Buena Vista, Colorado: Adventure Guide for Raindance Ranch & Studio

Raindance Ranch and Raindance Studio sit near Buena Vista, a small mountain town in the Arkansas River Valley surrounded by some of Colorado's most dramatic scenery, including a stretch of fourteeners known as the Collegiate Peaks.

Buena Vista is the whitewater rafting capital of Colorado, with the Arkansas River running right through town and offering everything from gentle floats to Class IV rapids in Browns Canyon National Monument. The Buena Vista Whitewater Park, built right downtown, lets kayakers and paddleboarders play in the river without ever leaving town. If soaking is more your speed, Mount Princeton Hot Springs and Cottonwood Hot Springs both offer natural mineral pools with mountain views just a short drive away.

Hikers and climbers can tackle Mount Princeton, Mount Yale, or Mount Harvard, three of Colorado's famous 14,000-foot peaks, all within easy reach of the ranch. For a lower-key outing, drive up to St. Elmo, a well-preserved ghost town from Colorado's silver mining days, or simply relax on the porch and take in the Collegiate Peaks skyline right from home.