Colorado Winter Non-Skier Guide
Winter in Colorado is not just for skiers and riders. This non-skier guide is a long winter bucket list and includes winter fun not to be missed. Whether you are taking some time off from the slopes or just looking for non-skier winter activities. There are plenty of things to do in Colorado that will enhance your vacation experience.
The Non-Skier’s Winter Bucket List
Guided Tours
Any of Colorado’s resort towns will feature a variety of non-skier guided tours. Experiencing Colorado’s winter wonderland can be done with the participant's expectations in mind.
Nonmotorized Tours
Snowshoeing is an excellent affordable group activity that will take you into the winter landscape. It is a workout and best for those with some physical fitness. Be prepared to work up an appetite too.
Cross-country skiing is another great way to access Colorado’s pristine countryside. Ski touring centers throughout Colorado offer lessons, guided tours, and rentals.
Try a guided winter horseback ride. A nice way to get close to nature and winter.
Hot air balloon rides are exhilarating any time of year and a great way to get a birds-eye view.
Many local museums offer historical walking tours.
Art walks or exhibits are also ongoing in Colorado’s resort communities.
Non-Skier Guide - Motorized Tours
Guided snowmobile tours are a great way to explore Colorado’s winter forests, reach expansive mountain vistas, and spend the day with friends and family. These tours do require a level of comfort with operating a snowmobile.
Winter buggy rides are becoming more popular as they facilitate small groups of passengers within each buggy. Riders can focus on the amazing winter sights and leave the driving to the tour guide.
Take a gondola ride. Although not commonly guided. A winter gondola ride is a thrilling way to see the ski slopes and access top-of-the-mountain dining. A really fun non-skier group activity.
Winter Scenic Train Rides
Glide through Colorado's beautiful winter mountainscapes aboard a scenic winter train ride. Winter's blanket of snow creates a majestic view of the mountains. All of the narrow gauge trains in Colorado offer a variety of fares and coaches to choose from. Many feature storytelling, shows, and adventure opportunities. A scenic train ride is a perfect memory-making activity for the whole gang.
Adventure Parks
This is where Colorado’s natural wonders meet manmade delights. At the Frisco Adventure Park, winter adventurers enjoy a speedy tubing hill and beginner ski & ride hill, along with the gorgeously groomed Frisco Nordic Center.
Copper Mountain’s pedestrian-friendly village is home to a tubing hill for the older kids and Critterland for the youngest guests, complete with a tubing carousel, a snow den with crawl-through tunnels, and a mini tubing slope dubbed the squeal hill.
Spend a magical winter day exploring Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves, where tours take you underground and a state-of-the-art laser tag arena, 4D Motion Theater, shopping, and dining round out the day. Don’t miss adjacent Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is open 365 days a year (weather permitting) and drops jaws with its new gondola system traversing 2,200 feet across the gorge. Stand on the bridge 965 feet over the Arkansas River and take in 360-degree Colorado winter beauty.
Ice Skating
Colorado is filled with outdoor ice skating rinks, most offering skate rentals. Fort Collins, Boulder and Denver feature numerous frozen options. Head to Evergreen Lake for 40 acres of skating and a warming hut with a fireplace. Go deeper into the mountains for splendid alpine winter rinks in Beaver Creek, Crested Butte and Ouray. Winter Park’s Village Ice Rink offers rentals and free lessons. Enjoy two Zamboni-maintained ice rinks in Keystone and then hit the world’s largest snowfort.
Sleigh Rides
Bring the kids and the grandparents. Colorado sleigh rides are a more-the-merrier winter adventure. Snuggle under a blanket, sip cocoa, and swish through the Colorado mountains on a horse-drawn sleigh. Sign up for winter sleigh rides followed by dinner and a live show in Durango, Steamboat Springs, and Frisco.
Visit a Natural Hot Springs
Natural hot springs are throughout Colorado and should be on everyone's winter bucket list. Often these hot springs are in more out-of-the-way places or located in towns on the way to your destination. Many natural hot springs include spa services, massage, a variety of pools, and even lodging. Check out our Colorado Natural Hot Springs Guide to find the resort that best fits your itinerary or non-skier guide agenda.
Colorado Resort's Spas
All of Colorado's major resort towns feature a variety of first-class spas and services. Get your hair and nails done. Take some "me" time and sign up for a massage. There's nothing better than feeling relaxed and well-pampered on your vacation, especially if you are a non-skier.
Shopping
A favorite non-skier activity is shopping. Colorado's resort towns include many boutique shops that are not commonly found in your hometown shopping mall. Try wandering through the wintery sidewalks and peep in the shop windows. Many shops feature handmade, boutique winter wear and specialized winter activity gear. You will certainly find an amazing "Colorado Clothing" collection and essential gear.
Tubing and Sledding
Spend a quintessential Colorado winter day whipping down snow-packed slopes at classic Colorado tubing hills in Snowmass, Winter Park, Telluride, Pagosa Springs, Keystone, Frisco, Vail, and many other destinations.
Resort Town Dining
Of course, there's dining for the non-skiers and skiers alike. What's better after a full day of adventure than to settle down with your partner or group to enjoy some of Colorado's cuisine? Resort towns specialize in catering to discerning palates or traditional Colorado foods such as steakhouses, chili specialties, and BBQ restaurants.
