Colorado stretches over 104,247 square miles. One third of that land is publicly owned. So what do Coloradans do with all their land? Play, of course.

And what a playground we have: Eleven national forests covering 14 million acres. Forty-two state parks. Four national parks. Five national monuments. Two national historic sites. Forty- one wilderness areas. Two hundred and thirty State Wildlife Areas. Seven national wildlife refuges. Eight million acres managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

And hundreds of county and city parks and parcels of open space.

Those riches don't go unnoticed. A 2007 National Survey of Recreation and the Environment showed we don't spend a lot of time indoors.

More than half the residents of Colorado are day hikers.

Nearly half of state residents visit wilderness areas, and more than one-third go camping.

We're also backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, picnicking, fishing, boating, swimming, rafting, wind surfing, scuba diving and watching the birds and animals.

We all have our favorite destinations. Here are a few more to try:

National parks and monuments

* Dinosaur National Monument. Rock art, homestead sites and fossils from 10 dinosaur species are this site's drawing cards, but it's also favored for its backcountry campsites, remote canyon trails and oasis of giant cottonwoods along the Green River. It's on the border with Utah, about 2 1/2 hours north of Grand Junction.

* Information: Canyon Area Visitor Center, 1-970-374-3000; temporary visitor center, 1-435-781-7700; nps.gov/dino/

State parks

* John Martin Reservoir. If you're a birder, you probably already know about this state park that glimmers on the eastern plains 200 miles southeast of Denver. A thousand acres of short grass prairie interrupted by the state's largest reservoir - 11,000 surface acres at its peak - John Martin is a birder's paradise. Bald eagles, golden eagles, great blue heron, turkey vultures, and the federally protected least tern and piping plover are just a few of the inhabitants, along with the clown of Western birds, the roadrunner. Camping, picnicking, boating, swimming, warm- and cold-water fishing and water-skiing also attract people to the sprawling reservoir.

* Information: 1-719-829-1801; parks.state.co.us/Parks/JohnMartinReservoir/

State wildlife areas

* Dome Rock. This 6,980-acre wildlife area lies about 30 miles southwest of Colorado Springs near Mueller State Park. Its scenic values and nine water crossings make it a favorite destination for area hikers. The area is open year- round, but between Dec. 1 and July 15, hikers can only go partway on the trail, to protect a healthy bighorn sheep herd. The area's namesake, Dome Rock, is a granite dome that blooms out of the valley floor and can be seen for miles.

* Information: wildlife.state.co.us/LandWater/StateWildlifeAreas/

National forests and wilderness areas

* Weminuche Wilderness Area in the San Juan and Rio Grand national forests. Sprawling over nearly a half-million acres, the Weminuche is the largest wilderness area in the state. It holds dozens of high-altitude lakes, headwaters that feed the Rio Grande and San Juan rivers, three fourteeners - Eolus, Windom and Sunlight - and portions of the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail. It offers opportunities for weeklong backpacking or horse-packing trips, or weekend or day adventures. Closest towns are Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, Baxterville, South Fork, Creede, Lake City, Silverton and Ouray.

* Information: San Juan National Forest, 15 Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301, 1-970-247-4874 or Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 W. US Hwy 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144, 1-719-852-5941; coloradowilderness.com/ wildpages/weminuche.html

National wildlife refuges

* Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. Commonly called North Park, this is a 35-mile-wide, 45-mile-long basin that is home to the headwaters of the North Platte River. The wetlands attract marsh, shore and water birds, along with badger, muskrat, beaver, coyote and pronghorn, and moose browse the willows along the Illinois River. The area is open to fishing, hunting in appropriate seasons, and day-use and features a nature trail.

* Information: 1-970-723-8202; fws.gov/ arapaho/

Bureau of Land Management public land

* Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Study Area. This is the largest BLM roadless area in the state. About 30 miles southeast of Grand Junction, it features two major canyon systems and ecosystems ranging from pinyon-juniper desert to mixed conifer-aspen. The area is open to camping, backpacking, horseback riding, hiking, fishing and floating on the Gunnison River.

* Information: Uncompahgre Field Office, 1-970-240-5300; blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/ufo.html

Historic site

* Bent's Old Fort. This site northeast of La Junta on the eastern plains features a reconstructed trading post. Bent's Fort dates back to the 1840s when it was an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail and the only permanent white settlement between Missouri and the Mexican settlements. Today, it features interpretive programs and tours.

* Information: 1-719-383-5010; nps.gov/beol/

City, county parks/open space

* Pine Valley Ranch. Part of the massive Jefferson County Open Space program, Pine Valley is just outside the town of Pine, southwest of Denver. The area connects with the Pike National Forest, and is popular for its fishing, observatory programs and hiking and mountain biking. The South Platte River dissects this lush open space.

* Information: 303-271-5925; co.jefferson. co.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R17.htm

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