Overnight, the leaves on the trees surrounding neighborhoods and lining streets begin to lose their green hues and fade to deep gold and burning red, and everyone know falls has finally reached us. With the summer days gone and the air getting cooler, it is harder to find things to do in the months leading up to the end of the year, it is not as easy to just get outside and do something with friends, and in Colorado, it is hard to plan around the weather for the day, with it constantly changing from freezing to warm as the sun rises in the sky.
But even with the possibility of snow and cold temperatures, there are still plenty of things in Colorado that you can do to get outside.
During the fall season, the best things to do probably revolve around Halloween: pumpkin patches, haunted corn mazes, and even walking to the nearest Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte. But there are other things, less Halloweeny, that you can do. A day trip to Estes and Rocky Mountain National park is always a good option, with so many aspen trees in the areas the leaves changing their colors is on magnificent sight, and there is always a chance of seeing elk, which are usually scattered throughout the open fields of RMNP during their mating season.
The national park is also a wonderful place to find great hiking trails which are fun to do in the fall, because well once again the leaves are beautiful and the heat won't tire you out so quickly. These trails are also great when covered in snow and allow you to slip into some snowshoes, cross country skis, or even just some snow boots for a nice walk through the frosted woods.
Rocky Mountain National Park isn't the only place to go when the snow starts to cover the ground. Even in Fort Collins there are several things to do when it snows. Sledding is always a good options, with many hills around the city, it is not hard to find a good sledding hill, some of my favorites are tucked deep in neighborhoods, that no one would find unless they actually drive through and turn down the right streets.
Another winter favorite in Fort Collins is the Old Town lights, covering every tree the runs down the middle of the road, looking like thousands of twinkling stars barely above the heads of the people walking down the sidewalk. These have been a FoCo tradition for several years and they are many peoples favorite part about winter in Old Town. The lights bring joy to so many people and will be on display for a while, being set up on November 4th and stay lit until February 14th.
The lights, the snow, and the horse drawn carriage rides, that are also part of winter in Old Town, could make for one romantic date, or even a good set up for a proposal. These things are what makes winters in Old Town so special and extraordinarily beautiful. Spending an evening down in the area during a snowy day could be one of the more memorable moments you have had in Old Town.
Among the many traditions that make Old Town great, there was also the ice rink that was set up in Old Town Square, but that tradition ended because of costs. However, the set up for an ice rink at the Foothills Mall is underway, located in the plaza right across from the Cinemark XD theater. Even though you won't have the lights glittering above your head or the feeling of Old Town around you, Fort Collins will still be lucky enough to enjoy an outdoor ice rink this winter. There is another date idea, skating and a movie.
