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One minute you’re thinking about ski clothes and snow boots, and the next you’re wondering whether you need two jackets, how many pairs of socks to bring, what to wear to dinner, whether your luggage can accommodate ski equipment and what you’ll actually need once you arrive in the mountains. Breckenridge is a different environment from a typical winter destination. The town sits at approximately 9,600 feet above sea level, winter conditions can change quickly, and visitors may experience cold temperatures, snow, dry air and strong sunshine during the same trip. The official Breckenridge tourism information recommends preparing with layers, warm clothing, sun protection, hydration and footwear with good traction.

There is something about a Colorado dude ranch that makes you slow down. Maybe it is the sound of horses moving through the morning mist. Maybe it is sitting on a porch with a cup of coffee while the mountains begin to light up with the first rays of sunshine. Or maybe it is the simple pleasure of spending a few days without worrying about traffic, meetings, emails or what time you are supposed to be somewhere.

Denver, Colorado, is one of the best places to experience winter in the Rocky Mountains. The city combines the attractions, restaurants, museums, neighborhoods, and entertainment of a major urban destination with easy access to some of the most spectacular snow-covered landscapes in Colorado. For travelers planning a winter vacation, that combination creates an important advantage: you do not have to choose between a city getaway and a mountain adventure. You can experience both.

Grand Lake, Colorado, has a very different personality when winter settles over the Rocky Mountains. The town sits beside the largest natural lake in Colorado and serves as one of the western gateways to Rocky Mountain National Park, creating a destination where snow, frozen lakes, mountain forests and wide-open landscapes become part of the experience. While many travelers associate Colorado’s mountain towns primarily with downhill skiing, Grand Lake offers a much broader range of things to do in winter and spring, including snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and winter recreation in and around Rocky Mountain National Park.

Colorado is known around the world for its Rocky Mountain scenery, ski resorts, historic mountain towns and outdoor adventures. But there is another side of the state that attracts visitors throughout the year: Colorado casinos and regulated gambling. Unlike Las Vegas, where casinos dominate an enormous metropolitan entertainment district, Colorado’s casino destinations are closely connected to historic mountain communities. The state’s commercial casino industry is concentrated primarily in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, three towns whose histories are closely tied to Colorado’s mining era.