If you’re looking to adventure into the Colorado Rocky Mountains for winter, here are some suggestions on the best activities for kids!
Adventure with Lawson Adventure Park
As a mountain resort we often get calls that come through during the winter of those, particularly from out of state, knowing what there is available in the area that’s a great activity for kids. In the winter we directly offer Guided Ice Fishing and Guided Snowshoeing tours. Age requirement for ice fishing is 5+ years old and it’s 8+ years old for guided snowshoeing. Both activities are led by guides who have lived in Clear Creek and have been fishing and hiking in the area for decades. For Ice Fishing all equipment is provided and only those 16+ years old are required to purchase an online fishing license.
Being located right off of I-70 and within 45 miles of Frisco, Breckenridge, and Winter Park provides easier access to other nearby winter adventures. We also have cabins that come fully furnished with a queen bed in the main bedroom, pullout sofa in the living room, heaters, full kitchen, and flat screen TVs. They have everything you need to feel at home away from home while experiencing an amazing time in the Rocky Mountains.
We offer 15% lodging discounts in the winter on Play & Stay packages that also include guided ice fishing or snowshoeing trips!
Adventuring Further Into the Mountains
Given a great concern that goes with trying to explore and find the best activities for kids is also monitoring safety around road conditions, here are the suggestions for kids activities with their proximity to Denver and I-70:
The closest place to Denver to go snowtubing is Echo Mountain. Most of the actual skiing there can be more moderate to intermediate. For beginner skiing I’d recommend Loveland Ski Area which is the other closest ski area to Denver near I-70 and also offers discounts on ski lessons for kids.
The closest place to go ice skating near Denver is the Evergreen Lake. The rink does have an admission fee (4 years old and under are free to attend) and there is also the option for equipment rental while there. Hours of operation vary so check their site for the best dates and times before you head that way.
3. Visit History: The Georgetown Loop Railroad & Phoenix Gold Mine.
Both locations are great attractions for children to explore. The Georgetown Loop is an active railroad they can ride on and see amazing views of the area while learning about its history.
The Phoenix has been a functioning gold mine since the late 1800s and you can go through the mine and see the evolution of mining practice and even pan for gold yourself! There are also a lot of friendly chipmunks that love to be hand-fed.
Both the Phoenix and Georgetown Loop are located within 10 miles of our locations and are also near I-70. The Phoenix is also open year-round where the Georgetown Loop shutsdown when the winter snow becomes too heavy around January.
4. Visiting Winter Park & Fraser
From our location, being 35 miles west of Denver, there is a fork in the road for I-70 and you can either go Left or Right. If you go off to the right past Empire you head in the direction of Winter Park & Fraser.
Both locations have different kids activities. Winter Park has a variety of options including an ice skating rink, snowtubing hill, skiing, and an aerial gondola ride.
Fraser is known in particular for its snowtubing hill. They also have a horse sleigh ride available in that area, but most of the other horse ride options are in Breckenridge.
It is important to remember the further into the mountain you go, the higher the elevation gets so there will be more snow (great for winter activities, but watch the roads…).
5. Visiting Breckenridge (Also near the Keystone, Silverthorne, Frisco, and Copper Mountain region)
From our location, being 35 miles west of Denver, there is a fork in the road for I-70 and you can either go Left or Right. If you go off to the left past Georgetown you head in the direction of Breckenridge.
Keystone is located about 37 miles from us and Breckenridge is about 49 miles away.
Activities near Breckenridge that are great for kids include dog sledding, a variety of horse sleigh rides, and scenic snowcat tours.
Have fun adventuring in the Colorado mountains this season!