I have been to Colorado so many times, that I must have lost count! And while we have often visited our favorite haunts, we also love to discover newer towns and newer sights! Our initial trip to Colorado was canceled as Blaze was detected with Cancer. So we put together a last-minute trip once he completed his chemotherapy. We drove with Blaze from Kansas City, as he had to be a part of the vacation!
I and Deb opted for some local brews along with our soups!
Deb opted for the Buffalo meatloaf!
Rii opted for buffalo sliders!
And I opted for their signature Buffalo Burger!
Last but not the least, it was so much fun exploring the historic downtown Leadville! Much of Leadville’s downtown—70 square blocks surrounding Harrison Avenue—is designated a National Historic Landmark District of Victorian architecture. In this colorful district, see buildings built between 1880 and 1905, including the largest opera house west of the Mississippi, the saloon visited by Oscar Wilde, and two historic 1879 churches.
One of the highlights of our trip was the Snowmboling adventure. While I and my husband had done snowmobiling in the Rockies, earlier, it would be the first time for Rii! We had booked for the 2-hour tour! Our daughter was to ride with my husband, and I was riding alone! The tour started off with the normal protocol, of us signing the waivers and learning about the vehicle, and then heading to our first stop! I can not believe how excited and surprised we were when we saw that White Mountain Snowmobile crew had up and a mini snowmobile, all revved up and waiting for Rii! And you should have seen the 7-year-old, swerve and zoom across the snow! She didn't tumble once and enjoyed herself to the fullest! This isn't something I have seen with other providers, so this provider comes highly recommended.
And that's not all! In my previous snowmobiling adventures, w head to take our own pictures! White Mountain Snowmobile Tours had a fabulous photographer zoom across in her snowmobile, and capture the best moments! Yes, that's available at a price, but that price is really reasonable! We paid around $50 for some amazing pictures of our family! And each frame was fabulous!
We had opted for the Prospector Tour with White Mountain Snow Mobile Tours. It's a two-hour guided tour that features groomed trails and spectacular views of 14,000 feet mountains. For Covid, they aren't providing any boots or winter gear! So make sure you are dressed in ski-appropriate outfits! They do provide helmets, which have been sanitized. The tour groups are fairly small and the ride is spectacular! One can't deny that snowmobiling is one of the best ways to explore America's snow-lined back country! The final pitstop of the snowmobile tour shows you Mt. Elbert in all its glory!
And did you think, we would not head back after we finished the tour, to ensure Blaze soaked in the sights too! This is Blaze's second trip to Colorado and he is an absolute trooper of a boy! Did I tell you how much he enjoys the snow, and how difficult it is to bring him in when he sees so much snow to play in. We thoroughly enjoyed the Turquoise Lake area. It is a great place for some hikes across trails, or snowshoeing, as a family. We enjoyed the sunset atop Sugar Loaf Dam, in the Turquoise Lake area.
Highly recommend the Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville, Colorado, if you are looking to hit the trails! Do not take your car to the trails, as it's not meant for it! This trail loops the city of Leadville, traveling through aspen groves, conifer forests, wildflower meadows, and open vista sage parks. The Mineral Belt Trail has numerous trailheads and access points, offering unsurpassed views of the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges.
The idea was to fill our days with as much activity as we could. So after a morning spent at the Mineral Belt Trail, we hit the slopes again, at Dutch Henry Snow Tubing Hill! We rented a couple of tubes and had the best of times. Dutch Henry Hill is open every day in Winter, weather permitting.
Let's talk about our cute accommodations, shall we! We rented the cuts home in Leadville, Colorado! Its was pet-friendly needless to say! You could literally see the slipes from every room of the house and the natural light was fabulous!
And we must have gone back to the Mineral Belt Trail, during a blizzard!
The last time we had dined out as a family was to celebrate our daughter's birthday in mid-March! With the pandemic and with my husband being immune-compromised, dining out was not an option! We took a leap of faith when we saw a somewhat empty restaurant, in downtown Leadville - Tennessee Pass Cafe! It was after lunch hours and was too early for dinner! the staff wore masks, the tables were socially distanced. The food was delish and the service was great. Need we ask for more. Can't tell you how much we had missed the simple joy of eating out, as a family!
So if you are looking for a trip to Colorado, which doesn't do the typical touristy spots, head to Leadville, Colorado!
