Nova Guides
Nova Guides
4.5
4WD, ATV & Off-Road ToursSki & Snow ToursGear RentalsNature & Wildlife Tours
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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About
Year-Round Outdoor Adventure! With an array of exciting activities both in the summer and in the winter, we specialize in making your Colorado experience a true taste of what Colorado is all about. Offering Jeep Tours, ATV & Side-by-side Tours and rentals, guided fishing trips, archery instruction, guided snowmobile tours and rentals, and scenic snowcat tours, our certified guides are waiting to give you the thrill of a lifetime!
Red Cliff, Colorado
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
982 reviews
Excellent
852
Very good
49
Average
24
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19
Terrible
38
srussell3travel
Washington DC, United States212 contributions
Jan 2021
Great snowmobiling trip! It was my first time and I really enjoyed it ( I went on the Top of the Rockies tour). We had pretty good snowmobiling weather but I'd highly recommend going on a day with blue skies and sunshine in the forecast to get the best views. It's also ideal when there is some fresh snow on the ground but doesn't need to be much. If you are a beginner, the regular tours (e.g. non high performance) will be plenty adventurous. I am big into adventure and often feel group tours are too slow moving and not adventurous enough, so was pushing to do the high performance but in the end glad I didn't. I definitely would have slowed the experienced snowmobiliers down -- especially at the beginning getting used to everything. It is more physically demanding than I expected- so be ready for a bit of an upper body workout. I also felt the half day tour was plenty of time.
On the tour we saw some cool army bunkers, learned some history, went up to a summit and through the woods. Definitely the summit part and cresting over the ridge to go down hill into the woods was the best part of the trail. It wasn't totally clear to me why we did some other trails as we didn't get to what I would consider a "destination" (e.g. summit, view point, vista etc). Maybe I was looking more for the combo of adventure + beautiful nature seeing, and some of the trails are just to get you the adventure aspect? Either way, I absolutely enjoyed myself and would go again in a heartbeat. I'd also take my family, but still debating if I'd recommend we all get our own snowmobile (much more expensive and no opportunity for action shots) or if we'd partner up and each drive 1/2 the time (much more economical but likely a bit less comfortable and possibly a bit scary since you feel less in control and less aware of what is going on, e.g. turns, bumps etc but opportunities for action photos).
On the tour we saw some cool army bunkers, learned some history, went up to a summit and through the woods. Definitely the summit part and cresting over the ridge to go down hill into the woods was the best part of the trail. It wasn't totally clear to me why we did some other trails as we didn't get to what I would consider a "destination" (e.g. summit, view point, vista etc). Maybe I was looking more for the combo of adventure + beautiful nature seeing, and some of the trails are just to get you the adventure aspect? Either way, I absolutely enjoyed myself and would go again in a heartbeat. I'd also take my family, but still debating if I'd recommend we all get our own snowmobile (much more expensive and no opportunity for action shots) or if we'd partner up and each drive 1/2 the time (much more economical but likely a bit less comfortable and possibly a bit scary since you feel less in control and less aware of what is going on, e.g. turns, bumps etc but opportunities for action photos).
Written January 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greg G
4 contributions
Jan 2021
What an incredible tour!!! I took my 14 year old daughter who never rode a snowmobile before on a full day private tour with John. From the second they picked us up at our hotel in Vail everything was organized. When we got to the Nova Lodge it was a quick easy checkout to get on the snowmobile, John did a fantastic job introducing the safety and getting my daughter familiar with how to operate the snowmobile. We spent the first hour or so in the morning getting my daughter used to operating it, it was a very well planned progression by Nova for a new rider. The rest of the day was incredible!!! John knew every inch of the trails, he knew all the history of Camp Hale, pointed out every mountain peak, its elevation, and who and why it was named after. Machine Gun Ridge is a site I will never forget. John rescued 5 people on snowmobiles throughout the day along the trails. some of them said they were stuck for over an hour and John got them out in minutes. Not only will i be back in the summer but can't wait to do it again next winter too. I'm sure all their guides are great but i got John and he is who i will requests every time. oh yea and the Chile in the Bread bowl for lunch was GOOD!!!
Written February 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
brandon c
6 contributions
Dec 2020 • Friends
Awesome experience! Friends & I traveled from La to Co. No snow in the city so it was quite the treat. We spent 2 hrs on the snowmobile but highly recommend spending the extra hundred for the extra hour. Staff was very helpful & Jacob our tour guide was very informative. Camp hale has some neat history, go check it out!
Written December 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bob
Harrison, TN15 contributions
Jan 2022
This was a return trip for me to snowmobile with Nova Guides, and it was an "Over the Top," extremely satisfying and enjoyable experience. I booked a Top of the Rockies tour for my cousin and me, but as it turned out, no one other than my cousin and I had booked the tour; yet Nova Guides allowed our tour to go forward with only the two of us and our guide. I have read where other companies have a minimum number requirement, and will cancel the tour if that minimum isn't made, but instead we got basically a private tour. Our guide, Fred, was amazingly capable, responsive to our preferences, very knowledgeable about the geography, terrain, and the 10th Mountain Division that had trained in the Camp Hale area during WWII. Fred would stop occasionally and talk with us about these subjects. On our full-day tour we covered an amazing 70 miles! We were having such a great tour that we did not stop for the included lunch at the lodge, but rather ate that "lunch" at the end of the tour. Fred even furnished my cousin with a replacement pair of goggles when his kept fogging badly; and he lent neck gaiters to both of us to help us be more comfortable in the cold. Fred did everything possible to make our ride comfortable and enjoyable. On a cold day I suggest that guests bring, and wear, a full balaclava. On our return, Fred took the time to show us pictures in the lodge and teach us more about the 10th. I cannot say enough good things about our experience. I was also pleased with the Nova Guides policy not to require advance payment of a specific gratuity, or to force payment of a gratuity at all - though gratuity is critically important to the guides. Nova Guides provides a very appropriate gratuity guide on its website. I was more than pleased to tip our guide a bit more than the highest recommended amount of 20%. I have snowmobiled with many different companies, and Nova Guides is the best of all of my snowmobiling experiences.
Written February 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna S
Bel Air, MD28 contributions
Mar 2023
When you walk in the door you immediately get a good vibe. The staff was welcoming, organized, and informative. We chose an unguided tour to minimize the cost to the young adults we had in our group. Next time, we go we will register for the guided tour after hearing one of the staff state they talk of the regions history pettaing to the copper m8ning. As for our experience... after 4 other days of skiing our young adults said that snowmobiling was their favorite part. The wide trails led to spectacular views. There were straightaways that satisfied your need for speed. The machines were state-of-the-art. My favorite part of the snowmobile was the heated steering and back seat hand guards. You'll love this experience.
Written April 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ambermasud
Fairfax, VA22 contributions
Apr 2021
Spoon was an amazing guide. We had a great time. Highly recommend getting your own machine as our 12 year old passenger was not as excited as the rest of us. It is quite a thrill but we always felt safe with our guide. Super fun experience and views are just gorgeous.
Written April 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
477aimeeb
Shreveport, LA10 contributions
Nov 2020 • Family
We had a great tour because we had a great guide, Sam. Upon arrival, there were people standing outside on the cold waiting for a turn to come inside to check in because there were so many people signed up for the same “reserved time”. We had reserved a 1:15 time and didn’t start until 4:30 because it took that long to check in and get helmets because the crowd was so large. Once we were ready, we had to wait because they had put us in a group with a screaming baby and toddlers that the parents were trying to calm. We had a group of all adults and one 12 year old. Why they would put us in this group was beyond me. There was another family waiting to go with the same ages as ours and still, we waited another 20 minutes. Once we got started, the part of the group with babies and toddlers kept stopping and going extremely slow so we waited again. They split us up finally and we had a great tour. Our guide was great at figuring just the right pace for us and we had a blast. We would do it again because of him but the management has some definite issues with pairing groups and timing appointments. Especially with COVID restrictions, they should stagger appointments or reservations so that it is not a cluster all at once. The wait is a deterrent foe a return visit.
Written November 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
First, thank you for choosing Nova Guides for some outdoor recreation fun! We pride ourselves on our product, our personnel, and our program. Upon reading your review, know that we are taking it into consideration and are making some adjustments to our program. Clearly, we are not operating "businesss as usual" as we are faced with COVID-19 times, COVID-19 challenges, and many government restrictions - and we are trying our darndest to keep our doors open and our employees working. We are constantly adjusting to government restrictions that are being implemented in Colorado, and while they are fluid and ever-canging, we must be as well.
We have standard check-in timelines for all tours that coincide with one another, as these are public tours. We do offer private tours to enssure that your trip is tailored to you and your group needs - something you may want to consider, should you return and give Nova Guides a second go.
The health and safety of our guests and employees is our priority, and we are sorry that your experiece was less than satisfactory.
Thank you, again, for your business. We wish you a safe and healthy holiday season!
Nova Guides, Inc.
Written November 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christine D
Miami, FL203 contributions
Feb 2022 • Friends
This was our third trip to Colorado and the best snowmobile tour we have been on yet! Joe a.k.a. Beans was a great guide from start to finish. We were picked up ahead of time at our hotel and throughout our ride to the trails he gave us great historical information about the region and little towns we passed through.
Once we got on our snowmobile‘s he made sure that everybody felt comfortable and did not hesitate to explain if needed multiple times for some of the riders that were new.
Once out on the trails he did an awesome job of again giving us information and allowing us time to get comfortable on the machines and provide great service of taking family pictures. This was by far the best snowmobile company and guide we have experienced in Colorado and will definitely be booking again next year and asking for Joe as our guide! Thank you for helping us make great memories!!
Once we got on our snowmobile‘s he made sure that everybody felt comfortable and did not hesitate to explain if needed multiple times for some of the riders that were new.
Once out on the trails he did an awesome job of again giving us information and allowing us time to get comfortable on the machines and provide great service of taking family pictures. This was by far the best snowmobile company and guide we have experienced in Colorado and will definitely be booking again next year and asking for Joe as our guide! Thank you for helping us make great memories!!
Written February 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Trav4Lyfe12
Elmhurst, IL57 contributions
Dec 2020 • Family
The trails have beautiful vistas and lots of great scenery. My biggest complaint was that we spent more than half the time waiting. You take a good 5 minute drive up then hear instructions for like 15-20 minutes. But once we got going we literally rode at a slow 20-25 mph for 3 minutes then stopped to wait for other drivers for 3 minutes then rinse and repeat.
When i booked the trip I told the service rep that I wanted to go faster and do lots of riding but that didn’t happen. A few spots we got to 35 mph but mostly 20-25. And constantly stopped. It was very frustrating. Clearly not worth the $700 it cost.
When i booked the trip I told the service rep that I wanted to go faster and do lots of riding but that didn’t happen. A few spots we got to 35 mph but mostly 20-25. And constantly stopped. It was very frustrating. Clearly not worth the $700 it cost.
Written December 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, thank you for sharing this information.
We do offer Private Tours at Nova Guides; these allow parties to determine the pace of the tour and the guide tailors the trip to your liking. This is offered to all customers at an added cost, as communicated by our Office Staff.
Should you decide to recreate with us again, this is something to consider.
Thank you for your business!
Written December 8, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Heidi W
Wadley, AL67 contributions
Feb 2020
We rented snowmobiles for 4 hours and found that was a little pricey but I wanted to check that off my bucket list. They have a lodge were you check-in which was very nice and cozy. The staff was friendly and helpful. They explained how to operate the snowmobiles, gave us a map and off we went. The views were breathtaking and the trails where in good shape. People was friendly when we passed by and the park was beautiful. We finished all the trails in 2 hours so we retuned the snowmobiles back. I strongly suggest you bring food and leave it in your car because their food is extremely expensive. A friend bought an Irish coffee for $14....
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Considering the snow mobile 1/2 day trip and wondering how challenging it is? We have two that love a thrill and two that prefer to play it safe. Thoughts on the 'thrill' level of the 1/2 day?
Written October 22, 2021
What is the cheapest way to travel from downtown Denver to Vail for a day trip to Nova guides.
I
Written November 12, 2020
Thank you for your review! My husband and I are going for the Christmas holidays. Which tour did you take?
Written December 15, 2016
It was the 4 hour. That included 30 minute drive to and from our hotel and about that long to dress and get the instructions. So forth it!
Written December 15, 2016
We have small children. Are there any activities for a 4 yo, 8 yo, or 8 month old?
Written February 10, 2015
Hello! Thank you for your interest in Nova Guides.
We have our scenic snow coach tours that are perfect for the entire family! We can also accommodate the 8 yo and 4 yo on our snowmobile tours. I would recommend the 2-Hour Tigiwon tour, kids 8 and under are free! Cheers!
Written February 10, 2015
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