Colorado Parks and Recreation Areas with Horseback Riding

Established on January 26, 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park is a living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains. With elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged top of Long's Peak, a visitor to the park has opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures. read more...

Phone: 970-586-1206   Price Range: $0 - $10   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Estes Park   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Backpacking, Biking / Bicycling, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Downhill Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Rocky Mountain National Park

Three reservoirs, named for corresponding dams on the Gunnison River, form the heart of Curecanti National Recreation Area. Panoramic mesas, fjord-like reservoirs, and deep, steep and narrow canyons abound. read more...

Phone: 970-641-2337   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Gunnison   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: Recreation Area   Activities: Birding, Boating and Watercraft, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting and Shooting, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Whitewater Rafting, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing, Snowmobiling   Details Provided By: Curecanti National Recreation Area

A beautiful mountain valley just west of Pikes Peak holds spectacular remnants of the earth's prehistoric life. Huge petrified redwoods and incredibly detailed fossils of ancient insects and plants reveal a very different Colorado of long ago. Almost 35 million years ago, enormous volcanic eruptions buried the then-lush valley and petrified the redwood trees that grew there. A lake formed in the valley and the fine-grained sediments at its bottom became the final resting-place for thousands of insects and plants. These sediments compacted into layers of shale and preserved the delicate details of these organisms as fossils. read more...

Phone: (719)748-3253   Price Range: $0 - $3   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Florissant   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Monument   Activities: Birding, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Wildlife Watching, Nature Walks   Details Provided By: Florissant Fossil Beds

Nestled in southern Colorado, North America's tallest dunes rise over 750 feet high against the rugged Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The wind-shaped dunes glow beneath the rugged backdrop of the mountains. This geologic wonderland, containing over 30 square miles of massive dunes, became a national monument in 1932. With the passage of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act, resources now also include alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000' in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands--all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species. read more...

Phone: 719-378-6300   Price Range: $0 - $3   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Mosca   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park, National Preserve   Activities: Backpacking, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison's unique and spectacular landscape was formed slowly by the action of water and rock scouring down through hard Proterozoic crystalline rock. No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. read more...

Phone: 970-641-2337   Price Range: $5 - $10   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Gunnison   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Backpacking, Birding, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Kayaking, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. Sheer-walled canyons, towering monoliths, colorful formations, desert bighorn sheep, soaring eagles, and a spectacular road reflect the environment and history of the plateau-and-canyon country. Historic Rim Rock Drive offers 23 miles of breathtaking panoramic views and numerous overlooks. Trails lead across mesa tops and to spectacular overlooks or into backcountry canyons. read more...

Phone: 970-858-3617   Price Range: $3 - $5   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Fruita   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Monument   Activities: Biking / Bicycling, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, Wildlife Watching, Camping, Auto Touring   Details Provided By: Colorado National Monument