Mountain Bike In the off season, Mountain Bike rentals and lift tickets are available for a reasonable cost. Ride the lift up to the top and bike your way down, taking in thrills, scenery, and encounters with wildlife. Trails are rated by difficulty and are well-maintained. It is certainly easy and fun to ride the gondola up and ride the bike down.

• Vail Bike Tech is located on the Lionshead Mall and offers mountain bike (and ski) rentals.
• Venture Sports Located in Avon, Full service bike 970-949-1318
• Mountain Pedaler of Vail is a great bike pro shop.

Rocky Mountain Scavenger Hunts:
Get a group of 10 or more people for a scavenger hunt on bike, on foot, or even with the great turtle bus. Available in any season, for any occasion, and any age group. 970.445.8885 for more information.

Gondola Ride: As of summer of 2005 it was $17 to ride the Gondola to the top of the mountain. At the top there is an outside bar with the worlds greatest view, and a pretty pricey grill (check times). You can get a discount at the grill with a $5 coupon. The burger is excellent.

Hint: If you want a work out and want to save the $17 walk up to the top. The Gondola is always a free ride down! The hike will take you about 1-2 hours (depending on fitness). Take the Berry Picker trail from Lionshead.

Piney Lake:
A gorgeous view awaits you if you brave the 12 mile dirt road up to the Piney Lake. You can also grab some grub or rent a boat at the Piney River Ranch [http://pineyriverranch.com[/url].

Rafting

Vail is a great location to plan some rafting adventures. The Eagle River runs through the Vail Valley -- it offers outstanding rafting during its short season (typically May & June, sometimes into July). The Colorado River is just down-valley and offers ample opportunity, especially during summer months, because it has such a reliable water source. The stretch above and through Glenwood Springs is a favorite hot-weather summer family ride. The Arkansas River is about an hour away, and offers several famous whitewater stretches as well.

In the Vail Valley

Lakota Guides is a world class outfit based in Vail and offers rafting on the Eagle, Colorado, and Arkansas River. Door-to-door transportation from your hotel is usually included. Also offers UniMog off-road tours and night vision raft trips on the Upper Colorado. ph. 970-845-RAFT.

*Nova Guides is based between Vail and Leadville and offers trips on the Eagle, Colorado, and Arkansas River. Door-to-door transportation from your hotel is usually included. Also offers jeep tours, and winter activities.

*Timberline Tours is based in the town of Eagle and offers trips on the Eagle, Colorado, and Arkansas River. Door-to-door transportation from your hotel is usually included. Also offers jeep tours. Timverline Tours also offers group chartered transportation services. Since the company uses its buses during the day for rafting trips, their seats may often be wet for early evening movements.

Out of Valley:

• Whitewater Rafting, LLC is located on the Colorado River down valley in Glenwood Springs.
• Breckenridge Whitewater Rafting, ph. 800-507-7703, is in the Frisco-Dillon area and runs the Arkansas, Eagle, and Colorado Rive.
• Colorado River Runs, ph. 800-826-1081, Vail area outfit.
• Rock Gardens Rafting, they specialize in family float trips down the milder waters of the Colorado or Roaring Fork Rivers. They also offer fun jeep tours on the nearby flat-tops.
• Dvorak Expeditions, Specializes in longer and multi-day trips in rivers across Colorado. They do really neat Yoga, classical music (a raft with a quartet goes along[/url] and fly-fishing multi-day trips.

Golf

The Vail Valley has half a dozen nice golf courses.

Eagle Ranch Golf Course, Eagle Ranch Golf Course is an Arnold Palmer Signature Design. The course plays through the Brush Creek Valley and offers panoramic views of the Colorado Rockies on every hole.

Cotton Ranch Golf Club, Cotton Ranch is a golf community that welcomes the public. There is a restaurant that serves lunch every day and dinner nightly.

Dude Ranches

The Vail area has many places to ride a horse.

Black Mountain Colorado Dude Ranch, Week long all inclusive vacations living on a full service Texas Longhorn cattle ranch north of Vail.