On Mother's Day I treated myself to an annual Colorado Parks pass. After years of paying the daily fee, I decided it was time to just invest $55 and get one for myself. Colorado has 43 parks throughout the state. Activities in the parks range from birdwatching to snowmobiling and everything in between.

Here in the Denver metro area we can enjoy boating at either Chatfield or Cherry Creek State park. There are picnic areas, swimming, marinas, horse back riding and trails of all kinds.

My personal favorite is Roxborough State Park, located just south of Chatfield. Nestled up against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, this very distinctive park is a geological ahhhh! A look in any direction is guaranteed to amaze and delight. Red rock formations jut from the ground to the air at right angles not typically natural for rocks.

There is a series of trails winding through the park that cater to hikers of all levels. Be sure to take the short little side trails to the overlooks of the valley. These offer some of the finest views and a place to sit, enjoy and soak up the natural beauty of this wonderful place on earth.

Roxborough Park enjoys a variety of wildlife, including fox (we say one), bear (I wish we saw one), rattle snakes (yuck!) and mule deer. Leave your pets at home, they are not allowed into the park.

Park rangers and volunteers offer a variety of interesting activities. Learn about wildflowers, stars, how to survive in bear country and how to identify birds in the area. There are more classes than most people have time!

To get to Roxborough take E470 to Wadsworth Go South, turn left on Watertown Road, right on Rampart Range Road, follow it to the Park signs on left. Enjoy your day!