help of other investors and visionaries, the amphitheater was built. Construction was interrupted by World War II but the New Deal Conservation Corp completed the structure in time for the Easter Sunrise Service in 1947.
Don't miss the view of Denver from the amphitheater atrium. On a clear day, you can see as far west as the Denver Airport. The Visitor Center at the amphitheater has more historical and interpretive displays and gifts available for purchase. The Ship Rock Grill at Red Rocks is open for lunch adjacent to the Visitor Center.
This is a free attraction (excluding any concert admission or dining that you might choose to do while visiting) and is very family friendly. Click here to get more information and check concert schedules.
Trading Post Trail Difficulty: 1.8
Have fun!
stone entertainment venue in the world. In recent years, a variety of performers including the Beatles and Rolling Stones, have played on this stage. The concert season runs from May to October and people planning to use the park for hiking or picnicking should check the concert schedule ahead of their visit by clicking here. The park generally closes early when there is an event in the amphitheater.The Trading Post Trail is the only maintained trail in the park. It is a 1.4 mile loop that circles through the rocks and affords some very nice scenery. Don't be daunted by the signs posted at the trail head. This is a pretty easy hike. There is a very short area that has a pretty steep drop just west of the marked trail head. This drops you into a canyon filled with choke cherry bushes. The trail is well marked and when the grade drops or climbs steeply, there are erosion barriers that serve as steps. There are also a few short stretches toward the end of the trail where the trail is only about 30" wide with fairly steep drop-offs on the left hand side. The trail does cross the road in several places as well. That being said, my two-year-old was able to walk about .7 miles of the trail unassisted and rode easily in the backpack on the remainder.
The Trading Post itself has some great souvenirs of your visit to Red Rocks, as well as a snack bar and fudgery. There is a small display of photographs taken of artists like Bruce Springsteen and John Denver playing at the amphitheater.
The Red Rock Amphitheater was the brainchild of John Brisben Walker (the ruins of his mountain castle can be seen at Mt. Falcon Open Space Park just southwest of Morrison), who in 1907 invited opera performers up to the then unimproved rock formation to sing and give account of the incredible natural acoustics of the site. After the City of Denver acquired the property for Walker in the mid-1930's, with the help of other investors and visionaries, the amphitheater was built. Construction was interrupted by World War II but the New Deal Conservation Corp completed the structure in time for the Easter Sunrise Service in 1947.Don't miss the view of Denver from the amphitheater atrium. On a clear day, you can see as far west as the Denver Airport. The Visitor Center at the amphitheater has more historical and interpretive displays and gifts available for purchase. The Ship Rock Grill at Red Rocks is open for lunch adjacent to the Visitor Center.
This is a free attraction (excluding any concert admission or dining that you might choose to do while visiting) and is very family friendly. Click here to get more information and check concert schedules.
Trading Post Trail Difficulty: 1.8
Have fun!
21 November 2007
Barbeque and Donuts in Evergreen
This unlikely combination comes together in a fun, rustic atmosphere at the Tin Star Grill in downtown Evergreen. The present owners bought the storefront that had been a donut shop for 30 years and continue the tradition of serving hand-crafted donuts to the locals and tourists. We stopped-in on a chilly Saturday afternoon in November for lunch before heading down to Lair O' the Bear Open Space for a hike.
They combined this with a barbeque catering business and thus the intriguing menu.
The menu is limited but extensive enough to cover the barbeque basics: chopped beef, pulled pork and chicken. There's a vegetarian sandwich made with asparagus, but I can't intelligently comment on that ("vegitarian barbeque" is an oxymoron to me).
The beef and pork are both smoked to perfect tenderness and without a lot of fatty trash left in it. The buns are basic but the chips are made in-house with a unique seasoning blend that I couldn't get enough of. The sandwiches are topped with fresh cole slaw, which sounded weird to me but was actually really good and complimented the smokey meats and slightly spicey sauce. I loved it and my wife would have had it again for dinner that night.
The atmosphere is rustic. I didn't see any highchairs on the first floor and there is limited seating. More room on the 2nd floor but the stairs are narrow and steep. School age kids will love the casual atmosphere, but you may have issues if you're travelling with an infant or toddler. Children's menu is limited to hamburgers, BUT (and they may hate me for telling you this) they invented a barbeque beef kid's meal when we asked.
Overall the food is great, the atmosphere is friendly (the owners were working the day we were there and they chatted with my wife and I about their business and the town and the Michigan/Ohio State football game) and terrific for older kids. Families with infants or toddlers might want to consider picking up lunch to-go and picnicing across the street at the city park along the bank of Bear Creek.
Enjoy!
They combined this with a barbeque catering business and thus the intriguing menu.
The menu is limited but extensive enough to cover the barbeque basics: chopped beef, pulled pork and chicken. There's a vegetarian sandwich made with asparagus, but I can't intelligently comment on that ("vegitarian barbeque" is an oxymoron to me).
The beef and pork are both smoked to perfect tenderness and without a lot of fatty trash left in it. The buns are basic but the chips are made in-house with a unique seasoning blend that I couldn't get enough of. The sandwiches are topped with fresh cole slaw, which sounded weird to me but was actually really good and complimented the smokey meats and slightly spicey sauce. I loved it and my wife would have had it again for dinner that night.
The atmosphere is rustic. I didn't see any highchairs on the first floor and there is limited seating. More room on the 2nd floor but the stairs are narrow and steep. School age kids will love the casual atmosphere, but you may have issues if you're travelling with an infant or toddler. Children's menu is limited to hamburgers, BUT (and they may hate me for telling you this) they invented a barbeque beef kid's meal when we asked.
Overall the food is great, the atmosphere is friendly (the owners were working the day we were there and they chatted with my wife and I about their business and the town and the Michigan/Ohio State football game) and terrific for older kids. Families with infants or toddlers might want to consider picking up lunch to-go and picnicing across the street at the city park along the bank of Bear Creek.
Enjoy!
Mt Falcon Open Space Park
For day-hiking near Denver, you almost can't beat the Open Space Parks in the foothills. Mt Falcon is a great place to take easy to moderately difficult hikes and see some great scenery.There are two ways to access the park. To access the parks west entrance take the Indian Hills turn-off from U.S. Highway 285, follow Parmalee Gulch Road for 5 miles to Picutis Road, then follow the signs to the west parking area. East access is available from Colorado Highway 8 south of Morrison. Turn west on Forest Avenue and north on Vine Avenue. The trail head is directly across from the Morrison town park.
There are interpretive signs along the Castle and Walker's Dream trails that tell the story of John Brisben Walker, who resided on the mountain in the early 20th century and who envisioned a Presidential retreat on the ridge east of his home. The ruins of his house (destroyed by fire in 1918) are one of the chief attractions of the park, as is the cornerstone of the "Summer White House" that was never fully realized. President Woodrow Wilson was invited to attend the setting of the cornerstone but declined to attend...when you see the view from the cornerstone site, you'll wonder what kind of idiot would turn their nose up at a summer home there. But the Presidents' loss is definitely our gain.
Also worth seeing is the old fire watch tower at the top of Mt Falcon. Built to command a view of the surrounding forests, it is still standing and is open for visitors to climb.
The first half mile of the Castle Trail goes through an area that was damaged by wildfire in 1989. There are still bare pine trees standing in what is now a large meadow. When the Meadow Trail splits and Castle Trail goes left, there is an area of meadow that appears to have been burned even more recently. Signs of this fire can bee seen almost all the way to the Walker home ruins. The recent fire appears to have spared most of the trees. As you take in the scenery, don't miss the generous scattering of rose quartz all along the trail.
The Walker Home ruins are closed to the public, but you can hike all around them and see the spectacular views. About a half mile past the ruins, the Two Dog Trail leads off to the right for about .3 mile. The climb is pretty challenging but the view from the top is worth the effort. A broad vista includes downtown Denver, the Hogback Ridge and all points east. We were able to easily pick out the small lake that our apartment community sits on in Lakewood, about 15 miles east. Two Dog is a one-way trail, so you'll have to retrace your steps to the Castle Trail and continue from there.
Continuing down the Castle trail another .3 mile, take the Walker's Dream Trail to the left up to the "Summer Whitehouse" ruins. There are a few partial walls built from the local rock and the white marble cornerstone and fantastic views of the Rocky Mountains to the west.
The hike from the trail head to the "Summer Whitehouse" site and back (including the side trip up Two Dog Trail) is almost 5 miles. The outbound trip is downhill (except the two short side trails) so the return trip is uphill. Our first foray on this trail ended with us dragging ourselves back up to the parking area after sundown. Be sure to allow yourself adequate time and energy for the return trip.
Alternately, a group could leave a car at the east entrance in Morrison, drive a second car up to the west entrance and hike all the way down the Castle Trail (3.8 miles). Parts of the trail past the Walker's Dream Trail are pretty steep, but it is downhill all the way to Morrison.For family-friendliness, this park has a lot to see in the areas adjacent to the west entrance. There are restrooms near the trail head and often volunteers are at the trail head and out on the trails. Many of the trails at the top of the mountain have an elevation gain of less than 200 feet. The more challenging trails are still accessible to school age kids or parents carrying toddlers in backpacks.
You can download a PDF trail map at http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/mtfalcmp.pdf.
Have fun!
15 November 2007
Downtown Aquarium in Denver
Between Water Street and the South Platte River is one of the best zoo/aquarium experiences to be had anywhere. The aquarium habitats are as engaging as they are immersive. In all honesty, the printed marketing material doesn't capture the utter coolness of the attraction at all.
Our daughter was 13-months-old on our first visit and she was completely enthralled during the entire three-hour-tour. Her excitement hasn't waned at all in subsequent visits. With interactive exhibits throughout, there is something of interest for everybody. The aquarium has 14 different ecosystem exhibits, each with an engaging theme and enough informational and educational detail posted to make it a learning trip as well.
By far the most impressive (is "breathtaking" too dramatic) exhibits are the Under The Sea (coral reef), the Sunken Temple and the Shipwreck. Under the Sea features an underwater tunnel about 30 feet long where a variety of sharks, groupers, stingrays and eels swim around and over you. The aquarium wall in the Sunken Temple display leans and curves over the observation area as well. The Shipwreck can be viewed through a 20 foot tall floor-to-ceiling wall of glass AND though large glass portholes in the floor where sharks swim on the sandy floor about 15 feet below. I actually got a little vertigo in the Shipwreck area.
There is also a restaurant on site with good seafood, though a little pricey. We thought the 150,000 gallon aquarium wall was worth the extra money we spent on dinner. If you decide to try the restaurant, I recommend going on a weekday and timing your visit so that you are eating between the peak meal hours. This will increase your chances of sitting near the aquarium itself. We sat at a table right under the glass wall and our daughter was delighted throughout dinner.
Additional information is available on their website http://www.downtownaquarium.com/.
Our daughter was 13-months-old on our first visit and she was completely enthralled during the entire three-hour-tour. Her excitement hasn't waned at all in subsequent visits. With interactive exhibits throughout, there is something of interest for everybody. The aquarium has 14 different ecosystem exhibits, each with an engaging theme and enough informational and educational detail posted to make it a learning trip as well.We haven't seen the Sumatran Tigers swimming yet, but the exhibit is designed so that you can get really close to the animals even when they are just lying around. There is also some seating nearby where you can wait for the swimming mood to strike them.
The flash flood simulation was a little much for our daughter, but I thought it was cool.
By far the most impressive (is "breathtaking" too dramatic) exhibits are the Under The Sea (coral reef), the Sunken Temple and the Shipwreck. Under the Sea features an underwater tunnel about 30 feet long where a variety of sharks, groupers, stingrays and eels swim around and over you. The aquarium wall in the Sunken Temple display leans and curves over the observation area as well. The Shipwreck can be viewed through a 20 foot tall floor-to-ceiling wall of glass AND though large glass portholes in the floor where sharks swim on the sandy floor about 15 feet below. I actually got a little vertigo in the Shipwreck area.
There is also a restaurant on site with good seafood, though a little pricey. We thought the 150,000 gallon aquarium wall was worth the extra money we spent on dinner. If you decide to try the restaurant, I recommend going on a weekday and timing your visit so that you are eating between the peak meal hours. This will increase your chances of sitting near the aquarium itself. We sat at a table right under the glass wall and our daughter was delighted throughout dinner.
One of the best family friendly attractions anywhere. A terrific activity for that inevitable rainy afternoon on your vacation. Plan to spend 3-4 hours looking at the exhibits.
The best pictures we got were in the Under the Sea tunnel. Most of the other immersive exhibits are too back lit to shoot without a flash. I was shooting Fuji PRO 1600 film and you can see how dark and grainy the photos turned out. Take flash photos at your own peril...lots of reflective surfaces.
Adult tickets to the aquarium are $13.75, children 4-12 are $8.75, kids under 3 are free. Restaurant pricing is similar to Landry's or Joe's Crab Shack, $18-20 per adult and $7-10 per child.
Additional information is available on their website http://www.downtownaquarium.com/.
Have fun!
13 November 2007
Best Tortillas EVER
The Hacienda Colorado has some of the best Mexican food that we've ever had (and having grown up in Texas, that says a lot). There are 3 locations in the Denver metro area, with a 4th scheduled to open in the Spring of 2008.
The name, Hacienda Colorado, is tradmarked, as is their "Mountain Mex" cuisine. There is plenty of standard Tex-Mex fare to be had but the house specials are worth trying. The food is creative, attractive and full-flavored. This is a "scratch" restaurant and everything is made in-house, including the salsas, chips and tortillas. The inquisitive can watch the tortillas being rolled out by-hand through a glass enclosure. Choose one of 8 Famous Sauces to top your enhilladas, burrito or chimichanga. The bar features 120 different tequillas.
The atmosphere is really great too. It's a fine dining experience where you won't feel uncomfortable wearing your shorts. The lighting for dinner was dim enough to suggest candelight but there was enough music and background noise that we were very comfortable taking our (sometimes loud) two-year-old.
There is a children's menu with coloring and puzzles, crayons, high chairs and booster seats. The kids' menu is conveniently printed in the adult menu so that you don't have to read it upside down or interrupt the creation of some priceless art treasure.
Our evening at Hacienda Colorado cost under $50, including appetizer, desert and tip.
Really good family-friendliness for a fine restaurant.
You can get directions and download a PDF menu from http://www.haciendacolorado.com/.
Enjoy!
The name, Hacienda Colorado, is tradmarked, as is their "Mountain Mex" cuisine. There is plenty of standard Tex-Mex fare to be had but the house specials are worth trying. The food is creative, attractive and full-flavored. This is a "scratch" restaurant and everything is made in-house, including the salsas, chips and tortillas. The inquisitive can watch the tortillas being rolled out by-hand through a glass enclosure. Choose one of 8 Famous Sauces to top your enhilladas, burrito or chimichanga. The bar features 120 different tequillas.
The atmosphere is really great too. It's a fine dining experience where you won't feel uncomfortable wearing your shorts. The lighting for dinner was dim enough to suggest candelight but there was enough music and background noise that we were very comfortable taking our (sometimes loud) two-year-old.
There is a children's menu with coloring and puzzles, crayons, high chairs and booster seats. The kids' menu is conveniently printed in the adult menu so that you don't have to read it upside down or interrupt the creation of some priceless art treasure.
Our evening at Hacienda Colorado cost under $50, including appetizer, desert and tip.
Really good family-friendliness for a fine restaurant.
You can get directions and download a PDF menu from http://www.haciendacolorado.com/.
Enjoy!
Lair O' the Bear Park
Less than 10 minutes west of Morrison, there is a great little creekside trail system that is a perfect "entry-level" hike for a family with children. The park features a handicap accessible fishing pier, picnic tables and restrooms.
This is some of the easiest hiking that we've done in the front range. My two-year-old hikes most of these trails on her feet. There is less than 200 ft of elevation gain on any of these trails. Most of the trails are multi-use, so watch for cyclists and people on horseback (and the inevitable droppings of the horses).
Most of the park is raparian zone ecology, so there is an increased diversity of wildlife compared to other alpine and sub-alpine zone hike common to the front range. Look for reptiles, amphibians and insects in the spring and summer months. Year round, you'll see deer, elk and small mammals, as well as numerous birds and waterfoul. Look for the beaver colony from the creekside trails.
There's plenty of plant diversity as well, which makes the hike a pleasant combination of sights and smells throughout the spring, summer and fall.
Since Bear Creek Canyon is surrounded by mountains east and west, sunset is early and sunrise is late. Fall hiking can get chilly after the sun dips behind the hills.
The main Bear Creek Trail runs the entire length of the park and connects with O'Fallon (Denver Mtn) Park to the west and Little (Denver Mtn) Park to the east.
Lair O' the Bear Park is open year-round and there is no cost to enter the park. The hiking is family friendly for all ages, but keep an eye on the little ones near the creek. Download the trail map at http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/lairmap.pdf.
Have fun!
This is some of the easiest hiking that we've done in the front range. My two-year-old hikes most of these trails on her feet. There is less than 200 ft of elevation gain on any of these trails. Most of the trails are multi-use, so watch for cyclists and people on horseback (and the inevitable droppings of the horses).
Most of the park is raparian zone ecology, so there is an increased diversity of wildlife compared to other alpine and sub-alpine zone hike common to the front range. Look for reptiles, amphibians and insects in the spring and summer months. Year round, you'll see deer, elk and small mammals, as well as numerous birds and waterfoul. Look for the beaver colony from the creekside trails.
There's plenty of plant diversity as well, which makes the hike a pleasant combination of sights and smells throughout the spring, summer and fall.
Since Bear Creek Canyon is surrounded by mountains east and west, sunset is early and sunrise is late. Fall hiking can get chilly after the sun dips behind the hills.
The main Bear Creek Trail runs the entire length of the park and connects with O'Fallon (Denver Mtn) Park to the west and Little (Denver Mtn) Park to the east.
Lair O' the Bear Park is open year-round and there is no cost to enter the park. The hiking is family friendly for all ages, but keep an eye on the little ones near the creek. Download the trail map at http://co.jefferson.co.us/jeffco/openspace_uploads/lairmap.pdf.
Have fun!
12 November 2007
Colorado Family Treks
My wife and I have enjoyed hiking, rock scrambling and just being outside for as long as I can remember. After being married for twelve years and enjoying the freedon of traveling together as adults, we had a baby. Now we work very hard to find things to do outdoors that satisfy both our need for adventure on the road less traveled and our desire to share the adventure with our daughter.
We recently moved to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and are literally overwhelmed by the potential to grow our adventures with a child along for the ride.
We've vacationed here a number of times before and found it difficult to navigate the barrage of advertising and almost propogandized "family fun" in the area. Every attraction claims to be family friendly but there are some obvious exceptions (no one is going to try to climb the stairs at Seven Falls with a 2-year-old intow) and there are some not-so-obvious ones as well.
Now that we live here, we're getting out and seeing the sights almost every weekend. What I want to offer here is concise and detailed reviews to take the guesswork out of "Family Fun" in the foothills and Front Range area of Colorado. What a great place to be!
Here's the kind of things that you'll find here as the blog develops: family friendly day hiking locales, places to eat, historic and landmark attractions that don't bore the kids, picture spots and must-see sights. We'll talk about what you can expect to spend and rate all of our hits and misses for family friendliness.
We have a pretty diverse set of interests, but we don't ski, golf or shop much, so I doubt you'll find much help with those pursuits herein. We live in the Denver area and generally don't venture much farther north than Rocky Mountain National Park or farther south than Colorado Springs.
Please be patient as we develop the site, eventually you'll be able to search the blog for archived entries related to specific locations or activities. In the meantime, if you don't find what you're looking for, you can post a message if you have a question about a specific attraction and we'll try to check it out for you.
Have fun!
We recently moved to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and are literally overwhelmed by the potential to grow our adventures with a child along for the ride.
We've vacationed here a number of times before and found it difficult to navigate the barrage of advertising and almost propogandized "family fun" in the area. Every attraction claims to be family friendly but there are some obvious exceptions (no one is going to try to climb the stairs at Seven Falls with a 2-year-old intow) and there are some not-so-obvious ones as well.
Now that we live here, we're getting out and seeing the sights almost every weekend. What I want to offer here is concise and detailed reviews to take the guesswork out of "Family Fun" in the foothills and Front Range area of Colorado. What a great place to be!
Here's the kind of things that you'll find here as the blog develops: family friendly day hiking locales, places to eat, historic and landmark attractions that don't bore the kids, picture spots and must-see sights. We'll talk about what you can expect to spend and rate all of our hits and misses for family friendliness.
We have a pretty diverse set of interests, but we don't ski, golf or shop much, so I doubt you'll find much help with those pursuits herein. We live in the Denver area and generally don't venture much farther north than Rocky Mountain National Park or farther south than Colorado Springs.
Please be patient as we develop the site, eventually you'll be able to search the blog for archived entries related to specific locations or activities. In the meantime, if you don't find what you're looking for, you can post a message if you have a question about a specific attraction and we'll try to check it out for you.
Have fun!
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