As the temperatures dip across Colorado and snow starts to fall, there are many magical activities to experience to get in the holiday spirit. Whether you are traveling on a horse-drawn sleigh through the forest, dining in a yurt beneath the stars, or boarding a train with Santa, the backdrop of the mountain landscape adds extra enchantment.
Cat Skiing Across Colorado
For experienced skiers and snowboarders looking for adventure and more terrain, cat skiing is a great option to open up more acreage to explore.
Photo Courtesy of Loveland Ski Area
Loveland Ski Resort offers cat skiing for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders who are ready for a challenge.
Participants can explore 580 acres of bowl skiing with guides, and full-day trips include lunch, avalanche transceiver, lift ticket to access the cat, and 8-11 runs per day depending on conditions and group ability.
Guests meet in the Lower Ridge View Room at Loveland Basin at 8:00am for check-in, to meet the guides, receive avalanche transceiver instructions, and a safety discussion.
Located near Winter Park, Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers a Cat-Skiing Backcountry Experience exclusively for their overnight guests. Guests over 12 years of age who are advanced-intermediate to expert level can ride in a snowcat to the ranch’s private backcountry terrain.
The guides pick up participants at the lodge and provide a safety briefing and issue avalanche gear, followed by a twenty minute ride to the ski terrain on property. Ski fresh untracked snow with over a dozen options for areas to drop in during the four-hour excursion, followed by lunch in a warming hut.
Dining Al Fresco
Dining in a yurt is a unique and memorable way to gather with friends and family in a cozy ambiance. In Crested Butte, snowshoe or cross-country ski to the Magic Meadows Yurt for a gourmet meal with a side of adventure!
Photo Courtesy of Travel Crested Butte
The Yurt can only be accessed with skis or snowshoes via a one-mile groomed trail from the Peanut Lake Trailhead. The journey is mostly flat with a few slopes, so it takes about 30-45 minutes for beginner skiers and 15-20 minutes for more experienced skiers.
Photo Courtesy of Crested Butte Nordic Center
Once you arrive at the yurt, you’ll be treated to a gourmet dinner, drinks, and a fire. Each reservation includes rental equipment, trail passes, guides, a five course dinner and beverages, and transportation between the Nordic Center and the trailhead. Dates are available December through March for this enchanting activity.
Make sure to dress in warm layers with a jacket, hat and gloves. Don’t forget the sturdy boots or ski/snowshoe gear, depending on how you’ll be traveling to the yurt.
Photo Courtesy of Annette
In Boulder, you can savor the yurt experience without trekking to the mountains. Annette, which has received awards from the James Beard Foundation, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit, has a rooftop yurt experience to further elevate their outstanding cuisine. In addition to the restaurant’s dining room, patio, and bar, the yurt is available for private events for up to twenty guests in a warm and welcoming ambiance, making it the perfect destination for special occasions.
Photo Courtesy of Annette
Sleigh Rides Through The Snow
If you’d rather sit back and let someone else do the driving, book a sleigh ride for a truly magical activity. You’ll be warm under a blanket and taking in the scenery under the stars as you’re whisked up to a dinner on the mountain to the sound of trotting horses while taking in mountain views.
Telluride Sleighs and Wagons hosts scenic sleigh rides or dinner rides at the Aldosoro Family Ranch. You’ll be covered by warm blankets, enjoying hot cocoa and s’mores on this delightful ride, which departs from the Telluride Courthouse.
The dinner sleigh rides pick up guests and transport them to the ranch for a delicious dinner in a heated tent. Make sure to dress in warm clothing, wear a coat, and wear shoes that are warm and comfortable for walking in the snow.
Photo Courtesy of Golden Horseshoe Sleigh Rides
In Breckenridge, Golden Horseshoe Sleigh Rides offers Hot Cocoa Scenic Sleigh Rides, Wagon Hay Rides, and Dinner Theatre Sleigh Rides. The draft horses will pull your sleigh through the snow-covered forest with either warm drinks or a gourmet meal, depending on the option you choose.
All Aboard the Santa Train!
Holiday-themed train rides are a wonderful way to celebrate the magic of the holidays for all ages.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad, located about one hour west of Denver, hosts numerous options for themed rides: Victorian Holiday Celebration, Holiday Lighted Forest, Santa’s Lighted Forest, and Santa’s Rocky Mountain Adventure.
Photo Courtesy of Georgetown Loop Railroad
Interact with Santa, Ebenezer Scrooge, and other characters while enjoying lovely views, snacks, and drinks. Make sure to reserve tickets early, as these trains are a popular activity.
The Colorado Railroad Museum hosts the Polar Express, which includes caroling and a performance in the Pavilion followed by a steam locomotive journey to the North Pole and a visit with Santa himself.
Whether you’re skiing to dinner, relaxing in a horse-drawn sleigh, or riding a themed train, Colorado boasts a number of fun and adventurous ways to enjoy the holiday season.