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Green Colorado: Eco-Friendly Tourism
Green Breweries
Green Lodging
Fuel-Conscious Road Trips
Green Ski Areas
"Green" Colorado: Eco-Friendly Tourism
Here in Colorado, we know that natural beauty makes our state an ideal place to live and work. Because of this, many Colorado businesses make it a priority to be eco-friendly—including those that make Colorado a truly “green” vacation destination.
Cultural attractions, hotels and resorts across the state are getting green from the ground up through the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification Program fostered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art is the nation’s first contemporary art museum to receive a gold level certification. And several properties are seeking or have been awarded LEED certification, such as The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon and the Viceroy Hotel in Snowmass. Vail Valley’s Ever Vail will be the largest LEED-certified project for resort use in North America, complete with nature-sensitive roofs covered with soil and planted with local grasses to reduce solar heat retention, insulate the buildings and aid in drainage
Colorado’s smaller lodging properties are also on the forefront of the green movement. Las Manos Bed & Breakfast in Buena Vista was recognized by ForbesTraveler.com as one of America’s 10 Greenest Hotels in 2007, and Devil’s Thumb Ranch, outside of Winter Park, was the only U.S. property to be included on Travel & Leisure’s 2007 list of the Top 20 Eco-Friendly Resorts in the World.
All 26 Colorado ski resorts have extensive recycling programs. Keystone, for example, offers creative composting efforts combining vegetable kitchen scraps with wood shavings to create rich fertilizing soil used in their landscaping. Silverton Mountain is entirely recycled—literally. The mountain resort was built with reclaimed products either donated or purchased from around the country, including lifts, mountain vehicles, ski patrol toboggans, furnishings—even handheld radios.
The resorts are also reducing greenhouse gas emissions with their public transportation systems. In 2007, more than 700,000 Winter Park visitors took advantage of its free community shuttle system. The Roaring Fork Transit Authority in Aspen/Snowmass recently added four additional hybrid busses to its fleet. In Telluride, access to the gondola has virtually eliminated the need for cars. Moreover, through the purchase of wind power, Colorado resorts are annually saving more than 241 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the earth’s atmosphere. A total of 11 resorts, including Aspen/Snowmass and Beaver Creek, offset 100 percent of their energy by purchasing wind power. In 2006, Steamboat Ski Resort opened the world’s first combined solar-wind powered ski lift, the Sunshine Express.
Colorado not only sports environmentally friendly places to stay, it offers a number of educational programs and activities that provide vacationers with earth-saving experiences.
From global warming to renewable energy and environmental clean-up, the Colorado Front Range has emerged as one of the best places in the nation for green learning vacations. Near Boulder, visit the National Center for Atmospheric Research, one of the most important research centers for studying climate change and pollution. The National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden is the country’s primary facility for research and development relating to renewable energy. Both of these research centers offer guided tours and exhibits about the Earth’s climate.
If you're traveling to Beaver Creek Mountain, stop by the Environmental Learning Center (ELC), dedicated to promoting education and awareness among guests, employees and area residents. The center showcases interactive displays and a continuous-loop video portraying the resort’s environmental efforts. If you're looking for eco-friendly lodging, relax at the newly remodeled Keystone Lodge & Spa, featuring 100 percent wind power, organic products and natural lighting. Or head to the legendary Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, where you can be "green on the greens." Each of the hotel’s three championship golf courses is certified by the Audubon Sanctuaries, which recognizes the highest level in environmental policies.
Rock Resorts’ Colorado properties—including the historic Hotel Jerome in Aspen, The Pines Lodge, The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera and The Lodge at Vail—offer you the opportunity to participate in an environmental conservation project in the White River National Forest guided by U.S. Forest Service staff. In exchange for your time, Rock Resorts provides discounted lodging, a durable hydration pack, protective work gloves and soothing hand lotion.
And we can't talk about staying green in Colorado without talking about the mountains. The state is home to 58 majestic "14ers" (peaks in excess of 14,000 feet), providing adventurous hikes, spiritual renewal and a chance for visitors to connect with nature. Through the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (
www.14ers.org), you can volunteer time and funds to assist with trail upkeep so future generations can enjoy these natural attractions.
Colorado’s green movement grows with each business that acts on its environmental conscience and with each passionate visitor who walks through their doors. Consider these environmentally friendly tourism options, where protecting the earth is as integral to business as ensuring an enjoyable visit.
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Green Breweries
These days, green beer references more than just a St. Patrick’s Day oddity. A number of Colorado’s breweries are helping to ensure Colorado will be the poster child for environmentally friendly practices.
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Green Lodging
Stay comfortably in Colorado while still helping to protect the environment. A number of green lodging options are available, and we'll show you a few of the many.
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Fuel-Conscious Road Trips
You might only have one tank of gas, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do and see a lot in Colorado. In fact, a full tank of gas can propel you throughout entire regions, with enough activities to fill a number of days. And when your trip is over, you might even have a few gallons to spare.
Denver Area
Northeast Region
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Green Ski Areas
Saving the earth isn’t just good for the conscience. It helps ensure the state's claim to some of the best skiing and snowboarding areas in the world.
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