Lesser known locations in Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Park

While Colorado is known for the cities of Denver, Vail and Aspen and the Rocky Mountains, the state tourism is looking to highlight lesser-known destinations. 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

Great Sand Dunes National Park, home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, offers desert and mountainous terrain, which can be experienced on hikes and sand boarding or on horseback, camping or a four-wheel scenic drive on Medano Pass. 

www.colorado.com/articles/national-park-profile-great-sanddunes-national-park-preserve 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park 

Black Canyon

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which has been created over millions of years by the Gunnison River, has steep, narrow walls that plunge into the depths below. 

Travellers can hike along the rim trails and explore the wilderness routes of the Inner Canyon or take advantage of the stargazing opportunities in this International Dark Sky Park. www.colorado.com/climbing/black-canyon-of-the-gunnisonnational-park and www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm

Picture Canyon 

Picture Canyon, located in Colorado’s Comanche National Grassland, and which was once inhabited by Native Americans, offers cycling, horse-riding, camping, and hiking on the Arch Rock trails among unique rock formations, gentle sandstone canyons and rolling hills. 

www.colorado.com/natural-landmarks/picture-canyon 

Mountain Towns: Marble, Redstone & Carbondale 

Marble

Marble, Redstone and Carbondale are three mountain town, and located near Marble, there is a nine-mile hike to a mill perched high above the Crystal River is one of Colorado’s undiscovered destinations. 

Or head to Carbondale for a day of exploring the certified creative districts, offering visitors the chance to indulge in both art and nature. 

And no journey to Redstone is complete without visiting The Redstone Castle, a turn-of-the-century establishment surrounded by incredible landscapes. 

www.colorado.com/colo-road-trips/explore-outdoors-marbleredstone-carbondale 

Flat Tops Wilderness Area 

Flat Tops Wilderness Area

Flat Tops Wilderness Area offers landscapes embracing volcanic cliffs, alpine tundra and groves of aspen trees and dense firs. 

The valleys and gentle land above the cliffs offer over 160 miles of trails, while there is The Carhart Trail that circles Trappers Lake and The Wall Lake Trail which provides the most direct route to the plateau. 

www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mbr/recarea/?recid=81632 and 

www.codot.gov/travel/colorado-byways/northwest/flat-tops-trail 

Telluride 

Telluride, which is located in the San Juan Mountains, offers a rich mining history with modern mountain facilities. 

Its streets are lined with colourful Victorian-era buildings and boutique shops and the surrounding peaks offer skiing and hiking adventures. www.colorado.com/cities-and-towns/telluride 

 www.colorado.com 

 Shauna Hill at shauna@blackdiamond.co.uk