Local Tips

Travel like you live here!

When you visit Mountain River Lodge, we want you to feel like a local, right at home. We have put together a list of local tips that will make your stay safe, comfortable and extra special.  Here is some local knowledge to keep you comfortable, safe and make you feel as if you’ve lived here for years!

Outdoor Activity

Be prepared for all kinds of weather while on vacation in Colorado. Dress in layers, we often have four seasons in one day. Days can get hot, and nights are always cold.  It is very dry, and you will be thirsty because of the high altitude.  It is worth getting a hydration backpack to keep you going. We also recommended you bring a refillable water bottle.  Sunblock, a brimmed hat, and lip protection are a must, as is a rain jacket for summer storms.

Driving

Diesel petrol is from the green pump in the US and unleaded the black pump. The reverse in Europe, so be warned!  Slow traffic stays to the right, especially on mountain passes.  On twisting mountain roads if you are in an RV or want to move along slowly, pull over and let others behind you go forward.  Get a GPS with your car rental. And slow down when you go through small towns, police are on patrol. Don’t drive on remote dirt roads without an all-wheel vehicle.

Out Door Safety

$3 will buy you a Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card (CORSAR) which not only supports the local Search and Rescue Fund but ensures that trained and well equipped search and rescue teams will respond should you become lost or in need of rescue and they will not have to incur undue expense due to your emergency. Note, this is not medical insurance, just an assurance that county rescue costs are covered. Quirky but true, anyone with a fishing license is already covered by the fund.

Drinking

You must be 21 to drink alcohol in Colorado and drinking in public is illegal. No picnic pinots, or barbecue beers, unless it is in a privately-owned space. If you are in a car, containers of alcohol which have been opened must be stored in the car’s trunk and your passengers can’t sip either.

Local Beer

Indulge in a great local beer or two at Paradox Beer Company in nearby Divide, CO.  Or if coming from Colorado Springs take a break and stop in Woodland Park and try either BierWerks Brewery or Ute Pass Brewing Co. Remember to always travel with a designated driver, twisting mountain roads need all your sober attention.

Smoking Marijuana

Cannabis is now legal in Colorado, but if you want to partake, be warned. You must be 21 to buy, possess, or consume.  It is legal to possess up to one ounce of cannabis while traveling.  Consumption in public is illegal – and well enforced – so keep it in private or places that allow it. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, so you cannot consume it on any federal land – this includes national parks or national forests! If violated, serious punishment will result.

Fall Foliage

Autumn comes early in the high country. September is when the Aspen start to turn their brilliant yellow. Our recommended drives for this time of year are Highway 67 through to Cripple Creek and a drive up the Pikes Peak Highway.  The beautiful show of aspen glow will have you coming back every year for more.

Lake George

Lake George was first developed by George Washington Frost when he moved to the area in 1886. In 1890, he began building the dam on the South Platte River at the mouth of Eleven Mile Canyon. This dam allowed Frost to create a lucrative ice cutting business, which was hand cut and needed to refrigerate produce cars on their journey to the Pike’s Peak region.

Questions or Comments?

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