Mountains, camping, hiking, sand dunes, hot springs, history—Colorado has it all! A must visit for every extreme sports fanatic, nature lover, and the one who loves to just sit and enjoy themselves in a heavenly natural hot springs, there are endless reasons to travel to Colorado. There are many awesome things to do in Colorado, all of which I wish I could list here. Here are my top ten.

1. Climb a fourteener. For those of you who don't know, a fourteener is a 14,000+ foot tall mountain. If you're looking for a challenge, take a hike up one of these 53 beastly mountains in Colorado. Mt. Sneffels is a Colorado favorite, mainly because of the impressive view of the San Juan Range from the top. This article from Just a Colorado Gal will help you prepare for hiking a fourteener and give you some very useful tips. Climbing a fourteener is sure a challenge, but the view and feeling of accomplishment is definitely worth it.

2. Take a soak in one of our many Hot Springs. My favorite happens to be Ouray Hot Springs, where you can enjoy a breath-taking view of the mountains while enjoying a swim in this amazing hot springs. One of my other favorite hot springs is in Glenwood Springs. This article from Visit Glenwood provides some helpful fast facts, a bit of history, and really makes me want to take a swim!

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3. Visit one of our many natural wonders, such as the Great Sand Dunes National Park near Alamosa, or the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Formed by fierce winds and the desert sand, the Great Sand Dunes is basically a massive sandbox with sandcastles 700 feet tall! Read about it more in this article by Natasha Gardner, which runs you through the ups and downs (literally) of the Sand Dunes.

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4. If you happen to be visiting in the winter, take a ski or snowboard adventure, as there are many resorts and lodges where you can enjoy a cool ride—no pun intended—across the powdery slopes. Some of the most popular ski areas are the Telluride Ski Resort and the Powderhorn Resort.  Is Telluride the best in the West? Find out in this brilliantly written article by Matt Gibson.

5. If you don't feel like taking on a challenging fourteener, enjoy a shorter hike with some beautiful scenery. Try hiking Blue Lakes Trail, or searching for old mining camps up around Silverton. We have no shortage of hikes in Colorado! This article by Kara Williams tells of her adventure from Aspen to Crested Butte, while giving some tips and sharing some beautiful photos along her hike.

6. Don't miss camping! If you're here in the spring, summer, or fall (the most beautiful time to camp, in my opinion), grab a tent or two and stay a few nights in one of our beautiful campgrounds. With picture perfect scenery and serene atmospheres, Transfer Campground in Mancos and Buffalo Pass Campground near Saguache are two of my absolute favorites. If you're here in the winter and in for an adventure, bring an extra few blankets and enjoy a frosty stay in the midst of a winter wonderland. I love this article by Kristen Lummis (aka the Brave Ski Mom), not only because she talks about several of my favorite camping spots, but also for her humorous writing style.

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7. No matter the time of the year, bring a camera. There are opportunities for photographers year round, with thousands of beautiful scenes just waiting to be captured. Various turnouts along Red Mountain Pass are great places to pull over, with broad views of valleys and rivers that make for great photographs. Mountains, forests, leaves and lakes are what Western Colorado is made of, so we try to take advantage of that as much as possible.  In this article by Matt Payne, you can see some absolutely gorgeous photos of Colorado, as well as read about the photographers that took them. Get inspired!

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8. Prefer the water? Go canoeing, kayaking, or rafting—we have many serene lakes and wild river rapids for the cautious, the adventurous, and the insane. Mile High Mamas presents this article about 10 rafting trips on Colorado rivers, that you can do with your family! With age suggestions at the end of each trip, the article is full of useful tips and fun adventures. One day I would love to be able to raft all these rivers.

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9. Hit the trails—with your bike? If you look at maps of Colorado, you'll probably notice that we have a lot of mountains. Besides hiking, mountain biking can be a fun experience for you and your family, as well as a nice time to just relax, enjoy a beautiful view, and adventure. Lee's Cyclery Blog  is full of exciting, adventurous articles about mountain biking in Colorado. His articles are well-written and fun to read—just the kind of stuff I love to peruse in my down time.

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10. Colorado was home to many Native American tribes. When they were moved from their homes into reservation camps, many of their dwellings were left behind. Hundreds of people flock daily to Mesa Verde—home of the cliff dwellers and one of the most popular Native American landmarks in Colorado. Various petroglyphs can also be found in caves around Colorado. This article by Sharon Rowley takes you on an amazing adventure through the Four Corners Monument and Mesa Verde, and will leave you thirsting for your own adventure through history!

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Many people who come to Colorado tend to stay in Colorado. A perfect example of this is my family, who visited here from Canada and loved it so much they decided to move to our hometown in Western Colorado. The reasons are endless. Beautiful scenery, fun activities, and wild adventures up fourteen thousand foot mountains. I could go on and on, but I said ten things, didn't I?

Jackson Duckworth is a member of the Youth Travel Blogging Mentorship Program

Photos courtesy and copyright Jackson Duckworth, except where noted