EXPLORE | Fun wintertime activities aside from skiing in Grand County

By Amy Golden and McKenna Harfordnews@skyhinews.com

Fun lurks around every corner in Grand County. Contrary to popular belief, there is far more to do here in the winter than go skiing and snowboarding. As proof, we’ve put together a rundown of some of the fun wintertime activities, indoors and outdoors, awaiting families in Grand County. COVID-19 restrictions may apply.

Sledding and Tubing

• Granby: YMCA-Snow Mountain Ranch provides a sledding and tubing hill. There is no tow rope or moving platform to the top of the hill. A day pass must be purchased if you’re not staying at the ranch. A pass is $25 for adults and $10 for kids, and tubes are available at the Winter Pavilion, weather permitting. Only tubes provided by the ranch are allowed. Visit SnowMountainRanch.org or call 970-887-2152 ex. 4135 for more.
• Fraser: Colorado Adventure Park offers single tubing at $25 per hour. Double tubing is $40 per hour. The park offers a variety of terrain and a Magic Carpet lift to the top. Kids interested in a bit more adventure can hop on a Snow Scoot, a Polaris 120 snowmobile for kids shorter than 5 feet and 90 pounds or under. The park is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. every day of the week. Call 970-726-5779 for more.
• Winter Park: Hideaway Park features a free sledding hill in downtown Winter Park. Sleds are provided for free on this small but fun hill next to the playground.
• Fraser: The Historic Fraser Tubing Hill offers first-come, first-serve tube rentals for 60 minutes or 90 minutes at $25 and $30 respectively. No outside tubes or sleds are permitted, but a rental is included with the cost of the ticket. The hill offers a lift to the top and is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Call 970-726-5954 for more information.
• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers half-day and full-day rentals of chariot child sleds. Full day rentals for a single or double sled last from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and half days are from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. For lodging guests, it’s $30 for a half day and $50 for a full day. None lodging guests can rent the sleds for a half day at $40 and a full day at $60. Children who ride in the chariot must be 12 months or older and able to sit up unassisted. The resort also offers complimentary tub rentals for lodging guests. For more, devilsthumbranch.com.

Ice-skating

• Granby: Snow Mountain Ranch offers a rink under a covered pavilion with the Continental Divide as the backdrop. Ice skates are free to rent and those staying at the ranch have free access. Day visitors can purchase passes that include use of the ice rink and ice skates for $25 for adults and $10 for children. For more, 970-887-2152 ex. 4135.
• Fraser: IceBox Ice Rink is an NHL-sized, partially enclosed rink with skate rentals for $5. Non-resident fees are $7 for children 4-17, $8 for adults and $7 for seniors 60 and older. Children 3 and under are free. Check the ice rink schedule online at FraserValleyRec.org or call 970-726-5919.
• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch has an outdoor skating rink from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Rink access and skate rentals are complementary and reserved for lodging guests only.

Fat biking

• Granby: Snow Mountain Ranch has fat bikes, the snowy version of mountain biking that features giant tires and heavy treads. Guests or day visitors can use 40 km of exclusive fat bike trail. Day passes are $25 for adults not staying at the ranch. A bike rental that includes a helmet is $60 for a full day, $40 for a half-day or $20 an hour. The bikes come in four adult sizes. For more, call the Nordic Center at 888-573-9622.
• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers fat bike rentals for non-lodging guests starting at $40 for a half day (8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 1-5 p.m.) or $60 for a full day (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.). Helmets are included, but trail passes are extra. Guided tours available. For more, call 970-726-9231.

Laser rifle biathlon

• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers its lodging guests a sport that combines cross-country skiing and laser rifle shooting for $50 per person, excluding equipment rental and trail pass. The experience lasts one hour and you must be 12 or older. Private sessions also available. Call 970-726-8231 for details.

Hot Springs

• Hot Sulphur Springs: Tired of the cold? The Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa offers natural, hot, mineral-rich water in 21 pools and baths. Temperatures range from 95-112 degrees. The resort does not add chemicals, filter or recirculate the water. Rates start at $20 for adults. The resort is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Call 970-725-3306 or go to hotsulphursprings.com for more.

Sleigh rides

• Fraser: Dashing Thru The Snow offers 45-minute sleigh rides through secluded woods and meadows in old-fashioned sleighs with approximately 16 seats. Group rides are $40 for adults, $35 for ages 5-11 and $5 for 4 and under. The company also offers private rides on a smaller sleigh costing $295 for groups of up to four. Both group and private rides leave four times daily, at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Additional times are available during the holidays. Reservations are required. Call 970-389-2977 or go to winterparksleighrides.com for more.
• Granby: Reserve a 45-minute winding sleigh ride through the Rocky Mountains with Snow Mountain Ranch, ending with a bonfire complete with hot chocolate. Adults are $45 and children are $35. Rides are available 10 a.m.-4 p.m. but reservations are required. For more, call 970-444-1308 or go to snowmountainstables.com.
• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch lets lodging guests feeds their herd of horse before taking a sleigh ride. Adults are $45 and kids 6-12 are $35, with children under 5 free. Reservations required.

Horseback Riding

• Granby: Snow Mountain Ranch offers one or two hour guided rides through the winter for ages 8 and older. One hour rides are $60 and two hours rides are $100. Rides are available daily from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. For more, go to snowmountainstables.com.
• Tabernash: Devil’s Thumb Ranch offers winter horseback riding to lodging guest for $80 per person. Ride for an hour and then warm up with hot drinks and s’mores. Reservations are required. For more, go to devilsthumbranch.com.

Indoor activities

• Winter Park: The Foundry in Winter Park offers bowling lanes and movie screens to keep the whole family warm and entertained. Food and drinks are also available. No ticket presales are available, but call for bowling reservations at 970-363-7161. The theater and bowling alley is open 4-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check foundry-wp.com for movie listings.
• Fraser: From the outside, Wylie’s Paint and Games Store looks like nothing more than an unassuming paint shop, but step inside and you will find a world of traditional and modern games. Whether families are looking for a board game, a vintage video game or a role playing game, Wylie’s offers a selection to buy and play in-store. Not sure how to play or what the rules are? Ask a Wylie’s employee and they will be happy to teach it. The store also hosts game nights, typically on Thursdays and Fridays, for larger group games, like Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons and Dragons. Check out the store’s Facebook page for the latest events. The game store is open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• Fraser: Not just a gym, the Grand Park Recreation Center includes an indoor swimming pool, a rock climbing wall and gymnastics space complete with trampolines and foam pit for families that want to get active inside. Entry for ages 3-17 and seniors over 60 is $10 on weekdays and $12 on weekends. Adults are $12 on weekdays and $14 on weekends. The rec center is open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Register at http://www.fraservalleyrec.org.

Museums

• Winter Park: Headwaters River Journey focuses on water and sustainability by highlighting local waterways, such as the Fraser and Colorado Rivers. With over 31 exhibits, many interactive, the Headwaters River Journey engages visitors with games, real-world examples and creativity stations. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and free for children and students. Tickets available at the door. The museum operates 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday to Monday. For more, headwatersriverjourney.com.
• Winter Park: Learn about the pioneer days of the Fraser Valley and what it looked like to journey over Berthoud Pass on foot at the Cozens Ranch Museum. The first homestead, post office and stage stop in the Fraser Valley is now home to exhibits about the Cozens family, Doc Susie, President Eisenhower, Ute Native People and the discovery of Berthoud Pass. It also features a gallery of local artists and books on Grand County history. Tickets are $3 for children ages 6-17, $6 for adults and $5 for seniors. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. For more, grandcountyhistory.org.
• Hot Sulphur Springs: Inside what was once the original Hot Sulphur Springs Schoolhouse, built in 1924, the Pioneer Village Museum was established in 1974. It’s also home to the original courthouse, county jail, a blacksmith shop and more. The skiing display highlights the humble beginning of the major Colorado industry in Hot Sulphur and also features 8,500-year-old artifacts from the Windy Gap. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Admission is $6 or adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children. For more, grandcountyhistory.org.
• Grand Lake: The Kauffman House Museum is the only remaining log hotel built in Grand Lake prior to 1900 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The museum’s collection includes historic house displays, winter sports equipment and other historical artifacts from Grand Lake’s unique history. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under. The museum is open for holidays in the winter. To check hours, go to grandlakehistory.org or call 970-627-9644.
• Granby: The Moffat Road Railroad Museum is devoted to the preservation of the unique railroad that ran through Grand County. It is undergoing a number of upgrades with lots of fun plans. Check out the renovated visitor’s center and gift shop, which was originally built by a Walt Disney crew before being rescued in 2018 by the museum, or the new 1906 caboose and No. 8 Shay locomotive after you visit the model railroad Christmas exhibit. Admission for the railroad display is $7 for adults and $2 for children 2-16. Seniors and military are $5. Go to moffatroadrailroadmuseum.org for winter hours.