Tired of the constant noise, stress, and overall chaos found within the city? From time to time, it’s crucial to free our minds and immerse ourselves in nature to ease the stress caused by work and all of the other frustrations that daily life dishes out. At Discover SoCo, we’ve got the destination for you. Whether you’re taking a solo trip or planning a family vacation and need a place that will appeal to all of your loved ones, Westcliffe and Silver Cliff are neighboring towns in Southern Colorado that are truly awe-inspiring in their beauty.
When you find yourself lodging in Westcliffe, you’ll be staying in a little piece of heaven. Between the Wet Mountain Valley and the Sangre de Cristo mountain range, these quaint towns have low populations, which only add to the allure and gives you the chance to really experience the beauty of nature without bumping shoulders with other visitors trying to take in the same view. And don’t worry, while the towns have don’t have many residents, you will find yourself overwhelmed with the amount of activities that these hidden gems in Southern Colorado offer.
For the outdoor enthusiasts, you’ll find hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as accessible camping in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest. For families, the area provides an array of activities, including numerous art galleries (be sure to check out Art for the Sangres in September), incredible places to eat, and opportunities to explore nature like never before.
If you find yourself here, be sure to visit the Dark Skies of the Wet Mountain and book a private star party to witness the beauty of the Milky Way without the hindrance of light pollution. To learn more, read our previous blog about this magnificent experience and what it offers. Following this, spend some time with the wolves. You read that correctly! At Mission: Wolf, you get the opportunity to learn and even encounter wolves in their natural habitat. In this post, we’ll be giving you a few details about the sanctuary, what they do, and why it should be a definite addition to your vacation itinerary.
Be sure to book a room at The Lamp Post Lodge or down the way at the beautiful Hillside Cottages. From here, you’ll be within walking distance of some of the most breathtaking views and an abundance of activities.
Mission: Wolf
Founded in 1986 by Kent Weber and his wife, Tracy, Mission: Wolf is a non-profit educational wolf sanctuary located just outside of Westcliffe in the Southern Colorado mountains. Their belief is that when it comes to learning about nature and the wildlife that it is home to, reading articles and books just don’t do the justice that’s deserved. The only way to truly experience the mountains and the incredible creatures that reside in them is through hands-on experience.
By volunteer internships and their highly educational programs about the area and behaviors of a wolf, their goal is to inform visitors and show them that the “big bad wolf” caricature is completely false when it comes to the majestic animals. Mission: Wolf is a home for rescued wolves, wolf-dogs, and horses.
If you come to take the daily tour at the right time, it is very possible that you’ll be led into one or more of the enclosures to personally meet the wolves. At night time, you even have the opportunity to camp in the sanctuary under the clear night sky and have the rare and life-changing experience of waking up to the chorus of howling from the wolves.
Mission: Wolf is something truly remarkable, and they are changing the way that every visitor who comes through thinks about the environment. With a strong focus on sustainability, the sanctuary operates on solar power and functions through the community of volunteers from around the world who are also passionate about nature and wildlife. When you make your way here on your extremely short trip from your room in Westcliffe, prepare to have a life-changing experience. Touring the sanctuary, including camping, is free, however, donations are encouraged in order to help them to keep providing their incredible services. If you’d like to learn more about Mission: Wolf and what they do, don’t hesitate to contact them today!
Start Planning Your Trip Now
Have you started packing your bags yet? So far we only have two posts related to lodging in Westcliffe and the activities that you can choose from: stargazing at the highest certified international dark sky community in the world and spending time with wolves. Those two should be enough to make your mountain vacation unforgettable, but we’re just getting started! Westcliffe has so much to offer, so keep following our blogs and making a list of the activities that you’d like to do when you stay here. Book your room now!
