Denver Chef Troy Guard’s Favorite Places to Go Outdoors in Colorado 

Vail is a world-renowned winter destination, as it is home to the Vail Ski Resort. Founded in 1962, it features over 5,200 skiable acres (2,100ha) on one of the best ski mountains in the world and the largest in Colorado. The Bavarian-style village doubles in population during peak season, but the mountain’s three sections, the Front-Side, Blue Sky Basin and the Back Bowls, feature 193 trails (18% beginner, 29% intermediate, 53% advanced/expert), so there’s plenty of room for everyone.

Once considered for the alpine downhill race, the centerpiece of the Winter Olympics (lack of state funding squashed the 1976 bid), Beaver Creek is home to the Beaver Creek Resort, which opened in 1980 and today has 1,815 acres (735ha) of skiable terrain across 150 trails. The village is also home to a spa and features a skating rink in its center.

Another flagship destination owned by Vail Resorts, Breckenridge Ski Resort, located in Summit County, first opened in 1961. Today, it is one of the most visited ski resorts in the Western Hemisphere. Composed of five peaks on the southern part of the Tenmile mountain range, the skiable terrain takes up 2,908 acres (1,177ha). Peak 9 is a wide-open trail for beginners, while Peak 10 is best left to the experts. In addition to having the highest lift-served terrain in North America, Breckenridge Ski Resort is also home to 11 restaurants, a historic main street with retail shops and a rejuvenation spa that hosts yoga classes.

About 75 miles (120km) outside of Denver, the mountain and ski resort Copper Mountain, operated by the Powdr Corporation, opened in 1972. In the last decade, Powdr has reduced its carbon footprint by nearly 50% and continues to stress the importance of environmental factors that make the mountain viable as a skiing destination. Copper Mountain, a resort that encompasses 2,465 acres (998ha), is composed of three villages: East Village, the Village at Copper and West Village. Copper is the official training site for Colorado-based Special Olympic athletes and hosts the more than 225 athletes in the alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and other games that make up the annual competition. The trails are known as being designated by the National Forest Service as the most organized skier layout of any ski resort.

Named the number one city in the US for biking by People for Bikes, a charitable foundation invested in making bicycling more safe, Boulder is home to more than 300 miles (483km) of bikeway. That includes 96 miles (156km) of bike lanes, 84 miles (135km) of multi-use paths and 50 miles (80km) of designated bike routes. One such trail is the Sheep Draw Trail, which takes you along the idyllic Sheep Draw Creek, a 10-foot-wide (3m-wide) paved trail that runs for more than four miles (6km). The skate park at Scott Carpenter Park is open from dusk until dawn and features rails, curbs and bowls. Local skaters consulted on the design of this 16,000-square-foot (1,484sq. m.) skate-at-your-own-risk facility.

The Red Rocks Trail is of moderate difficulty and is a six-mile (10km) trek round-trip. “It’s dry; bring lots of water. And just understand that when you’re hiking, you’re at altitude. Even walking up two or three steps, I can get winded,” Troy says. Trails are located approximately 6,280 feet (1,914m) above sea level, so anyone with a pre-existing health condition should take this fact into consideration. The landscape is stunning and covers rock formations, valleys and a natural meadow. “The trails are gorgeous and beautiful. The people are super nice on the trails as well,” Troy adds. The chef mentions 14ers as a popular choice among climbers. Conquering a 14er requires climbing a 14,000-foot (4,267m) peak mountain, and the 14er site includes a list of more than 50 from which to choose. Mount Elbert, at 14,400 feet (4,390), is the highest summit of the Rocky Mountains and highest point in the state. “I’ve actually been here 20 years, and I haven’t done one, so darn it I need to do one at least. [Hikers] go up there and put their sign that says, ‘Hey, here we are on mount whatever.’ It is kinda like they do on Mount Everest, but I think that’s pretty cool,” Troy says.

“It’s this great amphitheatre carved out of these giant boulders and rocks, and so the acoustics there are just gorgeous and beautiful, and when the sun goes down, especially when the moon comes up, it’s spectacular,” Troy enthuses about the legendary concert venue. Red Rocks, an open-air amphitheatre opened in 1941, seats close to 10,000 fans who have cheered on acts from Carole King to Jethro Tull, U2 to Fleetwood Mac. If they’re a legendary act (Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny & Cher), they’ve played the stadium. “All the best bands in the world have played there,” Troy says. “The Beatles played there [in 1964], so you know it’s gotta be special. We try to get up there at least a few times a summer when all those great acts come through.”

You can go down to Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods. It’s amazing,” Troy says. The Garden of the Gods, a 1,300-acre (526ha) sandstone formation, is a public park that was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971. Activities in which one can partake include front-range climbing, jeep and Segway tours, biking with electric bikes available to rent and, of course, hiking on a 1.5-mile (2.4km) round-trip loop. The park is noted for its ecological and animal wonders, including more than 130 species of birds and fascinating rock formations.