Colorado Springs
During the holiday season (November through January-ish), the west side of Colorado Springs’ Acacia Park becomes a hub of activity that revolves around the skating rink. Skate in the Park has themed nights, live music, food vendors (and a Santa or two) through January.
Denver
Outdoor ice skating in Denver happens in the middle of downtown at Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park along 16th Street Mall November to February. Bring your own skates or rent theirs; handy learn-to-skate stabilizers make sure spills are kept to a minimum, and the options for warm post-skate beverages nearby are vast. And if you're trying to squeeze in one more Colorado activity on your way out of town, Denver International Airport has its own rink, which typically runs late November to early January with the nice price of free!
Colorado State Parks
Several Colorado State Parks have natural ponds that offer skating amid some of the state’s most scenic vistas, including Yampa River, Golden Gate Canyon, Highline Lake, Jackson Lake, Cherry Creek and Eleven Mile. When you’re done gliding around the pond, you’ll have the parks’ myriad of other snow activities to choose from — snowshoeing, cross-county skiing, sledding, tubing, wildlife viewing and more. Check conditions with the individual parks before you head out.
Ouray
Just north of the Swiss-inspired town of Ouray, the Rotary Park rink is surrounded by purple mountains majesty, and locals are known to drop in for impromptu hockey or broomball games. Though the rink features a small warming hut, a soak in the nearby 96- to 108-degree Ouray Hot Springs and Orvis Hot Springs pools will ward off the chill after you’ve spun your final figure eight.
Crested Butte
The Crested Butte Nordic Center's rink is situated on the edge of this classic southwest-Colorado ski town. With 45 kilometers of groomed cross-country and snowshoe trails, a sledding hill, warming huts and winter photography workshops, the Nordic center provides the whole family with new ways to occupy snowy days.
Evergreen
Just west of Denver in Evergreen, 40-acre Evergreen Lake is a skating haven. This frozen destination includes a boardwalk for parents to watch their kids play on the ice, picnic areas and an easy hiking loop. There are also 11 pond hockey rinks. The warming hut has snacks, warm beverages and a cozy fireplace.
Keystone
One of the largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor rinks in North America, Keystone Resort’s Dercum Square Ice Rink frozen alpine lake is kept in tip-top skating condition for day and night skaters. Dip and swirl in settings that resemble a snow globe, play a game of hockey and warm up in the snack shack.