While all that is truly needed is your kids' sense of adventure, a notebook, a writing utensil and plenty of colored pencils will come in handy.

Where will your adventures take you? Explore the path you will take during your road trip at the Fruita Welcome Center. Get activity.

Discover the differences between various dinosaurs at Dinosaur Journey, a great place to learn all about paleontology. Get activity.

Looking for adventure? Hike a dinosaur trail! Riggs Hill Trail offers opportunities to learn about the paleontology, history, geology and geography of the area. Get extra credit activity.

Make your way east toward Grand Junction from Fruita.

Visiting in the summer? Learn to wakeboard at Imondi Wake Zone, Colorado’s only wakeboarding park. The unique cable-wakeboarding system means no boat required! Splash around at the aqua park with bouncy floats, jumps, slides and more. Then try your hand at paddleboarding, or just cool off in this unique water park.

Just how did all those geologic features get created in Colorado National Monument? Learn the answers and more while enjoying art time as you sketch the monument’s fantastical geological features. Get activity.

The Mountains & Mesas region of Colorado is world-renowned for its mountain biking trails. Don’t miss a chance to check out the wide variety of trails from Fruita to Grand Junction to Palisade and beyond. You’ll find something for every skill set, but Rustler’s Loop is not to be missed! Interpretive signs along this beginner-to-intermediate trail educate new and seasoned riders about everything from cornering and climbing to trail etiquette and the local ecology.

Drive to Delta via the Grand Mesa scenic byway, where you’ll pass through old-growth forests, lush meadows and huge stands of aspen trees. Can you count how many lakes you see? There are more than 200 on the Grand Mesa!

If there’s time, take a slight detour to the historical ranger observatory at the Land’s End area. You will be able to see all the way to Utah and central Colorado from this view point. The Land’s End Observatory is approximately 10 miles off the main Grand Mesa scenic byway.

Travel back in time at Fort Uncompahgre and learn about the trading that took place in the area years before Colorado was a state. Get activity.

As you wrap up the day, see how much you remember from Colorado National Monument and Fort Uncompahgre. Get trivia activity.

Check out Confluence Park in Delta and explore its brand-new bike-pump track and miles of riverside trails for biking, hiking or simply strolling. Cast a fishing line or put in for a paddle on the 70-acre lake.

Drive to the main (south) entrance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park via Hwy. 50.

Capture this shockingly beautiful geological wonder through words by writing a poem about the vistas at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Get activity.

Curecanti National Recreation Area is home to some amazing animals, including the very communicative Gunnison Prairie Dogs. Get extra credit activity.

Head over to Gunnison for some serious grub after your expedition through the national park.

If you’ve never seen river surfing, it is a sight to behold! You’ll all be amazed watching kayakers and surfers navigate the obstacles at Gunnison Whitewater Park. Stretch your legs on a walk along the nature trail that meanders through the riparian habitat. Be sure to pick up a brochure at the start to help you identify the various trees, shrubs and wildflowers.

Once you’ve explored the park, hop in the car and head over to Crested Butte.

So much natural beauty greets a visitor on Lower Loop Trail. How can we protect this trail, as well as ALL of Colorado’s outdoors, now and in the future? By following the seven Care for Colorado Principles. Get activity.

Soak in the summer views with a scenic ride on the Silver Queen Express chairlift. Travel round trip, or unload at the top for a family-friendly hike.

One of the most popular exhibits at the Ute Indian Museum is the hands-on teepee exhibit. Explore the display and compare the nomadic life of living in a teepee to your life today. Get activity.

Ridgway Railroad Museum has three of the seven original Galloping Geese on-site. Find out what makes these one-of-a-kind railcars stand out. Get activity.

Take the kids on an easy hike to these stunning waterfalls. Interpretive trails throughout Box Canyon Falls Park will guide you through learning about snowmelt, flora and fauna. Stop in the visitor’s center for more information.

Now that you’ve visited the Ute Indian Museum and Ridgway Railroad Museum, let’s see how much you remember. Get trivia activity.

Consider adding on a day trip to Telluride. Once a small mining community, the town is now famous for its slopes and peaks. You’ll also enjoy a spectacular drive before learning about the town’s rich history. Delve into the past at the Tomboy Ghost Town or take a free scenic gondola ride. Bonus points if you can find out how Telluride got its name!

As you immerse yourself in the mountain scenery and the magic of traveling by train, capture the experience by writing a letter to friends and family detailing the highlights of your trip on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Get activity.

Learn about gold mining in the area during a tour of the Old Hundred Gold Mine. At the end of your tour, try your hand at gold panning and take home what you find! Get extra credit activity.

Extend your stay with a side trip to Pagosa Springs. The kids will love tubing on this gentle stretch of the San Juan River while parents soak in the natural hot springs.

There’s so much to explore at the Powerhouse Science Center. This K-W-L activity helps narrow your focus to one or two exhibits you want to learn more about. Not familiar with K-W-L? It’s an easy way to identify what you already know, what you want to know and what you learned! Get activity.

Get up bright and early and make your way toward Cortez.

Learn what the notable features of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings are and how the Ancestral Puebloans lived at Spruce Tree House in Mesa Verde National Park. Get activity.

Find out which native plants can be found in the area and how they were used by Ancestral Puebloans at Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center & Museum. Get activity.

Now that you’ve experienced Mesa Verde National Park and Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum, it's time to see how much you remember. Get trivia activity.

Didn’t bring bikes? That’s OK. Pedal the Peaks has everything you need!

These trails are open to hikers, too, so be sure to share the trail. Need a trail etiquette refresher? Check out this fun Care for Colorado video. You’ll find a handy bike-tool stand at the trailhead, along with picnic tables, porta-potties and a donation box. Many trails are built and maintained by volunteer trail groups, such as the Southwest Colorado Cycling Club, so consider making a donation. Every little bit helps!

Take a side trip to Four Corners National Monument, where you can stand in four states at once or race between the states. You can also learn more about the Navajo Nation. It’s a unique experience the kids will never forget.