Aurora offers plenty to do and see. Between the shopping, restaurants and cultural offerings, you may have never considered looking for hidden gems. With so many recreational opportunities in 2015, it can be easy to forget about the natural beauty that surrounds us. This November, head out into the wilderness for a healthy change of pace.
- Wheeler Geographic Area
- Skyline Drive
- Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Park
- Lone Eagle Peak
- Devil’s Causeway
If you don’t make a habit of leaving the city conveniences of Aurora behind, consider venturing into the wild this November. Wheeler Geologic Area is located within the confines of the massive Rio Grande National Forest. The area boasts stunning, out-of-this-world sandstone spires shaped by ancient volcanic explosions.
Skyline Drive is not for the faint of heart. Although it requires no athletic prowess or special skills, traveling this road is an adventure — even by car. Constructed in 1906 as a tourist attraction, the byway was later paved but is still incredibly narrow in some places. Unless you’re acrophobic, though, the views are worth the spine-tingling three-mile ride. There’s even an additional payoff: You can view actual dinosaur footprints!
Leave 2015 behind with a guided tour of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s homelands. Discover the beauty of park lands while a Ute tour guide provides interpretations of petroglyphs, land formations and structures. Plan to make a weekend of it, as the park is a seven-hour drive from Aurora.
Hardcore climbers will love the challenge of Lone Eagle Peak. Ascending the peak is most often described as dizzying, although Lone Eagle maxes out at 11,900 feet versus the area’s many 14,000-foot summits. Access to a number of rappel stations is available. Make your next November climb a memorable one when you make the journey from Aurora to Granby.
They call it the Devil’s Causeway for a reason. Hike this narrow ridge — and we do mean narrow, with some spots measuring only four feet wide — for its incredible vistas. Running through the Flat Tops Wilderness, the ridge can be accessed from a trail starting at Stillwater Reservoir.
This November, experience the natural beauty and physical challenges of sites near and far from Aurora. Fall 2015 is the perfect time to appreciate all that Colorado has to offer.
