Frommer's active pursuits in Denver

updated 12:04 p.m. ET June 12, 2006

Denver's proximity to the Rocky Mountains makes it possible to spend a day skiing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, hiking, river running, sailing, fishing, hunting, mountain climbing, or rock-hounding and return to the city by nightfall. Within the city limits and nearby, visitors will find more than 200 miles of jogging and bicycle paths, over 100 free tennis courts, and several dozen public golf courses.

The city has an excellent system of Mountain Parks (tel. 303/697-4545), covering more than 14,000 acres.

Campsites are easy to reach from Denver, as are suitable sites for hang gliding and hot-air ballooning. Sailing is popular within the city at Sloan's Lake and in Washington Park (both Denver City Parks), and the Platte River is clear for many miles of river running in rafts, kayaks, and canoes.

The Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau can supply detailed information about activities in the city. Information on nearby outdoor activities is available from: Colorado State Parks, 1313 Sherman St., Suite 618, Denver, CO 80203 (tel. 303/866-3437; www.parks.state.co.us); the U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, 740 Sims St., Golden, CO 80401 (tel. 303/275-5350; www.fs.fed.us/r2); the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 2850 Youngfield St., Lakewood, CO 80215 (tel. 303/239-3600; www.co.blm.gov); and the National Park Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225 (tel. 303/969-2000; www.nps.gov).

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Visitors who don't bring the necessary equipment have several rental sources. Sports Rent, 8761 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada, (tel. 303/467-0200; www.sportsrent.net), has just about everything imaginable, including bikes, in-line skates, canoes, camping equipment, skis, snowboards, snowshoes, ski racks, and clothing. The REI Flagship store, 1416 Platte St. (tel. 303/756-3100) also has a rental department stocked with tents, backpacks, stoves, mountaineering equipment, kayaks, and other gear.

The paved bicycle paths that crisscross Denver include a 12-mile scenic stretch along the bank of the South Platte River and along Cherry Creek beside Speer Boulevard. All told, the city has 85 miles of off-road trails for bikers and runners, and is Bicycle Magazine's top city for bicyclists. Bike paths link the city's 205 parks, and many streets have bike lanes. In all, the city has more than 130 miles of designated bike paths and lanes. For more information, contact Bike Denver (tel. 303/322-3320; www.bikedenver.org) or Bicycle Colorado (tel. 303/417-1544; www.bicyclecolo.org). Bike tours are available from several companies and clubs. The Cherry Creek Bike Rack, 171 Detroit St. (tel. 303/388-1630; www.cherrycreekbikerack.com), opened in 2004, offering rentals, service, and free parking for bikes.

Denver also has the largest free skateboarding park (3 acres) in the country, the Denver Skatepark, 19th and Little Raven sts. (tel. 720/913-0696). It is quite popular and open between the hours of 6am and 11pm.

A quiet way to view some of downtown Denver is from a punt on scenic Cherry Creek. Venice on the Creek (tel. 303/893-0750) operates from May to August, Tuesday through Thursday by reservation, Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10pm and Sunday from 3 to 6:30pm. On weekdays it accommodates only groups of 12 or more; smaller groups are taken on weekends. Guides describe the history of the city while pointing out landmarks. Tickets are available at the kiosk at Creekfront Plaza, at the intersection of Speer Boulevard and Larimer Street. A 1-hour trip costs $15 for adults, $7 for children, and $12 for seniors. Half-hour trips are also available, for about two-thirds the cost.

Commercial rafting companies offer raft trips on the Platte River through Littleton and Englewood in Denver's south suburbs. Water level permitting, Flexible Flyers Rafting (tel. 970/247-4628) offers 2 1/2-hour trips; call for the current schedule. The cost is $40 for adults and $20 children 12 and under.

You'll find powerboat marinas at Cherry Creek State Park, 4201 S. Parker Rd., Aurora, CO 80014 (tel. 303/699-3860), 11 miles from downtown off I-225; and Chatfield State Park, 11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd., Littleton, CO 80125 (tel. 303/791-7275), 16 miles south of downtown Denver off Colo. 470. Jet-skiing and sail-boarding are also permitted at both parks. Sail-boarding, canoeing, and other wakeless boating are popular at Barr Lake State Park, 13401 Picadilly Rd., Brighton, CO 80601 (tel. 303/659-6005), 21 miles northeast of downtown on I-76.

For a different watersports experience, try river-boarding with RipBoard (tel. 866/311-2627 or 303/904-8367; www.ripboard.com), which entails going down Clear Creek face-first with flippers on your feet and a helmet on your head. It's exciting and exhausting, but can be a lot of fun in the right water. Lessons (including equipment) are $35 for 2 hours; rentals and sales are also available.

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