Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Denver - what to do???

I'll be in Denver (Westminster) on business with a half day of downtime Thursday to fill with good stuff to do, or go back to the hotel and work there. Any suggestions on how to fill the time? Time could be extended and add kids/wife/dogs.

This will start this week and happen every few weeks for a few months.

Interests are
Hunting/Fishing/Backpacking
Off Roading (Tacoma)
Museums
Maybe guided fishing? Llama packing? Horse / mule packing?

Shopping for the above is limited at home, so so cool stores are good. Restaurants too.

Spit-ballin' here.

I'd make sure a pooper-scooper is in your bug out bag....

Our main bug out bag has wheels. 6 of them. Toy hauler! Dog problems covered if I bring them.

Plan for just me is hotel. More people changes it.

Good RV parks are relevant too. We need an awning replaced / upgraded too so if that could happen in the same trip that would be ideal.

You could go up on Lookout Mountain , see the Grave of Buffalo Bill and do the museum there. You could Hike Waterton Canyon (Lot's of Bighorn Sheep, bears & stuff along the South Platte near Denver. There are plenty of people that do llama & horse packing, but a half-day will limit you on those activities. There's some decent fly fishing on Clear Creek and other streams just west of Denver. There's a really good flu shop in Evergreen that guides. You are close enough to hit Summit county if you could spend noon-sundown. It's about 90 minutes. each way. Denver has two Cabelas and a giant Bass Pro. Several REI locations as well, so plenty of outdoor stores. Sportsmans Warehouse also has a few locations. Cooorado Sprimgs (60 minutes) has a lot of half-day adventures including Garden of The Gods, Pikes Peak, The Incline (if you want to test your hiking endurance).

Mint. Go to the mint. Get money. .

Half days ain't much. When I was there, I'd spend as many weekends as possible camping out up in Deadman Park, west of Ft. Collins. Don't even remember how I got there, now... There is Rocky Mt Park out of Boulder that might do. Never been there.

Coors Brewery tour. That I've done.... possibly more than once.

First thought....leave quickly!!!! But, if you are gonna stay.... The museum of natural sciences is pretty darn good! memtb

Thinking he may have been referring to the lifting of the laws regarding defecation and urination in public. It's become a very "progressive" city.

I'd shiet on every street corner.

You could buy pot and get high like everyone else that comes here.

Denver is just another big city and WyCowboy had some great suggestions. The best parts of CO are west of Denver. Whatever you do, you can't like it too much and stay here. Colorado is full.

Don't count on fishing any freestone streams like Clear Creek this time of year, they're in full runoff and it's very high this year. Best bet is to google up an outfitter with access to private lakes or ponds, or make a run out I-70 to Silverthorne and fish the blue river below the dam. Sylvan Dale in Longmont used to do guided trips but it looks like that's changed.

I'd do a drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park and either drive up Trail Ridge Road to the top at 12K feet (stupendous views, elk/deer/moose/bighorns) or fish the lake that you can drive to on the eastern edge of the park just south of Estes Park, Lily Lake. Native greenback cutthroats that take a dry fly readily. Use a small beetle. There's a fly shop in Estes Park that can get you set up.

There's an option for ya.

If you have never been there before, the Natural History Museum is a must-see. Incredible exhibits.

I agree with those that said the natural history museum and driving trail ridge road.

AA Historical rides has some nice horseback rides in Idaho Springs area. Guanella pass just outside of Georgetown provides access to some very nice hiking trails. Mt Evans is worthwhile and provides access to some decent high country lakes for fishing. All of these are close enough for half day trips from Denver.

I agree with those that said the natural history museum and driving trail ridge road.

I can't remember the name of the restaurant but there is a restaurant in downtown Denver that is in an old bank and several tables are actually in the vault. The food and service is excellent. Just ask around and I am sure the locals can tell you the name.

Garden of the Gods is beautiful and well worth the time and drive to Colorado Springs. While there you can visit Old Town Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy.

Enjoy your time in Colorado.

The Broker? Great Chicago steak there.
Buckhorn Exchange is a another good one too.

Denver Nat Hist Museum is a great suggestion. The grounds surrounding it are wonderful. It is sort of an oasis in Denver.
Looping over Guanella pass is another great suggestion - you could go via I-70 and return via 285.

None of the big box sporting goods outlets in Denver are very good anymore.

Pick up the road at Estes Park that takes you up to about 12,500' in Rocky Mountain Nat'l Park. Stop at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park on your way back to Denver and have dinner.

All good suggestions, but I'd second what Bristoe said and head to RMNP. You can spend lots of time in Estes Park shopping, eating, etc. and if you want to fish you can do some of that out of Estes as well, with fly shops and guides there. You can even go horseback riding out of Estes as well or just go hiking on the many trails. Just the drive over Trail Ridge Road is worth it, although there will still be plenty of snow on top. Even so, it's kind of cool to see how deep the drifts are up there. Lot's of tourists there, but heck, that's what you are! Hope you have fun.