Family-Friendly Fun

Sanctuaries, schemes for summer entertainment

AX-THROWING

Durango Adventures allows people huck hatchets at targets after some professional instruction is provided. Anyone age 12 and up can enjoy some friendly competition in the four regulationsize cages. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Guests can bring their own alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and food, and those who do not want to participate can still observe the entertainment for a $5 fee.

BOWLING

Set em’ up and knock ‘em down at one of these three alleys in the Four Corners.

Rolling Thunder Lanes at Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio features 24 lanes, an arcade and concessions. Lakeside Lanes at 290 Lakeside Drive in Cortez offers customers bowling and billiards.

In Farmington, Bowlero, located at 3704 East Main St., is a classic-style bowling alley with an arcade, pool tables, batting cages and a full-service bar and diner with 30 TVs. Farmington Lanes at 27 Fifth St. is also a bowling alley with a full service bar and restaurant. Hours and prices vary for each establishment based on their individual league schedules, so call or visit online for more information before making the drive.

DURANGO NATURE CENTER

For easy, kid-friendly outdoor exploration, plan a short trip to the Durango Nature Center at 63 County Road 310. A local conservation nonprofit, San Juan Mountains Association, invites families to explore ecosytems and enjoy a picnic on 105 acres of preserved land next to the beautiful Florida River. Discover plants and wildlife along the interpretive hiking trails, such as colonies of prairie dogs, grazing deer and nesting birds. SJMA also offers hands-on educational programs and kid-friendly scavenger hunts.

ESCAPE ROOMS

Work together to find clues, solve puzzles and crack the code to escape in themed games designed to test problem-solving skills and creative thinking. Escapology, located in the Animas Valley Mall in Farmington, New Mexico, is open Wednesday through Sunday. Guests can choose one of four rooms at Escapology, each ranked by skill level and designed for up to eight players.

DISC GOLF

Test your Frisbee tossing skills on regional disc golf courses. The goal of disc golf is to toss a flying disc into a basket in as few turns as possible. To play, begin at the tee area and throw the disc toward the target, which is an elevated basket. Players add a point for every toss, and the player with the lowest score wins. The Four Corners is filled with scenic places to enjoy disc golf, including Fort Lewis College, Purgatory Resort, Kendall Mountain Recreation Area, Centennial Park, Reservoir Hill and Cloman Park. Miniature golf can also offer families more opportunities to enjoy quality time together while on vacation.

ELECTRIC BIKES & SCOOTERS

Rent an e-bike that provides pedal-assisted power to riders from Durango-based business Roll E-Bike and Paddleboard. Anyone ages 8 and older can enjoy cycling around downtown and along the Animas River Trail. Riders can reserve the bikes for as little as 2 hours, or rent them out for a full week. Pricing starts at around $45, but will vary depending on the length of the rental and type of bike.

Cruising around Pagosa Springs on a fleet of electric scooters provided by Scootz is a fun option for groups of adults. Anyone 18 years old or over can rent and ride a scooter from restaurants and shops to the area hot springs. The cost to rent a scooter starts at $20 for one hour and increases by $10 per hour, up to six hours.

INDOOR ROCK CLIMBING

Rock climbing is a popular sport during the summer and fall seasons in the Southwest. When climbers aren’t able to get a grip on wet rock due to weather, many of them retreat to practice indoors on climbing walls. This is also a great tactic for beginners to learn safety skills and techniques.

The Rock Lounge located at 111 East 30th St. in Durango is a gym dedicated to climbing that offers day passes for adults and children. There are also rock walls at the community recreation centers in Durango and Cortez for families that want to enjoy separate activities.

THE MYSTO REALLY BIG MAGIC SHOW

Experience an engaging Vaudevillestyle magic show hosted by the Animas City Theatre every Wednesday through Saturday until Labor Day. Mysto the Magi and his troupe of wildly weird assistants present mind-blowing illusions, comedy skits, circus performances and much more interactive fun. The doors 6:30 p.m., show begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online only and costs $10 for children 12 and under, and $20 for adults.

MINIATURE GOLF

Pause the adrenaline-filled adventures to relax with a round of miniature golf. In Southwest Colorado, there are four venues to enjoy putt-putt courses, weather permitting. Try the shady Durango Park course near Serious Texas BBQ located at 650 South Camino del Rio or Shooters & Shenanigans located in Pagosa Springs at 23 Pike Drive. Purgatory Ski Resort north of Durango and Sky Ute Resort & Casino in Ignacio also have mini golf courses.

ROLLER SKATING

Chapman Hill is the beloved ski hill and ice skating rink in the heart of town at 500 Florida Road. In the summer season, the indoor rink is open to the public for roller skating. The admission is $5. The rink provides rental skates and blades for an additional $2 fee.

The Rock n Roller Rink is a family-friendly entertainment center and roller skating rink in Farmington at 2125 Bloomfield Highway. The rink is a popular place to host birthday parties, so rink hours and vary during the special events hosted weekly. For more information, go online at www.rocknrollerrink.com or call (505) 258-4288.

ZIPLINING

Fly through the forest surrounded by stunning scenery and wildlife with a zipline adventure.

In addition to ax-throwing, Durango Adventures has two options for ziplining just one mile from downtown Durango. The six-zipline tour includes a 10-minute uphill hike and close to two hours of soaring about the landscape. The 12-zipline tour includes a 15-minute uphill hike and nearly 3 hours of stunning views.

Soaring Tree Top Adventures is an established business located on 180 private acres surrounded by the San Juan National Forest. This unforgettable zipline experience includes a first class train ride on the D&SNG train to the remote location. The full-day ziplining experience includes five hours of adventure and a four-course gourmet lunch served on a platform overlooking the Animas River.

Telluride Canopy Adventure

offers a three-hour zipline experience featuring five ziplines, two aerial bridges and two rappels. Guests depart from Telluride Adventure Center. To review restrictions and tour times, visit www.tellurideskiresort.com.

MORE AMUSEMENT AT AREA RESORTS

PURGATORY SKI RESORT

Visit Purgatory Ski Resort to ride pristine mountain biking trails or a scenic chairlift that gives guests access to more hiking opportunities. The resort is known for its thrilling downhill rides the Alpine Slide and Inferno Coaster. It also has a suspended obstacle course, bungee trampoline and gyro chair. Paddle around Twilight Lake with resort partners Durango Boat and Board on one of several canoes, kayaks, paddleboards or a pedal boat.

TELLURIDE SKI RESORT & MOUNTAIN VILLAGE

Telluride Ski Resort & Mountain Village also have hiking and mountain biking trails to explore for all skill levels. Ride the gondola that connects the town of Telluride with Mountain Village from Oak Street Plaza to Mountain Village Center suspended over the ski slopes. Enjoy other activities like bouldering, jumping on a bungee trampoline or panning for precious stones at the mining sluis.

TICO TIME RIVER RESORT

A different kind of resort opened south of Durango in Aztec, Tico Time River Resort is a new hybrid RV park and entertainment venue next to the Animas River. Guests can enjoy a wide variety of seasonal activities all in one place, including beach volleyball, disc golf, paddleboarding, river tubing and ziplining. The riverside resort is also hosting music festivals all summer long.