Our Weekend Getaway- Nathrop, Colorado

The holiday season can be one filled with stress and anxiety but SHOULD be a time to enjoy time with loved ones and reflect on the year as it comes to a close. Sometimes it is a great time to get caught up on rest and relaxation and just get away. This year we did it all! Here is a review about our weekend getaway…

I’ll give you our opinion on what to do in the area we stayed in, but sadly I’m not earning anything for these links or reviews. Feel free to subscribe and follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in hopes that maybe someone would compensate me in the future!

We decided to spend the weekend, just the two of us and the pup. We had booked a place in Nathrop, Colorado which is between Buena Vista and Salida. We have stayed in the area a few times and were looking forward to getting away and taking Sunshine on her first snowshoe adventure!

Friday afternoon Sunshine and I met the hubby at his work and we took off from there. In an attempt to save some money we packed dinner and really enjoyed the full kitchen. Going out to eat can be great but sometimes you just want to relax and not go back out. So saving money and having a relaxing evening after a two to three hour drive from Denver seems like a win-win! Plus we save time not worrying about where we should go to eat. Anyone else have that issue?

Saturday we had big plans to get out and enjoy the beauty of the area but the peace and calm got us. We made it all the way to the couch for some tv and nap time. After lunch it was time to get serious and venture out. I could sit and stare at the view all day if I was allowed too, but getting out in the beauty can also be enjoyable. So we bundled up, and headed out for a snowshoe adventure!

My first winter in Colorado I lived in a small town and there wasn’t a lot to do and a group of us from the school would go out snowshoeing on the weekends… if it reached above zero… yep. But I fell in love with the peacefulness, the beauty of all the snow around me, and the exercise wasn’t bad either. I have tried to get at least one snowshoe in each winter since but living on the Front Range of Colorado means having to drive to where the snow is deep enough. After meeting the hubby I got him to like it too!

Kia, my doggy I had when we met, LOVED snow and snowshoeing with me. I bought her snow boots after the first trip when she cried about her paws having ice on them. She was an old, spoiled dog by that time and would pretend to loathe her snow boots until we hit the trail. On her first trip out she discovered the snow was SUPER deep if you left the trail (I sank past my waist without snowshoes) and from then she was a GREAT trail dog. So hubby wanted to get Sunshine out in the snow, which she loves, and start working on her trail training.

We purchased our own snowshoes a year or two ago but we have rented some from The Trailhead in Buena Vista in the past. They also have great recommendations for trails in the area based on your ability. The last time we rented snowshoes they recommended Collegiate Peaks Campground as an easy place to go. You can snowshoe around the campground which is an easy, level trail or you can continue on across a willow area and to an old mine slag area. If you have never snowshoed before take it easy, it can be a workout. AND at elevation it gets the heart pumping. AND if you’re pregnant it turns out that heart rate spikes pretty quick and easily! I opted for the easy route through the campground but hubby and the doggy did a lot of off trail exploring in the deep snow through campsites. Sunshine loved it!!!

Then it was back to the house for a shower, change, and begin debating about dinner. We debated on trying a new place, Eddyline Restaurant, that we saw driving around Buena Vista. They also have a taproom but we aren’t big on beer. We also talked about going to K’s Dairy Delite but settled on our favorite burger place, 50 Burger, in Salida. Sometimes you just need a good, juicy burger and a milkshake. So we drove to town and had a delicious dinner and milkshake.

After a restful weekend, Sunday was the day to head back so it was spent packing the car and getting out of town. On our way out we stopped at the Brown Dog Coffee Company. It is just on the edge of town and not too far off our route home. We ordered chai milkshakes, which were delicious, and headed home.

One of our favorite things to do, especially after a full day of adventure is a trip to Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. Being pregnant we had to leave our favorite spot out of this trip, but if you’re in the area, it is TOTALLY worth the money. They give you a wrist band with admission and there are locker rooms where you can rent a locker and/or towel if you need one. We just bring towels with us. The first door you pass towards the pools actually opens up right into the warmest pool! There is also a warm pool with a few lanes if you’re wanting to swim laps. Across the road there is the new family relaxation pool we haven’t tried but we did enjoy the water slide that is open in the summer! When the runoff isn’t too much, you can sit in the actual river itself with the hot water seeping up from the river bed. By adjusting the rocks in the river to adjust the flow of cold river water, the temperature can be adjusted to your liking. Nothing is more soothing or amazing as laying in the river, watching steam rise off the water, looking up at the Milky Way in the sky. (Did I mention it is dark enough in the area that you can actually see the Milky Way?!) Awe inspiring experience.

This trip was short and more relaxing than anything else but there is plenty in the area for more adventures. In the past, we have been tubing at Monarch Mountain Ski Area and had a blast! Growing up sledding the worst part was hauling yourself and the sled back up the hill… at Monarch you just sit on your tube and they tow you right up! Unlike the more popular slopes along I-70, Monarch is much smaller but also less crowded. I think we may try snowboarding there in the future after having a season of snowboarding lessons last year. Definitely a great place to bring the family.

In a county where over 70% of the land is public there are many hikes of various levels. We have hiked the Narrow Gauge Trail at the end of County Road 290. The trail follows an old rail line that has been removed but makes for a gently sloping, easy trail. Alltrails.com lists MANY more trails and you can sort them by difficulty and distance. Also, it isn’t called the Collegiate Peaks area for nothing… there are five 14’ers named for ivy league schools right out the door and more all along the Sawatch Range with mountains out the front door being Mount Princeton (14,196 ft) and Mount Antero (14,275 ft).

If off road experiences are your thing, St. Elmo is not too far to visit. It is an old mining town and neat to visit in the summer and fall. It is surrounded by roads and trails which are well used. In winter you can park your trailer along the route and enjoy the trails with snowmobiles. We haven’t enjoyed the off road experience but have wandered the town a few times and it was GORGEOUS with the aspen trees changing in the fall.

The entire Buena Vista area is known as the Arkansas Headwaters because it is where the Arkansas River begins. Colorado is a headwaters state and river recreation can be big in the summer. There are ample opportunities for fishing, kayaking, rafting, and other water sport fun. On the edge of Buena Vista there is a visitor center with maps, information, and many outfitters who can take you fishing, rafting, kayaking, SUPing, etc. This past summer we spent some time in Salida at the FIBArk Whitewater Festival and admired those who braved the rapids.

Overall we enjoy visiting the Nathrop area and find it is situated close to Buena Vista and Salida which allow for ease of access to restaurants, stores, festivals, and numerous outdoor activities. There are atctivities for all ages and levels of adventure close by from spas to whitewater rafting. If you’re looking for a weekend getaway in Colorado it isn’t to far from the Front Range or Denver Metro. When visiting from further away it can easily be on your route through our beautiful state and is only a couple hours away from Great Sand Dunes National Park.