Things to Do in Edwards

For more than 25 years, Lakota Guides has escorted its clientele to Edwards' and Vail's most scenic spots on river rafting, off-road, and group trips. Team Lakota, led by Karl Borski and John Mark Seelig, has hundreds of years of combined experience in outdoor activities ranging from rafting and rescue operations to tree massage and bark exfoliation. The guides demonstrate their mastery when leading visitors on Class V water-rafting trips along the Colorado and Arkansas Rivers. They also romp through the mountainous terrain aboard rugged off-road vehicles during daylong treks.

Even the most rugged trucks are no match for the steep mountain terrain. Instead, visitors to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park abandon their autos in favor of a 4,300-foot-long gondola tram, taking in the panoramic mountain vistas from the safety of a futuristic, six-person pod as it ascends to the summit. Once there, visitors are confronted with a dizzying array of attractions that pair the majesty of nature with the thrills of modern amusements. The innovative alpine coaster zooms down a 3,400-foot track as riders control their car’s speed, gunning it to feel the wind in their hair or slowing down to savor the picturesque greenery. In a nod to the region’s mining history, visitors can ride the bumpy trails in a conestoga-wagon simulation, pan for gemstones, or hear resident gunslinger-dentist John Henry "Doc" Holliday speak about pulling teeth and casting snake-oil infomercials. An indoor laser-tag arena puts a futuristic twist on Wild-West shootouts, and a 4-D motion theater brings hit films to life with surround sound and moving seats. Cap off a day of adventure with a trip down a 625-foot-long zip ride or a plunge into the Glenwood Caverns and Historic Fairy Caves, following the soft glow of safety lights and sturdy handrails until emerging onto the rough stone balcony of Exclamation Point and gasping at the sight of the winding Colorado River as it digs a centuries-old trench in the countryside.

The experts who lead Aspen Walking Tours blend history, research, and cultural anthropology in a trio of informative strolls, nourishing the minds of tour-takers with local factoids. These guides quarterback small groups during each trek through time, imparting stories and tidbits that they've researched themselves. The Aspen's DarkSide tour unearths the area's ghastly past, rife with ghosts, murder, and mayhem, and the Aspen's Past to Present tour details Aspen's evolution from a modest mining camp to world-famous resort. In the fall, rather than wearing shoes whittled from dry ice, visitors can experience real chills with a spooky saunter through the Ute Cemetery—Aspen's first burial ground—during the Walking with the Dead tour.

After ten years of surfing and sailing around the world, Anton Rainold finally became a record-setter in an entirely different sport. In 2003, he transferred his skills to a cooler climate and became the first man in the US to open a snowkite-specific shop and school, as Summit Daily News reported. In the Colorado Kite Force shop, Rainold's team outfits shoppers for applications such as backcountry kiting, park and freestyle riding, or kiteboarding on the water in the summer. In the snow, they lead lessons for children and families, sharing techniques on how to stay safe, secure, and ready to lasso an adorable baby zephyr at any moment. After several hours, students are ready to strap into skis or snowboards, grab the control bar, and speed across the snow under the power of a majestic four-line kite.