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10 mistakes families make when traveling in Colorado
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Families on road trips in Colorado have better vacations when they plan ahead.
Last summer, at a highway rest stop in northern New Mexico, a family from Texas spotted our Colorado license plate and came up to ask us some questions. “How far until Pikes Peak?” they wanted to know.
I was impressed at their spontaneity. They had packed some stuff, thrown the kids in the minivan, and covered thousands of miles with no maps and only the vague idea that the mountain they wanted to see was in Colorado.
As they drove down the ramp and back on the highway, I couldn’t help but think of the common mistakes families often make when on vacation in Colorado.
1. Covering Too Much Ground
With 104,091 square miles, Colorado is the eighth largest state in America. On a map, it may look like a quick trip from Pikes Peak to Rocky Mountain National Park. However, the miles add up, and before you know it, you’ve spent four hours just driving from one place to another. Soon, the kids have spent the whole vacation in the car.
Families are better off staying in one or two spots and enjoying them thoroughly, rather than trying to see too many of Colorado’s attractions while they are “in the neighborhood.” Be aware of the distance between points and leave far-away attractions for another trip.
2. Staying in the Car
Related to number 1, above, this pitfall happens when we get so used to sitting in our seats and watching the world go past our car windows that we forget we can get out.
Colorado has a fantastic climate and some of the best outdoor activities in the world. Park the car, climb out, and put the kids’ feet on a trail, or their line in the stream, or their whole bodies in the hot spring. Don’t just watch a show about Colorado, get yourself and the kids out starring in it.
3. Forgetting the Altitude
On the other hand, it is easy for children (and their parents) to get over-eager, and start racing up the trail to that beautiful mountain lake. Next thing you know, they plop down in the grass a few yards up the hill.
Colorado is the highest state in the Union, and as such has awfully thin air. Tell the kids to take it easy at first, to let their bodies adjust. Watch for headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Treat with lots of water to drink, and small, nutritious meals and snacks. Junk food (and for adults, alcohol) can make the altitude sickness worse. Resting frequently and several good nights’ sleep help the body to acclimate.
4. Getting Too Much Sun
Also because Colorado is so high, and therefore has less atmosphere to filter the rays, sunburn is a common and serious problem in the state.
No matter what their complexion, no matter where they are, when they go outside in Colorado, slather the kids with sunblock lotion. Apply it early, apply it often. And hats are an excellent addition to the sunscreen. Get lip balm with sunscreen and make the kids use it. Even play lifeguard and get out the good old bright white zinc oxide.
You don’t want your precious kid to have to endure a vacation with a lip swollen with blisters because you didn’t protect him or her from the sun.
5. Feeding the Wildlife
Many families are attracted to Colorado because of our beautiful natural environment. And one of the most thrilling things in that environment is our wildlife.
It’s very exciting for kids to see mule deer grazing at the forest’s edge, or eagles soaring over the cliffs. And it is very fun when adorable chipmunks hop onto rocks and look at you with their cute little faces. A kid almost can’t help but feed them.
But you must not let your kids feed the wildlife. People food is often not even that good for people, and with its high salt content and other ingredients, it may be fatal to the little creatures. At the very least, it trains them to look to people as a food source, and they forget where their natural food sources are in nature. When the winter comes, and the tourists go home, then they are likely to starve. It’s better for the cute little animals to stick to their natural food, which is much better for them.
And speaking of not feeding the animals, don’t feed yourself or your children to the animals, like the mosquitoes. We have West Nile Virus in Colorado now, and that is one souvenir you don’t want to bring home from your travels. Use insect repellent.
6. Not Making Reservations
Although much of Colorado is wide open and wilderness, the popular places for vacationing families can get pretty crowded. It is a drag to show up after a day of enjoying nature and sightseeing to find there are no hotel rooms in town, or that the campground is full.
7. Spending Too Much Money
It’s amazing to me the things people will buy to entertain their kids, when Colorado has so much high-quality, educational, and fun entertainment offered up for free. Nature makes some pretty great playgrounds, and they abound in this state.
And because so much territory in Colorado is public land, there are public land managers all around and ready to serve your family. Best bets are at the National Park Service sites (National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites, and Curecanti National Monument). Also check out the Colorado State Parks. Rangers in the National Forest Service are most helpful when looking for inexpensive or free places to camp in Colorado.
Even the spot known as a playground for movie stars and for its sky-high prices, Aspen, Colorado, can be a cheap place to stay. Smart parents shop around, ask around, and plan most of the activities outdoors.
8. Seeing Nothing but Mountains
Colorado is famous for its mountains, it’s true. But there is much that is worthwhile for families in the state besides the high country. The high prairies are rich with windswept views, abundant wildlife watching, and western history lessons.
Meanwhile, families traveling in Colorado's western red rock canyon country will find adventures in the convoluted canyons and spectacular deserts. This is also where the mysterious ancient peoples lived who built Mesa Verde and the pueblos of Hovenweep and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
Because the Colorado Rockies are so spectacular, it is an easy mistake to overlook the other great regions of the state.
9. Not Planning Ahead
Like the family at the highway rest area, who had no idea how long it would take them to get to Pikes Peak, families who don’t plan ahead may not get to see all they would like to see. They may miss things along the way, or get caught up with sights that are OK, but keep them from getting up the road to something really spectacular.
It pays to read the guidebooks, surf the web, and know what is there. That way you can tailor the trip to the interests and needs of your family and get the most out of limited time on vacation.
10. Only Doing the “Kid Stuff”
Colorado has plenty of people who would love you to spend your time (and money) with them, as you make your way to the really wonderful natural attractions. The fun houses, giant slides, bouncy castles, caramel corn, and salt-water taffy all pose significant distractions for children.
And it is easy for parents to think, “What will my kid find interesting about a ranger hike, anyway?”
But to think that is to underestimate your kids and to short change them on some incredible experiences.
I’ll never forget taking our kids, then 6 and 3 years old, to visit an out-of-the-way archaeological site with a ranger and group of people. The ranger had a quiet voice and droned on about the prehistoric people who had built the site, and you would think my kids would have been climbing the walls (literally). Instead they sat with a couple of other children at our feet, and made patterns in the sand. As the ranger lectured, the kids piled up the sand, decorated the piles with pebbles and twigs, gazed out over the canyons, and then asked some of the most astute questions posed that day.
They seemed to understand the ancient civilization better than any of us. They still talk about the experience today.
Avoid the common mistakes of families traveling to Colorado, and your vacation will provide you and your kids the experiences of a lifetime.
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