Colorado Day is August 1—5 Things to Do to Celebrate

There are so many things to do in Colorado!

That's one of the most common descriptors of the Centennial State. I hear it all the time, and it's true. There is just a gaggle of great activities that one can find to occupy any amount of free time they may have.

Since August 1 is Colorado Day. I thought that might be a great day to be out there, celebrating the things that make this state so special.

Here are 5 things to do to celebrate Colorado Day.

1
Poudre Canyon/Colorado Extreme/Leisure Sports Decatholon
How many sports/pastimes can you enjoy in Colorado in a day?
The anecdote many like to share is the day that they skied and golfed in the same day. It's actually pretty easy to do. When you start to pile it on, the limit isn't the activities, it's the time in the day, or energy in your body.
Realistically, here is the way to do the extreme sports-atholon in Poudre Canyon.
Hike - Go to Cameron Pass. Find a trail. Walk up it with your skis until you find snow. To save time, you may want to scout a little bit so that you don't pick a trail that doesn't have any snow swaths on it. Carry your skis or board
Snow - Pick your sticks. Ski or snowboard. You don't have to make many turns, just enough to say, "I skied on August 1."
Paddle/float - Stop at Filter Plant on the way down. Put your kayak, raft, or ducky in it. Float.
Fish - Toss a line in at Picnic Rock, or above. Catch, release, repeat.
Bike - Road bike along Poudre Trail in town, or take a longer loop past Hughes Stadium and up past Horsetooth
Wakeboard - Have your friends pick you up at South Bay of Horsetooth. Make some turns in the water. Take in some sun
Climb - Boulder at Horsetooth. Or while you're in the Canyon, stop at the Palace and do some trad climbing.
Golf - Nine holes at City Park, but get a cart because you have more sports ahead of you
Frolf - Check out the disc golf course at Hughes Stadium or Edora Park.
Skate - Make a turn or two at any of Fort Collins great skate parks, or try Poudre Trail or Spring Creek Trail
5
Go to Rocky Mountain National Park
For any reason or activity whatsoever, go to Rocky Mountain National Park. The land was set aside by President Theodore Roosevelt, as he was blown away by the beauty of it. We still are, and you should be, too!
3
Have a Puff
I've met people who can't stand the fact that Colorado is now associated with weed. They fight hard to make sure it doesn't define the state. In some ways they are fighting a losing battle. It doesn't define the state of Colorado, but it certainly is one of the most interesting and unique things about it.
It was remarkably brave, forward thinking and a revolutionary move to become the first state to make it legal. It shows intelligence that we've stopped locking people up for such a petty thing, and allowing consenting adults to do what they want.
So, if you can do it responsibly, legally, and are so inclined, a little puff of the chronic could be a great way to celebrate Colorado Day.
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4
Climb a 14'er
Or drive up one. Stand on top of a 14'er! There are about 46 other states where you cannot stand on ground that is 14,000 feet above sea level, so recognize.
5
Watch the sunrise from the mountains, then the sunset from the plains
Head up to Horsetooth early in the morning. Watch the black turn to blue, then to red, then orange and if you are lucky, pink.
Enjoy your day.
Then, in the evening, head out to Windsor, or Firestone and find a good spot where you can see the Rockies stretch from north to south. As the sun tucks behind it and the colors have your jaw agape, thank God that you live in this amazing state. Happy Colorado Day!