Best Winter Activities Around Boulder

Choice House facilities are located in the Boulder County, Colorado area between the city of Louisville and the Rocky Mountain National Park. The great state of Colorado is known for its wide variety of outdoor activities available to its visitors and residents no matter the season. People travel from all over the country to participate in activities like hiking, kayaking, skiing, rock climbing, etc. due to the state’s many national parks, mountain ranges, and scenic landscapes. The Boulder County region surrounding Choice House facilities is no exception.

For patients receiving treatment for addictive behaviors with subsequent substance misuse issues, we can think of no better place to transition back into an independent sober and social lifestyle than Colorado. Most social activities revolve around some form of consumption of illicit substances, but the nearby Rocky Mountains and surrounding landscape provide a variety of activities completely devoid of alcohol and substance abuse. The physical activities not only provide a potential outlet for socialization, but the endorphins released from physical exercise are great for improving overall morale and reducing depression among recently sober individuals. Also, for any visiting family members or friends, the Boulder County region provides plenty of wholesome entertainment even in the colder winter months.

With winter about to wind down its final days here in March and the pandemic hopefully easing up with increased vaccinations, we have provided a detailed rundown of some of our favorite fun, safe, and sober activities in the Boulder County area.

Hitting the Slopes

The most obvious outdoor activity in the last days of winter involves hitting the slopes one last time. Whether you enjoy skiing, tubing, or just sipping on hot chocolate fireside in the lodge, the Boulder county area has plenty of outdoor snow-related options. One of our favorites is the Eldora Mountain resort that provides excellent skiing and tubing options through an extensive network of mountain trails.

To prove that skiing does not only involve strapping two poles to your feet and heading downhill, Eldora resort also offers a renowned cross-country skiing trek across 40km of trails at their Nordic Center. Participants get to try out classic skiing, skate skiing, and even snowshoeing all for a significantly lower price tag than traditional downhill mountain skiing. To provide a little choice diversification, another great nearby site for cross country skiing is available in Estes Park just north of Boulder.

Hot Springs 

If the winter cold is too much to handle, you can head to one of the many hot spring spas nearby in the Boulder County area. The Glenwood Springs area is just a short drive to the west into the Rocky Mountain National Park, and this small local area provides a variety of hot spring treatment centers. Glenwood Hot Springs and Pool Resort alone provides affordable spa services in a single large, geothermal bathing pool. Nearby Iron Mountain Hot Springs offers a variety of separate hot spring pool options, and Yampah Spa Vapor Caves provide even more opportunities for geothermal soaking pools. Yampah even offers a private soak in an underground rock chamber. 

For a similar experience closer to Choice House facilities, Indian Hot Springs — located just south of Boulder city — offers the opportunity to soak in geothermal caves as well as a mineral water swimming pool with each being sourced from natural spring water. Eldorado Springs is another close option with a variety of spa treatments available.  

Pearl Street Strut

An outdoor walk along Pearl Street in the city of Boulder is a must even in the frigid last days of winter. Freshly fallen snow frames the city’s central block for local dining, arts, and shopping. With the winter coming to a close, you may end up with some relatively warmer days perfect for people-watching as well as taking a window-shopping stroll down the Pearl Street outdoor shopping mall. The pedestrian-only street is home to more than 1,000 businesses from local artisan shops to big-box clothing stores and the best in Boulder County cuisine.

Live Music

Although not particularly a winter-only activity, live music is still a great form of entertainment that can be enjoyed sober. The Boulder Theater has a variety of music acts that are gradually being rescheduled for live performances in March. This unique venue has been around since 1905 and is outfitted in an art deco throwback style. The building alone is worth viewing on a walk by tour, but visitors and residents — COVID-19 restrictions permitting — should check out the lineup of musicians and catch a show.

If you reside in the Boulder County, Colorado area and are seeking treatment for an addictive disorder with co-occurring mental health issues, then Choice House is the local treatment facility that can help. Through a variety of therapeutic modalities, we offer men the chance to achieve and maintain sobriety as they build a new foundation of love and empathy. We treat individuals with dual-diagnosis through a variety of services that include a 90-day inpatient program, an intensive outpatient service, and our sober living campus. Our facilities are ideally situated with the Rocky Mountain National Park in our backyard, and we take full advantage of the natural surroundings with a unique outdoor wilderness therapy modality. Inpatient clients undergoing our outdoor therapy begin to reconnect with themselves, nature, and fellow men in the program as they bond over physical activities like hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing. It is our firm belief that the friendships that you develop during these exercises will prove vital to the recovery process long after you have left our facilities, Not only are we just a few steps from the Rocky Mountains, but our facilities are also just a short drive to the bustling city of Louisville. This proximity to city life proves beneficial to outpatient clients as well as residents of our sober living campus. Clients are allowed to maintain gainful employment and keep active social lives while under the guidance and direction of Choice House’s experienced staff and treatment services. To find out more information about Choice House’s treatment programs and facilities, please give us a call at (720) 577-4422.