Colorado Vacation Destinations: The Hidden Gems

You take the family to visit the famous Hanging Lake outside of Glenwood, Colo. only to
spend hours in traffic, find an overcrowded parking lot, and spend the hike in a stop-and-go
motion while listening to the conversations of hundreds of fellow hikers. Sound familiar? This is
the scenario that rings true for not only Hanging Lake but many of the other most popular
tourist destinations in Colorado. If you are tired of waiting in lines and sharing your vacation
with the masses, its time to trade in the clich for the undiscovered and experience Colorado
how it is meant to be experienced.
Trade in Hanging Lake for Alberta Falls
Hanging Lake is undoubtedly breathtaking but Colorado
has hundreds of other, equally beautiful waters that allow for a
more authentic mountain experience. In recent years with the

I mean, its Colorado.

You really cant go
wrong, but at the
same time you can get
it really right Tom
Williams.

growing initiative to engage in active family activities, Hanging

Lake has grown exponentially in popularity among tourists and Colorado residents alike. The
hike is fairly short and non-strenuous and offers some of the most beautiful views around, but
the increase in popularity to over 130,000 visitors each year has resulted in the diminishing of
the unique outdoor experience. The overcrowding has led to people parking on the off ramp as
well as Interstate 70 and has also had adverse effects on the fragile ecosystem of Hanging Lake
(Frankenberg, 2014).

When I asked Tom Williams, a Rocky Mountain National Parks Information Officer,
about a comparable, less populated, alternative to Hanging Lake he replied, I mean, its
Colorado. You really cant go wrong, but at the same time you can get it really right; and he
said a place called Alberta Falls is just that, so very right. Alberta Falls is a perfect substitute in
order to bypass the crowds and still regard strikingly beautiful views. Williams describes the
hike as extremely family friendly as it is only 8/10ths of a mile with a gentle incline and an
increased altitude of only about 200 ft. Because of Alberta Falls low altitude, there tends to be
a higher water volume which makes for truly spectacular views. The area surrounding the falls
is equally breathtaking, making for a very enjoyable hiking experience. While Alberta Falls is
definitely no secret, it doesnt draw nearly the traffic of Hanging Lake and there are almost
always available spaces in the parking lot, even in peak season. Also, if you wish to seek a
continued hike with even fewer visitors, the trail continues past the falls and leads to two
equally magnificent lakes, The Loch and Mills Lake. While the hike to Alberta Falls is labeled
easy, the hike to The Loch and Mills Lake are categorized as moderately strenuous, according
to RockyMountainHikingTrails.com. Three remarkable water features for the price of one, now
thats a deal I can get on board with.
Substitute Water World with a Hillbilly Good Time
Now lets talk Water World, the famous or possibly infamous water park located in
Denver, Colo. This water park attracts thousands daily during the hot summer and provides
visitors with lines that seem miles long and cesspool-like water. Why not bypass the obvious
water park and take a drive 50 miles south into the Rocky Mountains. There, in a tiny, tiny, tiny

town called Pine, Colo. lies a hidden aqua attraction that locals lovingly refer to as Hillbilly
Water Park.
That is an unofficial name for this destination as it is so unknown that there are no signs,
concrete, chlorine, and best of all, no crowds of people! Hillbilly is comprised of natural slides,
similar to those found at Water World, but offers a one-of-a-kind experience, according to
Hannah Trummer, Bailey (neighboring town) native and frequent visitor of Hillbilly. This natural
water park consists of carved out bedrock that has been weathered by the North Fork of the
South Platte River for hundreds of years. The rocks are as smooth as a babys bottom and the
slides offer rides of exhilarating proportions. Depending on the time of year the slides
become faster or slower and the pools more or less full. Spring is definitely for the
adventurous only as the runoff causes the Platte River to run full and wild, making for an
unforgettably fast ride. Further, Trummer asserts that Hillbillys location is very isolated and its
whereabouts are only available through word of mouth. I was able to wrangle the approximate
location out of her which is about five miles south of Hwy 285 on Pine Valley Road, the turn off
is obvious if youre looking and along the right side. After parking, you hike down a short hill
and it opens up into a vast section of the river with recognizable pools and clearly impressed
slides. This destination is recommended for adults and school aged kids alike; but, because of
the lack of supervision, safety standards, and seclusion of the area, the slides may not be
suitable for small children. So get the family together and enjoy the scenic trip up Hwy 285 for
the water park experience of a lifetime or, you can wait for hours in endless lines on hot
concrete. Ill let you decide.

Swap Glenwood for Strawberry and Youve Got Yourself Some Real Springs
Its time to trade in the overcrowded, Glenwood Hot Springs for lesser branded
Strawberry Park Hot Springs located in Steamboat Springs, Colo. These springs offer similar
benefits but Strawberry is smaller, less congested, and still maintains its natural form, without
the added spa/restaurant/resort to detract from the natural beauty of the warm spring pools.
Strawberry Park is located about 10 miles outside the town of Steamboat Springs and the drive
only takes about 30 minutes.
Frequent visitor and Steamboat native, Audrey Gilles claims that Strawberry Hot Springs
is unique in the fact that it is truly all-natural, theres no paved sidewalks in between the pools
or anything like that; it is kind-of timeless. Strawberry Park Hot Springs includes three natural
spring pools, each varying in temperature; they trickle down from the main source, the lowest
pool is the coolest. The pools are nestled in the mountainside allowing for scenery straight
from a postcard and an authentic mountain experience, as opposed to Glenwoods hot springs
which are located in the heart of the town. As an added bonus Gilles mentioned that Stawberry
does not maintain the same undeniably uncomfortable smell of rotten eggs (sulfur) as the
Glenwood Springs pools.
Also, a unique feature of Strawberry is the nighttime nudity; after dark, full nudity is
permitted in all pools. How much more authentic can we get people?

So bring the whole family for a picnic and relaxing soak during the daytime hours and
then later the adults can shag off their skivvies for a true au naturale experience under the
moon. Dont worry, says Gilles, theres no lights, its not like youre just staring at a bunch of
naked people, its quite freeing really.

Works Cited:

Frankenberg, Angelyn. Sept. 26, 2014. Hanging Lake Crowds Threaten Fragile Ecosystem.
PostIndependent.com. Retrieved from http://www.postindependent.com/news/13178313113/lake-hanging-visitors-trail
2014. Hanging Lake. VisitGlenwood.com. Retrieved from
http://www.visitglenwood.com/hanging-lake
2014. Alberta Falls. RockyMountainHikingTrails.com. Retrieved from
http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/alberta-falls.htm

Interviews:
Hannah Trummer: (720) 287-9597
Audrey Gilles: (303) 325-4361
Tom Williams: (970) 586-1206