As you鈥檇 expect from one of the fittest states in the nation, Colorado鈥檚 capital has everything you need to get鈥攁nd stay鈥攊n shape for any adventure.
Run
Washington Park: 鈥淲ash Park鈥 is metropolitan Denver鈥檚 outdoor gym. The 2.25-mile road that circumnavigates the park is closed to cars (with the exception of two short sections) throughout the year, which makes its undulating terrain ideal for speed work. The 2.75-mile shaded gravel track around the perimeter attracts hundreds of runners a day. Use one of the city鈥檚 rigs to ride to the park and back: there are stations on both the north and south sides of the park.
Road Bike
Cherry Creek Trail: Where else can you hop on a bike downtown and go for a near-30-mile out-and-back ride without dealing with any cars, stoplights, or stop signs? That鈥檚 the beauty of this route. It ends at Cherry Creek State Park, where a pleasant 9.5-mile loop around the reservoir exposes you only to two stoplights and roads with 25-mile-an-hour speed limits.
Kayak
Clear Creek White Water Park: Smack-dab in the middle of Golden, there鈥檚 a quarter-mile of drops, surf waves, and fast eddies that make up this urban kayaking park. Leave your car at the put-in at Lions Park, or downstream at the takeout near Vanover Park. Rent a kayak, paddle, and all your other gear at Golden River Sports, located three blocks north of the whitewater area.
Explore
Red Rocks Amphitheater: One of America鈥檚 most scenic concert venues is also one of Denver鈥檚 top escapes for killer workouts or for beautiful trail runs, hikes, and mountain-bike rides. On weekend mornings, you might rub elbows with a local pro athlete鈥攁nd several dozen other supremely fit individuals鈥攋umping up (and back down) all 69 rows of the amphitheater.
Work Out
Pura Vida: Call it the city gym that looks and feels like a high-end destination spa. This is where Denver鈥檚 beautiful people go to get, well, beautiful. Located in the heart of the Cherry Creek shopping district, has classes for fitness junkies of every stripe, from the mellow program called Thai Chi to the superintense all-around strength and conditioning classes held in the Underground. Each visit costs $20.
Gear Up
REI: The gear nirvana鈥檚 gigantic downtown-Denver store sits at the junction of three choice running and biking escapes鈥攖he Cherry Creek Trail, the South Platte River Trail, and West 23rd Avenue. This makes REI a popular meeting place for recreational athletes of every kind. Find all you need鈥攊ncluding a canoe to float the adjacent South Platte River in proper style鈥攚ithin the retailer鈥檚 walls. Its proximity to hip restaurants in the Highlands area is another big plus.
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