Things to Do in Buena Vista, CO Near the Arkansas River

Colorado is a mecca for adventurous outdoor lovers. When you are looking at where to go within Colorado you will most likely come across Buena Vista, CO. Buena Vista is THE place to go in Colorado for whitewater rafting. But there are so many fun things to do in Buena Vista, more than enough to fill an entire summer vacation or family reunion.

That is exactly what we did! My dad’s side of the family (including my grandma!) met in the Arkansas Headwater Recreation Area which encompasses Buena Vista, for a family reunion. There were so many activities to choose from so everyone, no matter how adventurous or chill, had a great time.

So grab your family or friends and let’s get started!

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Buena Vista Heritage Museum

If you like history or you would like to get a feel for the area then before doing anything else, head to the Buena Vista Heritage Museum. The museum is in the Historic County Courthouse that was built in 1882 before later being converted into a schoolhouse and then the museum.

You can see a replica of the school room, a historical train display and so much more.

White Water Rafting

The Arkansas River which flows right through Buena Vista is one of the top destinations in all of Colorado for white water rafting. With a variety of rapids from class II through class V but you can choose your own difficulty. A half day trip is perfect for beginners that aren’t sure if they’ll like it or for families looking to bring younger kids along.

If you want to hit the higher class rapids and really experience a crazy ride then look into full day or even multi day trips. These trips provide all transportation and meals with an experienced guide to come along with you. The guide helps steer the boat, points out notable rapids and sights plus helps keep everyone safe.

We used Wilderness Aware Rafting for our full day rafting trip and had a blast! I highly recommend rafting as a top activity for your things to do in Buena Vista.

Hiking

Like any good outdoor mecca, Buena Vista offers lots of great hiking. With a range of trails suitable for every ability level you’ll definitely be able to find one that works for you. My favorite place to find trails is the Alltrails app.

Off-Roading

The area surrounding Buena Vista is full of fun, adventurous areas to go off-roading. From Chinaman Gulch to Mt Bald to the Collegiate Peaks you can have your pick of locations. So whether you are taking your suped up car or a smaller off roading vehicle you’re sure to have an adventure.

Some trails are suited for cars, some are only suited for smaller vehicles like Razors. There are also several dirt biking or mountain biking trails in the area if you want to try something different

If you’re like us and don’t have a car suited for off roading then head over to BV Jeeps. You can rent Razors, ATVs and even jeeps for the day.

Hot Springs near Buena Vista

After a busy day being hot and dirty from off-roading or hiking, nothing sounds better than a relaxing evening in some hot springs. There are two beautiful hot springs nearby, Cottonwood Hotsprings and Mt Princeton hot springs. These aren’t just hot springs in the ground either, these are nice facilities.

Cottonwood Hot Springs is a series of 8 pools from hottest to coolest so you can pick your temperature. A day pass costs $20 and they are open until 12 am at night. The cottonwood hot springs are the closer of the two to Buena Vista.

Mt. Princeton hot springs is a large open pool. In the cool mornings you can see the steam coming off them. A day pass to the Mt. Princeton hot springs costs $35 and they are open till 9 pm. These hot springs are also a little further away.

More to do in or Near Colorado:

Visiting Mesa Verde National Park, CO as a Family

2 Day Itinerary in Arches National Park, Utah

1 Day Itinerary in St. George, UT

Fishing

Come enjoy fishing from the Arkansas River. No matter your favorite way to fish, Buena Vista offers a great opportunity to enjoy fishing. You can fish from the bank, fish while wading or even fish from a raft. Then you can combine white water rafting and fishing! Just kidding, but you really can fish from a raft.

Rock Climbing

If you’re looking for some on-land adventure, consider giving rock climbing a try. If you’re experienced or with someone experienced then you can head out on your own. Otherwise I recommend starting with a guided group.

Camping

A great way to fully immerse yourself in nature is to stay in it overnight. Go camping in the beautiful wilderness around Buena Vista. With a wide variety of campgrounds to choose from that will keep you close to the action this is a great option.

Plus camping comes with so many of its own fun activities like s’mores, card games and endless hours spent outside. That’s my son’s happy place lol.

Horseback Riding in Buena Vista

Another fun filled thing to do near Buena Vista is go horseback riding! Horses are beautiful, strong creatures that can offer a great way to spend the day. Feel the wind in your hair as you sit astride your noble steed. See the Buena Vista area in a new way.

St. Elmo’s Ghost Town

Get your fill of old small town hauntings by visiting St. Elmo’s Ghost Town. The town was founded in 1880 but was abandoned by its population less than 100 years later. Wander through the empty streets together and see if you can get your own otherworldly experience.

To make things extra fun during the summer the general store opens up and is an actual store you can shop at. It sells a wide variety of items from souvenirs to antiques. This unique and quirky little shop is a fun addition to the mainstreet of St. Elmo.

A woman skiing down the snow covered slopes.

Monarch Mountain Ski Resort

If you are visiting Buena Vista in the winter then you can enjoy a day on the slopes. That’s right, the Monarch Mountain Ski Resort is only about 35 minutes away. So grab your skis and snowboards then head up the mountain for an adventurous day in the snow. Definitely a must do if you are in the area during the winter.

Where to Eat in Buena Vista

There are two places I recommend eating at while you are in Buena Vista. One I ate at personally and the other came highly recommended but we couldn’t fit it into our trip.

Eddyline Brewery

This brewery serves local beer, and, although we don’t drink, the food also receives high praise. There are a wide variety of choices from pasta to burgers to pizza. I had the spinach alfredo chicken pizza and it was absolutely delicious. The sauce was creamy and warm, plus it went well after the queso appetizer. For dessert our (large) group split several cookie skillets. The thick, warm chocolate chip cookie was served with vanilla ice cream and was decedantly sweet.

Chocolate chip cookie skillet with ice cream melting on top.

Elkhorn Pizzaria

Another great eatery that specializes in pizza head over to Elkhorn Pizzaria. The pizza here is a hit amongst locals and tourists. With tons of flavor options as well as a create your own option there is something for everyone. Food really just hits different after a full day of adventuring.

Travel Tips:

Where to Stay in Buena Vista

There are many wonderful hotels and campgrounds in Buena Vista. We chose to camp and I highly recommend our campground. It was absolutely beautiful. If you prefer not to camp though, I recommend choosing a place near downtown.

A stunning campsite in the Colorado mountains. Right by the Arkansas River, one of the best things to do in Buena Vista is go camping.

Ruby Mountain Campground

If you are camping or RVing then I highly recommend Ruby Mountain Campground. Each site has a parking area, campfire and picnic table and an area to set up your tent. These three areas are covered in rock and separated from “nature” by large boulders. The area is absolutely stunning and my description is falling very flat.

The campground is right next to the Arkansas River at the base of Bald Mountain. You can hear the water at night and it is very peaceful. If you are looking for things to do without leaving the vicinity you can play in the river, hike the trail, or go up Bald Mountain in some off roading vehicles.

There are no hookups for RV’s and only pit toilets provided. So you will have to bring your own water, electricity and use a dump station elsewhere. There are no dumpsters provided either so everyone must pack out their trash.

Practical Information for Buena Vista, CO

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