6 Great Family Activities in the Colorado Foothills

The foothills of Colorado offer so much to do for everyone and anyone in any stage of life. One of the best ways to enjoy the mountains is with a family! There are plenty of fun family activities in the foothills, here are a few to get you started.

Georgetown Loop Railroad & Goldmine

Located in Georgetown, the railroad and goldmine is a historical marvel dating back to 1884. As one of Colorado’s first visitor attractions, this scenic ride through the mountains on a real steam train, is a site to see and one you cannot miss with your family. The trips are short and accommodating for families, with options on where to sit (in a closed car or open-air car) based on your preference. They also do a fun Santa and holiday lights tour in the winter.

Not into trains? The Goldmine tour is fun for the whole family, including a chance for kids to mine for their own actual gold!

Visit Mt. Blue Sky - A Colorado 14er

Want to peak a 14,000 ft mountain in Colorado but can’t make the day-long hike with kids? No wories, you can drive up to the top of Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mt. Evans). You need a reservation, but you can take your time making the long drive up to the summit where there is historical remains of an old burned-down restaurant. From there, there’s a short 200 yard hike to the actual summit where you can see for miles and claim you’ve conquered a famous Colorado 14er (with minimal effort!).

Play at Evergreen Lake

Evergreen lake offers year round entertainment with paddle boarding in the summer and ice skating in the winter. The lake house offers boat rentals and skate rentals so you don’t even have to have your own gear. Just show up and get out on the water - warm or frozen! You can also fish on the lake (in summer or ice fishing in winter) with a state fishing license and your own gear and bait.

Tiny Town

Take a tour of Tiny Town, a miniature town that makes you feel like a giant! Visit the town jail and church and library. There’s also train tours around the little town. This is such a unique trip for little kids to roam around in small buildings!

Ski or Tube Echo Mountain

Echo Mountain is right outside of Evergreen and is Denver’s closest ski mountain. It is a smaller ski resort so it’s great for families and beginners, too. They have day skiing as well as night skiing under the lights. They also have a great tubing hill for those not interested in skiing with its own conveyor belt lift and lanes for tubing!

Camping in Golden Gate Canyon

Golden Gate Canyon park is one of Denver’s best kept secrets. It’s only 20 minutes outside of Golden and yet, within 13,000 acres, you feel like your miles away into the deep mountains. They have easy-to-access campsites that don’t require four-wheel drive. They are quiet, clean and well-kept. The visitor center has lots of information and is very helpful. They have fishing ponds nearby and easy family hikes.

Let’s go!

So many options and many not even mentioned here! Reach out for more information or ideas for families. Or invite us along!

Let’s connect.