Southern Colorado Children's Activities

National Parks

• There's no shortage of national parks in Southern Colorado, giving you and your kids plenty of opportunities to see and hear nature at its finest. The Great Sand Dunes National Park provides hours, even days, of fun for all ages. Here, your kids can sled down the dunes, hike the park's many trails, play in Medano Creek and even pitch your tent at the end of the day to rest up for the next day's adventures. Mesa Verde Park boasts plenty of hiking trails that allow your kids to see the local flora and fauna in Southern Colorado, including spotted owls, coyotes and deer. Tour the historic Native American ruins or enroll your kids in the Junior Ranger program where they can explore the park and do kid-friendly activities with other children.

Caves

• The lure of a cave can help any kid find his inner spelunker. Cave of the Winds, located in Manitou Springs, has more than 2 miles of underground trails and over 20 rooms to impress kids of any age. The Discovery Tour of the caves is ideal for families, allowing you to experience light and dark conditions in the caves. The Louden-Henritze Museum of Archaeology, located in Trinidad, displays artifacts from nearby the Trinchera Cave. While it can be difficult to secure a tour of the actual caverns, the museum offers visitors a look at millions of years of the area's history. This includes glyphs on the rocks, plant and marine animal fossils and a dinosaur track exhibit.

Animal Encounters

• An animal refuge is just the place to take your kids to see the huge variety of animals that reside in Southern Colorado. The Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge has several miles of hiking trails, which gives the kids plenty of opportunities to see animals in their natural habitats. Watch for eagles, hawks and owls in the sky, as well as deer, elk and coyotes on the ground. At the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, your kids can see bears, beavers, monkeys, big cats, otters and mountain goats. Visiting the zoo is an ideal way to ensure an animal sighting of some kind. Check out My Big Backyard, where kids can climb on giant plants and garden furniture while watching out for the birds in the area.

Adventure Sports

• If your kids have the adventure gene, Southern Colorado won't disappoint. At The Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center in Salida, your kids can kayak or raft on nearby rivers. They can also try stand-up paddling or white water rafting if they're older. Guided rock climbing and mountain biking are also available. The Adventure Company in Buena Vista boasts a host of fun for everyone. The kids can ride the zip line for a bird's eye view of Southern Colorado or take a white water raft ride. There's also horseback riding and fishing in the area.