What’s to do in Colorado state parks? Plenty! on EasyLiving Front Range Colorado

With 42 state parks, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with options. (Poor us!) Luckily, you’re in for a treat no matter which area you explore. Recreational activities range from hiking trails, picnicking and boating to camping, fishing and river rafting, and most parks allow pets. To give you a head start on your selection process, we’ve chosen five state parks in the Front Range region. Chatfield Reservoir 11500 N. Roxborough Park Road, Littleton • Park hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Phone: 303-791-7275 • Daily pass: $6 Like to fish? At Chatfield Reservoir you’ll find trout, bass, walleye, channel catfish, yellow perch, crappie, bluegill, sunfish and carp. But outside the No Wake Zones the reservoir can be buzzing with boating, waterskiing, sailboarding and jet skiing. Swimming is also allowed at the lifeguarded swim beach on the west side. The 12 miles of asphalt and concrete trails is open to hikers and bikers and horseback riding is available through Paint Horse Stables (www.painthorsestables.net) on the series of trails that winds through the park. Picnic sites with tables and grills are spread throughout the park and group sites can be reserved. Ten group camp areas are also available among the 197 campsites (some with electric, some with full hookups). For model-airplane pilots, there’s a designated field with paved runways, frequency posts and field regulations in the area south of the campgrounds. Cherry Creek 4201 S. Parker Road, Aurora • Park hours: 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. daily • Phone: 303-690-1166 • Daily pass: $8 May 1 - September 30 Calling itself “Denver’s natural and spacious backyard playground,” Cherry Creek State Park has one of the widest and most unique varieties of activities of all the state parks. Yes, there’s hiking, biking, camping and picnicking, but there’s also boating, fishing, horseback riding, jet skiing, water skiing and even model airplane flying. The campground offers 125 newly renovated sites — both tent sites and full hook-ups. There are also three group campsites, an amphitheater and five group picnic areas (which fit up to 250 people), as well as public picnic tables. Jet skis are available for rent from The Ski Shak and the Cherry Creek Marina rents paddleboats, canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, pontoon boats and sailboats. The Marina provides sailing, windsurfing and waterskiing lessons and rentals, as well as slip rentals and fuel. Paint Horse Stables offers horseback riding in the park and the Family Shooting Center is a full-service public outdoor range for archery and pistol, rifle and shotgun shooting. Cheyenne Mountain 410 JL Ranch Heights, Colorado Springs • Park hours: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. daily • Phone: 719-576-2016 • Daily pass: $6 per vehicle Look up from Colorado’s newest state park and you’ll be gazing at the mountains. Look down and you’ll see the skyline of Colorado Springs. The park boasts deer, elk, black bear, cougar, coyote, red fox and prairie dogs, as well as a wide variety of birds. Regular evening programs and naturalist-guided hikes are offered to individuals, groups and schools. Although construction is still underway at the park, visitors are welcome to hit the 16 easy to moderate trails on foot or bicycle, to make use of any of the 41 day-use picnic sites or to enjoy complimentary coffee while browsing the bookstore and gift shop. The event center, which holds up to 50 people, is now open, and the large group picnic area is expected to be complete this summer. Fifty-one full-hookup campsites and 10 walk-in sites should be open by July, and there are plans to construct cabins in the coming years. For true adventurers the park offers geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt that combines gadgets and nature. Several caches are hidden in the park with clues posted at www.geocaching.org. To protect the eco-systems, no pets, horses or smoking are allowed on the trails. Park passes are available at the Visitor Center or via self-service at the station. Eldorado Canyon 9 Kneale Road, Eldorado Springs • Park hours: Sunrise to sunset • Phone: 303-494-3943 • Daily pass: $7 vehicle pass; $3 walk-in pass Selected as one of the “10 State Parks You Can’t Miss” by SmarterTravel.com, the park is a hidden jewel in Boulder’s backyard. Although it is well known for its more than 500 technical rock-climbing routes, the canyon is just as bountiful for hikers, kayakers, bikers, fly fishermen, equestrians and picnickers to enjoy. Although no camping is allowed in the park, there’s plenty to do from sun up to sundown. Mountain bikers looking for a serious ride can take the three-mile challenge up the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail. Those in search of an easier experience may want to try the seven-mile Walker Ranch Loop at Crescent Meadows. For hikers, there’s something for every ability. Fowler Trail is easy and fully accessible, passing along the park’s sandstone cliffs and above South Boulder Creek. Eldorado Canyon Trail, on the other hand, will provide a more challenging — though equally beautiful — hike. Keep your energy up during your busy day with a picnic at any of the 33 sites along the creek that include tables and grills. (Drinking water and restrooms are nearby.) Just be forewarned that on weekends and holidays during the summer, picnic areas can reach their full capacity as early as 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. and no reservations are accepted. In fact, during peak visitor days, the entire park often reaches full capacity and vehicles are only allowed entrance as space becomes available. For kids ages 6 to 12, the park offers an award-winning Junior Ranger program on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. June through August. The programs are also available for private groups, schools and camps. Golden Gate Canyon 92 Crawford Gulch Road, Golden • Park hours: 5 a.m. - 10 p.m. • Phone: 303-582-3707 • Daily pass: $6 Just 30 miles from Denver, the scenery at Golden Gate Canyon includes 12,000 acres of rocky peaks, dense forest and beautiful meadows. The variety of camping alone is enough to draw a diverse crowd; tenting, backcountry shelters, yurts, cabins and electrical site campgrounds give you the option to truly “rough it” or enjoy the luxury of flush toilets, showers and laundry facilities. Trails range from hikers only to multiple use (for bikers and horseback riders) and rock climbing is available in certain areas of the park. Picnic sites include a table and charcoal grill and some sites are located along Ralston Creek. For larger groups, consider reserving the Red Barn group picnic area. For large group campers (tent only), Rifleman Phillips Group Campground hosts up to 75 people. All streams and ponds (with the exception of the Visitor’s Center Show Pond) are open to fishing. The daily bag limit is four fish. To learn more about these and other state parks, visit http://parks.state.co.us/. — WBT .