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Roadschool Atlas
Colorado | CO
Highest elevation visitor center in the NPS. Small exhibit hall of native flora and fauna as well as interesting history of the building itself. Big tundra views.
visitor center
Rocky Mountain National Park visitor center aimed at children - it’s a junior ranger program site. Gift shop downstairs and exhibit hall upstairs about native flora and fauna including touch points like antlers and furs - big views over the valley often have elk. Rangers often set up a spotting scope.
Interesting old town with several Old West style buildings preserved as historic sites, some with interpretive educational signs like the old school house, general store, city hall, and jail. There’s a functional general store where you can donate to the historical society that maintains the town, and it’s a popular activity to feed the chipmunks that live in town.
historical
Really nice park with big playground, heated bathrooms, an amphitheater for live music, and walking paths with views over Dillon Reservoir.
park
Popular for commercial whitewater rafting with options for the whole family. Browns Canyon is usually for ages 7+ but other sections of the river farther down are suitable for younger ages too. Many outfitters in the area. Lots of river access points and park sites along the Arkansas River.
nature
Stunning location for a concert venue that is surprisingly kid friendly but also open daily as a nature park with hiking trails and a small educational native plant garden. The visitor center at the amphitheater itself has exhibit walls with history of the venue and ecology of the area including some fossils.
other
Camping Itinerary in the Hood Canal with Potlatch State Park as our home base.
Cute ice cream shop with a nice patio seating area and large children’s play garden with loose parts, swings, a fort, slide, and shared toy bin. Water play features in the summer.
Unique functional non-profit historic carousel featuring one-of-a-kind hand painted animals and music played on a pipe organ.
Nice full service park that makes for a great picnic or leg stretcher. Picnic shelters, bathrooms, a nice large playground, trails, and safe river play access.
Small volunteer run museum with displays and exhibits on local history covering mining, railroads, and development. The upstairs model train room is probably the coolest part for kids and has a fun scavenger hunt.
museum
Man made wave cycles for whitewater rafters and kayakers - the park is a nice spot to watch them skill practice. A riverside trail is a nice stroll and connects down to other park features like the town climbing boulder. Playground just up the hill as you come in before the parking lot.
Family friendly hike - most of the trail is a jeep road through the forest to be able to walk side by side - never very steep but it does continuously climb. Opens up to big meadow views in a bowl with historic mining cabins and equipment along the way. Can continue hiking in the alpine farther up or op to turnaround at the big views with the cabins.
Small visitor center with full size dinosaur models, a dig play pit, gift shop, and gold panning. Walk the road up the ridge to see multiple dinosaur fossil and track sites (one of which is very large and impressive), or pay to take a shuttle bus up. Road is exposed with no shade and while not steep, it is continuously uphill.
Hot springs resort with overnight stays or day use options. Family friendly upper pools have beach entry, a lazy river, and large waterslides with scenic views of the mountains. There’s also natural river side hot springs pools and a historic bath house for the whole family, as well as one pool for adults only. Overnight stays include arrival and departure day passes and mountain bike rentals.
Scenic spot with great access to the lake for kid play. Dexter Point is an interesting campground with neat spots tucked around the lakeshore - some can be very windy and vary site to site.
Vintage hot springs resort with historic hotel and day use for a tropical indoor family friendly hot springs fed pool. Many species of tropical plants, a small tank of fish and frogs too. Very interesting hot caves underground are adults only but super unique.
Short hike to see a waterfall formed through an alluvial fan with interpretive signs teaching the geologic history and development of the area - flooding events and such.
Nice large playground, creek access for safe water play. Large field to run around in and hosts the Farmers Market seasonally.
