Go Play Outside

Get outta the house, go get a little dirty…but don’t go too far, OK? That’s what your mom always said, right? School was out, the weather was hot, and the whole day stretched out in front of you. It was good summertime advice—so we used it as a guide for creating this year’s rundown of 21 amazing, warm-weather adventures. We give you a taste of the hiking, camping, paddling, fishing, climbing, mountain biking, and road cycling within two hours of Denver. Plus, we’ve found the best spots to eat, drink, refuel, and stock up for your journey, whether you’re running the rapids, hitting the trail, or throwing out a line.

Thrill Seekers

Four adrenaline-pumping activities to try in Colorado this summer.

What: Zip-lining

Why We Love It: The exhilarating, bird’s-eye view of Colorado’s sweeping landscape catches your breath while you’re suspended from cables. Colorado’s newly opened Soaring Eagle Zip Line is the highest in the world: The 700-foot-long line (you’ll double back for about 1,400 total feet) over the Royal Gorge lets you soar close to 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River. Unlike its traditional counterparts, two riders sit in a chair for the entire three- minute ride. Find It: Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Cañon City, royalgorgebridge.com

What: Tubing

Why We Love It: It makes you feel like a kid again. Grab a group of friends, slather on the sunscreen, and hop onto your inner tube. Depending on the snowmelt, it might be a relaxing jaunt down the river or a rapid-filled, spill-fraught rush. Find It: Boulder Creek; Yampa River in Steamboat; Cache la Poudre in Fort Collins

What: Spelunking tours

Why We Love It: We head up, over, down, and around the mountains all year, but we rarely get to go physically inside the Rockies. Explore some of Colorado’s eeriest caverns—think dark tunnels, narrow gaps, and otherworldly cave formations—on a guided tour that goes hundreds of feet beneath the ground. Find It: Wild Cave Tour at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, Glenwood Springs, glenwoodcaverns.com; Lantern Tour at Cave of the Winds, Manitou Springs, caveofthewinds.com

What: Paragliding

Why We Love It: It’s the closest we’ll ever come to flying. Hook into your harness and let the winds carry you thousands of feet above the ground. Yes, you’ll fly tandem with an instructor so you don’t end up in a tree. Find It: Colorado Paragliding, Golden, coloradoparagliding.com; Aspen Paragliding, Aspen, aspenparagliding.com