Highline Lake, Colorado

Highline Lake is a refreshing aquatic paradise in the middle of the desert. It’s THE place to be in the Grand Valley area, and there’s something to occupy everyone: two lakes, world-class biking trails, hiking trails, dense trees, and unlimited fresh air, to name but a few. “Diverse” hardly begins to describe this spot, so you might as well grab your favs and come hither. Because there’s so much to do, it’s basically a rule that you have to camp overnight. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at geocaching, give it a go! The park currently has eleven caches waiting to be discovered. And, the fun isn’t only limited to summer (though that’s when things are busiest.) Come out during the winter to relax all by your lonesome. The climate here is mild, and there usually isn’t much snow. But, when there is snow, it’s game on. Cross-country ski, go sledding, and then chill out hard.

And, for all you bird lovers out there: the Audubon Society dubbed the park an “important bird area,” so it’s kind of a big deal. Speaking of winter visits, that’s the best time to see massive bird migrations, while wondering how amazeballs it would be to be able to fly.