Unconventional Summer Activities

Are the Norm at Gateway Canyons in Western Colorado

. Every activity at Gateway Canyons is imbued with excellence from start to finish. Professional guides lead excursions, and only premium equipment is used in a setting with breathtaking views of the Dolores River, Palisade rock formations and the nearby La Sal Mountains.

One glance at Gateway Canyons resort, quietly tucked away in Unaweep Canyon and just a short drive from Grand Junction, Colorado, and it's immediately obvious that this is a special place. Adobe-style buildings, prolific artisanal touches, nearby rivers and red rock canyons reveal an adventure destination where detail, thoughtfulness and quality are a central theme, and the theme extends to the summer activities available, including horseback riding, customized aerial tours in a private plane, and a variety of professionally guided trips.

To explain what makes Gateway Canyons summer activities extraordinary, Director of Resort Lodging and Guest Experience for Gateway Canyons, Tammy Anderson, puts it this way, "We think of our horses as our resident celebrities and we have a huge network of trails to explore. Our air tours offer the ultimate show-and-tell experience, and our Adventure Center is a regional base camp for exploring the natural wonders of the area whether on foot, by water, or off-road vehicle."

The Stables at Gateway Canyons is home to a community of robust horses, lovingly attended and housed in a modern equine facility.  A unique practice of The Stables at Gateway Canyons is that it allows each guest to choose his or her own horse to ride which is not typical of most riding outfitters. At Gateway Canyons stable guides believe it is important for horse and rider to forge a bond. Stable Manager Amy Wilkinson, says "Horses have an uncanny ability to read people. More often than not, it's the horse that chooses the rider." The Stables at Gateway Canyons is open daily in summer and offers riding lessons for horse lovers of all abilities. For a truly unique activity, The Stables will teach guests how to handle and harness two Belgian geldings and drive the wagon to experience firsthand the original definition of horsepower!

 

For a different kind of kick that will send guests flying, Pilot Deanna Strand, owner of Canyon Air Tours LLC, will take guests to new heights on a flight of a lifetime in a Cessna Grand Caravan single engine aircraft, turbo-prop plane with a 675 horsepower turbine engine. The state-of-the-art aircraft gives visitors a bird's-eye view of the varied landscape below and Strand is happy to provide a wing-up for photo opportunities. Passengers can glimpse the iconic red rock canyons, monoliths and mesas of the area, as well as the snowcapped peaks, lakes and rivers of western Colorado and eastern Utah. Because the plane is designed to fly at a lower elevation, passengers get a treetop view and can often see spot wildlife including herds of elk and mule deer.

Gateway Canyons guests can schedule tours that incorporate other regional activities like fly fishing on the Gold Medal waters of the Roaring Fork River near Aspen, or a photography expedition in the fabled Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona. Afterward, it's a short flight back to all the comforts awaiting guests at Gateway Canyons. Canyon Air Tours LLC can also arrange customized scenic flights for up to seven people.

The extravagant geography surrounding Gateway Canyons makes its location a natural launch pad for a multitude of outdoor excursions. The staff at the Adventure Center at Gateway Canyons can coordinate or customize an unforgettable outdoor experience for individuals or groups. Whether mild or wild, there's an adventure for everyone. Choose from kayaking, tubing or fly-fishing on the Dolores River or mountain biking and hiking in the surrounding red rock canyons. Guided motorized excursions provide access to remote areas while being sensitive to the environment. Guests can choose to drive personal ATVs or ride in the resort's multiple-passenger all terrain Pinzgauer. Each trip is led by an experienced guide who not only escorts visitors into the pristine backcountry and waterways adjoining Gateway Canyons, but also narrates the history, geology and biology of the area.

The Adventure Center at Gateway Canyons houses a full retail shop where guests can purchase or rent equipment including bikes, kayaks, inner tubes, cameras or a handheld GPS for personal expeditions.

Adding to the exceptional array of experiences available at Gateway Canyons resort is the Gateway Colorado Auto Museum. The museum houses 45 of the most prized cars in the country including the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 concept car, valued at $3.24 million. The collection is creatively arranged in a timeline that captures 100 years of automotive history beginning with the 1906 Cadillac Model H Coupe and ending with the 2008 Tesla Roadster.

During their stay, Gateway Canyons guests are always welcome to enjoy the complimentary activities and equipment available onsite for day use, like discs for the resort's disc golf course, cruiser bikes for casual nearby rides, and fly rods for fishing.

With so many first rate warm weather activities and three beautiful months to enjoy them, the summer at Gateway Canyons is sure to go quickly. Visitors are encouraged to make travel plans and reservations now for both accommodations and adventures, at http://gatewaycanyons.com/book-now.