May Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve

Memorial Day is the kickoff to summer, right? Well, in Colorado, the start of the season isn’t so cut and dry. While Coloradoans adopt the summer frame of mind as early as everybody else, we have to be choosy about where to go and what to do for that three-day weekend in late May. That’s because snow at the upper elevations of the Rockies doesn’t fully melt until mid-June, meaning that some popular trails and campsites are muddy—and less than ideal.

My top choice for May is the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, located three hours from Colorado Springs. Here you will find one of the oddest (and most beautiful) natural wonders in North America: 800-foot-tall sand dunes hugging the base of snow-capped fourteeners. While the landscape is jaw-dropping any time of year, it’s especially intriguing in May, when snowmelt from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains turns modest Medano Creek into a veritable water park. On warm days in late May, it’s the closest Colorado comes to a beach scene, with kids in colorful swimsuits building sand castles and sun-worshippers toasting to a golden brown.

In late afternoon, head into the Dune Field, a 30-square-mile area of golden sand where you can create your own path—only to watch your footprints wiped clean by the wind. Once you crest the first dune, you’re immersed in a world of surreal beauty. In addition to plenty of water and sunscreen, bring your camera and a wide-open memory card; between the wispy dune tops, the striking patterns in the sand and the rugged Sangres rising in the distance, you’ll need lots of storage for your snaps. For additional Park information, visit www.nps.gov/grsa.

Where to Stay: For the ultimate dune experience, sleep under the stars in Pinyon Flats Campground, right on the edge of the dunes; it’s first-come, first-served, but worth the gamble. You’ll have front-row seats for some serious stargazing—and guaranteed up-close encounters with the Park’s many deer www.nps.gov/grsa. Nearby Zapata Ranch, owned by the Nature Conservancy, stretches across 103,000 acres and offers rustic but well-appointed accommodations. Guests can also take bison viewing tours. www.zranch.org

For May, also consider… a trip to Colorado’s Wine Country in and around Grand Junction, which is also hopping this time of year. Take a morning tour of Colorado National Monument’s stunning sandstone canyons, then stop by any of the area’s 19 boutique wineries for an afternoon sip of the local cabernet. www.visitgrandjunction.com

JuneDurango

Once favored by hardened miners and fast-talking railroad barons, Durango now attracts a significantly more laid-back sort. Don’t be surprised if you begin to cultivate a more relaxed outlook in this pleasant town of 14,000.

Just a short flight from Denver, Durango is nestled on the southern edge of the magnificent San Juan Mountains, and it serves as an ideal base for travelers seeking vastly varied adventures within a relatively small geographic footprint. One day you can be riding a fat-tire bike through fields of wildflowers; the next you can be face-to-face with an ancient civilization. Pair these experiences with a gamut of satisfying restaurants, a classic Western main street filled with shops, and the beautiful Victorian digs of the Strater Hotel, and Durango is as eclectic as it gets.

Start off with a storybook ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, especially if you’re traveling with children. This authentic steam-powered train follows the Animas River into the belly of the multi-hued San Juans. Mosey around the old mining town of Silverton—which hosts a rousing folk music festival in June—before heading back down the canyon to Durango. End a perfect day with dinner at the Steamworks Brewery, a popular spot for an IPA and possibly one of the best burgers in the state.

Just an hour west of Durango lies Mesa Verde National Park, a preserve that has protected the ancient cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloans for more than 100 years. To compare this incredible World Heritage Site to Macchu Picchu would not be a stretch; from 600–1300 A.D., Colorado’s original inhabitants built magnificent palaces, stone houses and underground kivas into the rock ledges of the mesa’s sandstone canyons. Ranger-guided tours are available in summer. www.durango.org

Where to Stay: Decked out in regal Victorian decor and brimming with antique walnut furniture, the Strater Hotel in downtown Durango is the real deal. Ask to stay in room 222, a favorite of Western novelist Louis L’Amour. www.strater.com. The low-key and luxurious Apple Orchard Inn just north of Durango offers a collection of cottages and guest rooms situated on a picturesque four-acre farm. B&B Owner Kathi Clamp gets high marks for her hospitality and triple chocolate-chip cookies. www.appleorchardinn.com

For June, also consider… the lively town of Steamboat Springs in Northwest Colorado. Known for its champagne powder in winter, Steamboat in the summer is defined by superb fishing on the Elk River, hot-air ballooning over pastoral ranches, top-notch links at Haymaker Golf Course and a local rodeo each Friday and Saturday night beginning June 19. www.steamboat-chamber.com

JulyAspen

If you think Aspen is strictly for the Gucci and glitterati crowd, think again. While this crème-de-la-crème of Colorado ski towns does have a decidedly spendy side, it also supports a surprisingly rich arts and culture scene. Pair that with superb dining and some of the state’s most spectacular natural scenery, and Aspen is the perfect place for a getaway in July.

Throughout the summer, Aspen hosts an astounding array of cultural events. Hit the Aspen Antiques and Fine Art Fair during the day, and in the evening head up to the top of Aspen Mountain for Saturday Classical Music. The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet—a 19-year-old venture with award-winning performances in both Aspen and Santa Fe—kicks off its summer performances July 16. And, though the world-famous Food & Wine Classic is typically held here in June, local restaurants stay in the spirit all summer long, serving seasonal specials to suit every taste. We recommend the Tagliata di Manzo (balsamic-glazed steak over arugala) at Campo de Fiori and the Miso Black Cod at Matsuhisa.

But in spite of the town’s celebrity chefs and fresh-from-Paris fashions, there’s nothing more iconically Aspen than the Maroon Bells—the famous pair of bell-shaped peaks striped with snow year-round. Just a short shuttle bus ride south of Aspen, these massive 14,000-foot peaks may be one of the most popular sights in the state. An easy one-mile hike around Maroon Lake takes visitors to vibrant meadows where rosy paintbrush and bluebells grow in abundance. Scan the outcrops above for mountain goats, or hike further into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness where the calf-burning climb rewards you with pure tranquility. www.aspenchamber.org

Where to Stay: Set foot in Kimpton’s Sky Hotel and you’ll feel as though you’ve entered the coolest ski lodge ever built. With a renowned bar and pool scene, The Sky may be an ultra-mod hot spot, but its rooms are exceptionally comfortable and its location at the foot of Aspen Mountain is ideal. www.theskyhotel.com. It’s nearly impossible to talk about Aspen without mentioning the town’s most iconic hotel, the Hotel Jerome—a luxurious fixture since 1889. A mixture of Victorian-era elegance and modern creature comforts, the hotel is also home to the J-Bar, Aspen’s favorite saloon. http://hoteljerome.rockresorts.com

For July, also consider… Crested Butte, the Wildflower Capital of Colorado and home to July’s Wildflower Festival. Just over the Elk Mountains from Aspen, this easy-to-love community feels like it’s miles from everything—and that’s the point. In July, the area is abloom with a wild bouquet of lupine, columbine and nearly 100 other species of wildflower. www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com

AugustRed Rocks

For Denverites, summer isn’t complete without taking in at least one show at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, one of the world’s great outdoor performance venues. Perched on a hogback on the edge of the Rocky Mountain foothills, the amphitheatre overlooks the city and is nestled between two sandstone monoliths—both of which are taller than Niagara Falls.

For musicians, a concert at Red Rocks is a rite of passage, and odds are, your favorite artist has played here. Its natural acoustics, intimate setting and spectacular geology have attracted the likes of The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and the Grateful Dead. Perhaps most famous of all was U2’s performance at Red Rocks in 1983—a concert that Rolling Stone included in its “50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll.” If you can’t work a concert into your travel plans, check out the amphitheatre’s summer-long film series, where you can catch crowd-pleasers like Purple Rain and The Big Lebowski under the aforementioned “blood-red sky.”

On the nearby Dakota Hogback, take a peek into Colorado’s distant past at Dinosaur Ridge; you’ll find an impressive array of fossilized dinosaur footprints and remains. Another ten minutes away is Golden, where you can tour the Coors Brewery, learn about the state’s rich railroad history at the Colorado Railroad Museum—and soon, shop at the LEED-certified Gateway Village at Dinosaur Ridge, an environmentally friendly commercial retail center that will also include a hotel. www.redrocksonline.com

Where to Stay: In nearby Morrison, Arrowhead Manor is a little slice of European-style heaven, with perfectly appointed rooms in a gorgeous secluded setting www.arrowheadmanor.com. Denver is just minutes away, and Hotel Teatro is worth the trip; with a prime downtown location across the street from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, this historic hideaway consistently makes “best-of” lists. www.hotelteatro.com

For August, also consider… the city of Colorado Springs, located just an hour south of Denver. Pay a visit to the Air Force Academy, ride the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to the summit of “America’s Mountain,” and give rock climbing a try with a guided lesson at Garden of the Gods, a geological cousin of Red Rocks. www.experiencecoloradosprings.com