Mud season gets a bad rap. “It almost needs a rebrand,” says Cat Iwanchuk, vice president of business development at Ski.com, an Aspen-based travel agency. “Quite often those windows can be sunny and beautiful, and it can really be easy to find some dry trail.”

Now that the snow is melting and the tourist hordes have left (at least until summer), businesses around the state are looking for, well, business. Reap the benefits of the season’s stigma when you book one of these shoulder-season deals.

5280 April 2026
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Grand Junction

Two people stand atop a natural sandstone arch in a desert
Rattlesnake Canyon in Grand Junction. Photo courtesy of Visit Grand Junction
The modern, angular facade of Hotel Maverick
Hotel Maverick. Photo courtesy of Visit Grand Junction
A couple stands on a balcony in white robes watching bikers on a pump track below
Hotel Maverick overlooks the pump track at Colorado Mesa University. Photo courtesy of Visit Grand Junction

Where to stay: Grand Junction and, 11 miles to the west, Fruita are consistent treasure troves of dry trail. These high desert locales have turned into off-season adventure hubs, typically with a side of cowboy camping. If you can’t live without plush linens and an elevated sleep station (not to mention room service), book a few nights at Hotel Maverick. Now through May 31, their spring Sip & Stay offer includes a 10 percent discount on your room rezzy (just book two nights or more) along with two complimentary beverages, say a peach habanero margarita or a locally made white wine from the on-site Devil’s Kitchen menu.

What to do: Hotel Maverick’s location on the Colorado Mesa University campus means guests are granted gratis access to the school’s dual-lane BMX pump track, a bike course dreamt up by the same designers who built the track for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

Once your pedals are primed, head over to Fruita for Moore Fun, an advanced singletrack trail in the Kokopelli area. Prefer adventures driven by horse, not human, power? Get behind the wheel of an open-air Slingshot roadster, KTM 300XCW dirt bike, or one of the other zippy rides from Adrenaline Driven Adventures Powersports Rentals & Tours, which offers a 20 percent discount on guided tours and rentals April 1 through May 31. (Just mention you found them through Visit Grand Junction.)

Make sure to download the Outdoor Adventure Pass app where you can log these outings—plus hikes in Colorado National Monument, horseback riding in the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range, and lots more—to earn points redeemable for prizes at area businesses.

Aspen

Facade of Mollie Aspen
The Mollie Aspen. Photo by Draper White, courtesy of Mollie Aspen

Where to stay: At the height of winter, just one night at Mollie Aspen will cost you an average of $800. But through April 19, you can stay at the Michelin Key–awarded hotel for as little as $292 a night. In addition to 25 percent off lodging, the Ski Break Package includes a daily $25 food-and-beverage credit so you can treat yourself to a croissant from Mollie’s new French bistro, Petit Trois.

What to do: You don’t need a pricey lift ticket to partake in Aspen Snowmass’ closing-day festivities. Cheer on the pond skimmers at the Elk Camp Surf & Snow Beach Party on April 4 in Snowmass (the gondola is free for nonskiers after noon), and don your most outrageous ’fit for a rowdy dance party at the Highlands base area after lifts stop spinning on April 19.

Vail

Vail’s Sonnenalp Hotel
Vail’s Sonnenalp Hotel. Photo courtesy of Sonnenalp Hote

Where to stay: The family that runs Sonnenalp Hotel is the same one behind the legendary five-star Sonnenalp Resort in Ofterschwang, Germany. In other words, they have more than 100 years of luxury hospitality experience—which is why people are willing to pay $1,200 a night to lay their heads on Vail Sonnenalp’s pillows. Do the same for far fewer Benjamins at the end of April, when nightly rates drop to just $316.

What to do: Muddy trails don’t matter if you’re indoors getting a massage. Bask in head-to-toe pampering at the newly renovated Four Seasons Spa in Vail Village via one of its Spring Thaw specials, which are only offered in April and May: an intensely moisturizing facial ($280) or a massage that promises to boost circulation and ease muscle tension ($280). While your therapist works out your knots, meditate on the fact that an alpine detox massage at the spa usually starts at $365.

Breckenridge

Gravity Haus in Breck
Gravity Haus in Breck. Photo courtesy of Gravity Haus

Where to stay: Buy-two-get-one-free deals are usually reserved for things like used books or boxes of Cheerios. But in April, guests at Gravity Haus in Breckenridge can score these athlete-centric accommodations at the base of Peak Nine for three nights while paying for only two (starting at $230 per night). Take advantage of the free fitness classes—from barbell basics to mobility—and you’ll really feel like you’re pulling a fast one.

What to do: No need to pack PB&Js to save a buck. For a $15 donation to the Breckenridge Restaurant Association, you and your travel buddy can take advantage of discounts at eateries all across town. From April 13 to June 11, about 30 local spots offer exclusive discounts through the Spring Breckenridge Dining Passport. Past offerings have included 50 percent off entrées at Aurum Food and Wine, a $35 prix-fixe menu at Edwin Restaurant, and two-for-one mains at Hearthstone Restaurant. The sweetest part of this deal? Your money helps fund local scholarships, charities, and community programs.

Boulder

An aerial view of Downtown Boulder with Flatirons in the back
An aerial view of Downtown Boulder. Photo by Denise Chambers

Where to stay: Ready to get creative with all the ways you can save a buck? Book one of the cottages at the iconic Boulder Chautauqua between April 1 to May 31. You’ll not only have showstopping views of the Flatirons; you’ll also get VIP access to a rather dramatic 15 percent discount in honor of the Boulder International Film Festival. Guests who stay between April 9 and 12 also receive four free tickets per reservation for select films.

Prefer en plein air forms of expression? Then choose a hotel closer to the more than 15,000 tulips planted along the Pearl Street Mall each spring. On select dates through June 21, the Spring Awakening Package from St. Julien Hotel & Spa—home to free-to-the-public Jazz at the Julien each Thursday evening—comes with a $100 Downtown Boulder Gift Card (usable at more than 120 merchants) along with a curated bottle of red or white wine.

What to do: There are numerous fine (art) ways to experience the creativity of the People’s Republic on a pauper’s budget. Fancy a free painting demo? The NOBO Arts District’s First Friday Markets on April 3 and May 1 feature just that, plus self-guided studio tours and artist meet and greets. Visit the the pay-what-you-want Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art before May 4 to catch Yes &, an exhibit that celebrates human imperfection in the age of artificial intelligence. And for a smorgasbord of beauty, make a beeline for the no-admission Firefly Handmade Spring Market. Held May 16 and 17 on the Pearl Street Mall, the event will have artisanal wares of all stripes (and solids) on display and available for purchase.