Denver, Colo. (Nov. 21, 2019) - Over the years, Colorado has proven itself as an inclusive destination that celebrates its diverse origins and embraces travelers and residents from all walks of life, offering enriching experiences for all. Colorado is a progressive state of many firsts from the first openly gay man elected governor in American history to the first state to legalize recreational cannabis in the U.S. Below is a sampling of experiences that showcase the state’s rich cultural heritage as well as adaptive adventures for all abilities, LGBTQ activities and events and women-specific programming. For more information, please visit Colorado.com.
Explore Colorado’s Rich Cultural Heritage, Past and Present:
Black American West Museum & Heritage Center, Denver: Located in the historically black neighborhood of Five Points, the Black American West Museum features exhibits, events, a gift shop and rental space. The museum was originally founded to share stories of black cowboys, but now includes the tales of black settlers and homesteaders who helped shape the West.
Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Dolores: Covering 176,000 acres, the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is a rugged and breathtaking landscape containing the highest known density of archaeological sites in the United States. 6,000 ancient sites, some visible to the eye, dot the landscape, including cliff dwellings, villages and rock art. Plus, the monument is just 10 miles from the heart of Cortez. The outdoor site contains miles of trails ideal for hiking, mountain biking and by horseback.
Comal Heritage Food Incubator, Denver: Comal is a lunch spot with the goal of training low-income women, many of whom are immigrants and refugees from Mexico, El Salvador, Syria, Ethiopia and Iraq, in restaurant and business skills.
Indigenous Roots LLC, Weston: Indigenous Roots offers an authentic living history immersion experience that includes educational offerings on history, human geography, sustainability and cultural anthropology from a Native American perspective. Participants live in a tipi village near the historic Santa Fe Trail for a four-day, three-night program learning through firsthand experience and deepening understanding of traditional Native American culture.
Latino Outdoors Colorado Chapter, Statewide: Latino Outdoors works to inspire, connect and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and has an active Colorado chapter. The group organizes outdoor recreation experiences, promotes conservation and recreation across the state, and gives community members the chance to connect and enjoy the natural wonder of the state.
Mango House, Aurora: Mango House is a refugee resource center with several non-profits operating inside, along with a food hall with international offerings, including Burmese, Sudanese, Syrian and Somali cuisine.
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Mystic San Luis Valley Region: The Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area is located in south central Colorado and was designated a heritage area in 2009. Originally settled more than 11,000 years ago, the region has been home to Pueblo, Ute, Latino and Anglo people, all who have created a distinct cultural region.
Adventures for People of All Abilities:
Adaptive Sports Center, Crested Butte: This therapeutic recreation program operates year-round and offers a range of adaptive activities including mountain biking, skiing, ice climbing, kayaking and more. It also offers annual family and adventure camps. The center’s programs cater to individuals with a broad range of physical, emotional and cognitive differences.
Experience Colorado’s National Parks and National Monuments Via Wheelchair: Many of Colorado's National Parks and National Monuments provide wheelchair-accessible touring information. There are special sand wheelchairs for exploring the famous dunes, camping and picnic areas in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and there are nearly a half dozen wheelchair-accessible trails in Rocky Mountain National Park.Colorado National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park both offer accessible campsites, picnic areas and trails, and audio and/or visual tours.
Inspiration Playground at Spring Canyon Community Park, Fort Collins: Located at the base of the foothills, the 100-acre Spring Canyon Community Park gets rave reviews from parents and kids alike. The unique ADA play area, Inspiration Playground, offers a place for children and families of all abilities to share play experiences, and enables children of various abilities to play independently on the same equipment. Inspiration Playground offers a play surface that allows for wheelchairs, walkers and support braces. This free, outdoor play environment includes safe, state-of-the-art, sensory-rich structures that encourage integration and the development of cognitive, emotional, physical and social skills.
National Sports Center for the Disabled, Winter Park: The National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) has provided adaptive sports lessons in Colorado for more than 40 years. NSCD offers a variety of adaptive lesson opportunities--including skiing, rafting, horseback riding and more--for both groups and individuals. While the Center is headquartered in Winter Park, NSCD also runs programs out of Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver.
Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Hall of Fame, Colorado Springs: The first and only U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and Hall of Fame will open in Colorado Springs in spring 2020. The $90M project will be the most accessible museum in the world with an array of tailored, high-tech exhibits. This world-class attraction will showcase the entire journey of the games from birth in ancient Olympia to current Team USA hopefuls living and training in Colorado Springs every day.
Steamboat Adaptive Recreation Sports, Steamboat Springs: Since 2007, Steamboat Adaptive Recreation Sports (STARS) has made it its mission to empower and enrich lives through adaptive recreational sports. STARS programs help individuals to discover the outdoors and teach skills to overcome health challenges as well as develop confidence, self-esteem and independence. STARS uses skiing, cycling, therapeutic horseback riding, kayaking and other activities to empower people with different abilities. New in fall 2019, the nonprofit unveiled the new STARS Ranch, a brand new 13,000-square-foot building that serves as a centralized hub for programming for people with different abilities.
Visit Colorado’s State Parks: Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) strives to ensure everyone can access the state’s special places and activities. CPW offers the Columbine Pass, which provides reduced park entrance fees to Colorado residents with different abilities. It also offers accessible fishing locations in every corner of the state and offers people with disabilities hunting accommodations and services. Requests can also be made for sign language interpretation and assistive listening equipment in the parks. Visitors searching for wheelchair-accessible trails across the state can access the Colorado Trail Explorer app.
Wilderness On Wheels, Grant: The mission of Wilderness on Wheels, or WOW, is to stimulate the development of access for disabled persons to natural outdoor environments. WOW accomplished this through the construction of a 1-mile, 8-foot wide boardwalk starting at 9,100 feet to the top of a 12,300-foot mountain 60 miles west of Denver near Grant. It is free to hike the boardwalk at Wilderness on Wheels; there are also fishing and camping at the site, as well as overnight cabins.
LGBTQ-Welcoming Experiences:
Aspen Gay Ski Week, Jan. 12-19, 2020: Aspen remains a popular hot spot for LGBTQ travelers year round, but the most popular LGBTQ event, Aspen Gay Ski Week, is a longtime staple. The weeklong celebration has events both on and off the slopes including comedy shows, retro pool dance parties, the legendary downhill costume contest on Aspen Mountain, and, of course, skiing on all four Aspen Snowmass mountains.
Telluride Gay Ski Week, Feb. 22-29, 2020: Founded in 2002, Telluride Gay Ski Week features an opening day party, daily après ski, pool parties and late night lounge happenings. Events extend well into the morning hours, including the signature White Party and much more. Historically, Telluride Gay Ski Week has coincided with the Telluride Aids Benefit fashion show gala.
Breck Pride, April 1-5, 2020: The Town of Breckenridge welcomes the LGBTQ community with open arms and celebrates Breck Pride in April with a color run, daily après events, a beer festival, live music and drag queen bingo.
Big Gay Raft Trip, Glenwood Springs: The Big Gay Raft Trip is held twice each summer: the second week of June and the third week in August.Each weekend trip offers a full day of rafting, including lunch, welcome parties, happy hours, friendship dinners at various Glenwood Springs restaurants and a Sunday brunch. There have even been a few weddings during Big Gay Raft Trips. Summer 2020 marks the 12th annual Big Gay Raft Trip bringing together men and women for two weekends of rafting and camaraderie on the Colorado River.
Denver PrideFest, June 20-21, 2020: Recognized as one of the top 10 pride events in the country and the largest in the Rocky Mountain region, Denver PrideFest is an annual celebration of community and culture that is welcoming, inclusive and fun to all attendees, regardless of sexual orientation. The free, two-day festival gets bigger every year. Denver PrideFest offerings include the annual PRIDE5K, health and wellness booths, shopping, live music and the Denver Pride Parade.
Outdoor Experiences that Cater to Women:
Chicks Climbing and Skiing, Ouray: Chicks Climbing and Skiing offers courses for women taught exclusively by female instructors and covers a range of topics including avalanche rescue, backcountry skills, ice and rock climbing, skiing and more.
Colorado Classic - Aug. 27-30, 2020: The Colorado Classic is the only UCI women’s standalone stage race in the Western Hemisphere. With the elimination of the men’s race in 2019, the Colorado Classic now serves women exclusively. The 2019 women-only race included a quadruple of the prize purses and team stipends, free live streaming and longer, more challenging routes, thus empowering female athletes on a global stage. The Colorado Classic race organizers are gearing up for an exciting 2020 race.
Life’s 2 Short Fitness Groups, Statewide: Life’s 2 Short Fitness offers several female-centric athletic groups for trail running, SUP, mountain biking, hiking and even obstacle course racing. The fitness club also recommends apps and nonprofit organizations for outdoor recreation-focused women to check out.
Ski Girls Rock, Vail – Various winter 19/20 dates: Founded by Olympian (and Coloradan) Lindsey Vonn, this ski camp for girls ages 7–14 aims to improve skills, build self-esteem and encourage teamwork in budding athletes. The camps are offered at Vail Resort in one- or three-day sessions and are taught by world-class female instructors.
Timber to Table’s Guided Hunts for Women Hunters, Hotchkiss: This hunting guide service offers guided experiences specific to women who want to hunt for the first time. Timber to Table educates participants on basic elements of hunting like tracking and how to move through wooded-areas as well as how to prepare and process the meat for your next meal. A variety of guided packages are available.
Women’s Ski Camp, Breckenridge – Feb. 12 - 14, 2020: Breck’s Women’s Ski Camp is for women, taught by women. This three-day program is appropriate for all ability levels and includes technical talks on snow instructions. Groups are paired with one instructor for the three-day camp. In addition to the top level of instruction, participants are invited to after-hours discussions around women-specific ski equipment. Also included are apres ski opportunities to socialize with the other groups.
Women’s Ski Camp, Steamboat Springs – Jan. 7 - 9, Feb. 4 - 6, March 3 - 5, 2020: Hosted by Olympic skiers Deb Armstrong and Ann Battelle, these three-day retreats place equal emphasis on camaraderie and sport. With group breakfasts, lunches and cocktail parties, first tracks in Steamboat’s famous Champagne Powder™ and seminars with inspiring speakers, participants leave with valuable new skills and countless new friends.
Women’s Wilderness, Boulder and Golden: Women’s Wilderness’ mission is to “cultivate courage, confidence, connection, and environmental stewardship among girls, women and the LGBTQ2+ community.” This non-profit designs collaborative and informational experiences. Participants connect with nature and learn new skills with courses including survival basics, climbing workshops, fire making and more. Women’s Wilderness also collaborates with Queer Nature to present the Queer Wilderness Project.
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ABOUT COLORADO: Colorado is a four-season destination offering unparalleled adventure and recreational pursuits, a thriving arts scene, a rich cultural heritage, flavorful cuisine and 28 renowned ski areas and resorts. The state's breathtaking scenic landscape boasts natural hot springs, the headwaters of seven major rivers, many peaceful lakes and reservoirs, 12 national parks and monuments, 26 scenic and historic byways and 58 mountain peaks that top 14,000 feet. For more information or a copy of the 2020 Colorado Official State Vacation Guide, visitwww.COLORADO.com or call 1-800 COLORADO.
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