You don’t need to worry because we have everything that can help you spend your best time in Colorado.
So, May in Colorado is ideal for camping, hiking, river rafting, and visiting waterfalls. The springtime starts from mid-April to late May, which is a great time to visit Colorado. From weather to places and events, you will find every detail here.
Colorado In May - Best Time to Enjoy Spring
There is wide fluctuation in weather, which comfortably switches from cool to slightly warm. Nothing can match the sight of spring in rocky areas, and you will enjoy all these pleasing scenes in the first week of May. It is easy to find the opportunity to visit shopping malls, restaurants, and other places without facing crowds.
Enjoy Less Crowded Hiking
If you prefer fewer gatherings, this is the best time of the year with lower crowds and the cheapest rates. Though snowboarding is popular in winter, you can find a lot of activities to do in summer.
Here are some best places to hike in Colorado in May.
- Rocky Mountain National Park
This is located a short distance from Denver and Boulder. The place is cool and attractive to sight in spring due to melted trails. People prefer hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, over 350 miles of trail, where they come across bighorn sheep, elk, and other animals. They take pictures and experience killer workout activities.
- Mesa Verde National Park
The ideal destination for hiking lovers and athletes is this national park, where they can find cliff dwellings over 600. There are also many preserved archeological sites to help you educate on the history of the area. You enjoy walking and hiking here and spend your best time climbing and crawling.
- Great Sand Dunes
The long stretches of the landscape offer great sites for hiking, sand sledding, horseback riding, fat biking, and much more. When the temperature is mild, you get the best experience on Sand Dunes in the morning sand sledding.
River Rafting At Medano Creek
Medano Creek is the perfect place if you are an enthusiast for river rafting. You can have fun on weekdays because these places are most crowded on weekends. You can enjoy the Milky Way, the bright moon, and even see planets at night.
Hitting Trails Near Fruita
If you are biking or love bike riding on trails, you will find terrain around Fruita to have a great experience. The weather in Fruits is always comfortable, and the trails are clean. You will experience desert-like trails, cliffs, mountain ridges, valleys, and almost 18 road trails.
You can also enjoy biking and driving at Grand Messa, where you see Scenic Byway and Powderhorn Mountain Resort for downhill biking.
Skiing Resorts
Colorado in May isn’t attractive for Skiing because most snow storms have stopped and usually continue prevailing in November. However, some particular resorts are open in May to give a little skiing experience from the old powdered snow.
- Loveland Pass Elevation
The 1800 acres of skiing area with a 12,700’ elevation is a great resort for ski lovers. Mountain cabins are also available, with childcare facilities at the base for families. Whether you are a beginner or experienced, there is a skiing place for every individual.
- Arapahoe Basin
The ski season in Arapahoe extends from October to June, with enough snow in May. The skiing area is almost 1428 acres with a summit elevation of about 13,050’. The terrains are called “The Legend” for advanced or expert-level skiers.
Find The Best Camping Site
Pike National Forest is the ideal place in Spring for hiking, camping, fishing, and boating. Whether you want to have a picnic to eat at the lakeside or want to drive along the roads with enchanting sceneries, this is the best to spend family vacation time.
Colorado In May Weather
The average temperature in Colorado in May is 21℃ at its highest and 4℃ at its lowest, while the high altitudes have temperatures up to -6℃. Variation in weather conditions is possible, but most of the time, the air is dry. The rainfalls make the temperature mild, while muddy areas create when the snow melts at the centers or edges of the mountains.
At higher altitudes, such as Alma, it has an elevation of over 10,300’, causing sickness in 10% of the visitors.
If you are preparing to visit Colorado, gather your healthy food items and plenty of drinking water, but skip alcoholic drinks.
Best Places to Visit In Colorado In May
Dinosaur National Monument comprises two centers for visitors and is best to visit in spring due to the minimum crowd. Canyon Visitor Center is the place to enter the monument, while the other center is Harper’s Corner Area, where you can sight the mountains. Fossils, dinosaur bones, and prehistoric drawings always attract tourists.
Colorado National Monument offers the sight of mountains filled with canyons, rock-forming landscapes, bushes, and plants. You must also visit Rim Rock Drive near this monument.
Black Canyon At Gunnison National Park is formed of red clay and rock, which gives unimaginable sight of the dark Precambrian period when rocks formed the earth. Though people often neglect to visit this place due to the dangers of hiking, the beauty is worth seeing.
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre are ideal places to explore in May. While most of the time, the place is occupied for music and other concerts.
Special Events In Colorado In May
The 3- Day Durango Wine Event comprises talks, educational seminars, wine tasting, and dining opportunities. The money collected through the tickets goes to a local charity to support the community.
Denver Pop Culture Con is a conference held to celebrate American pop culture that involves meetups., interviews, costume competitions, and much more.
MountainFilm Festival is celebrated on Memorial Day in Telluride, showcasing documentaries on environmental, social, political, and cultural issues.
JUCO, also known as Junior Colleges World Series held in the last week of May at Grand Valley, where college athletes arrive from around the globe to compete for the title of World Series.
Wrapping Up
Undoubtedly, Colorado has some of the best destinations in the United States that you must visit at least once in your life. Winter is great if you want to enjoy snowshoeing and skiing in a heavy crowd. However, visiting Colorado in May is the best time of the year when you can have all fun with less crowd and at cheaper rates.
If you are a hiking enthusiast, love river rafting, are good at baking, or simply looking for a site for camping, you must visit Colorado in May.
