VAIL, Colo. -- When ski season is in full swing, you can spend a small fortune at resorts like Vail or Aspen. But during the summer, a one-tank trip to Vail can be very cost-effective and soothing, too.

The town was pretty much unspoiled 50 years ago, plenty of open space to enjoy nature.

Not far from the jet set center of vail, the Vail Nature center has preserved some of that unspoiled beauty.

From a restored farmhouse built in the 1930s. The center's director, Tom Gaylord, puts the focus on knowing the land, and appreciating all that came long before civilization.

"Everyone has a learning experience when they come here. But maybe they don't even realize they've learned something," Gaylord said.

Resorts like Vail love to boost visitor business in the summertime so the Eagle Bahn lift is running.

It taking some of the strain out of mountain biking.

The lift brings you to the top at Eagle's nest. You've got great paved pathways and a million-dollar view, but if you think this is a ride in the park, think again.

The pavement runs out real fast so make sure you check that suspension.

Sometimes the ride requires more attention than the scenery.

And then you've got the wildlife you can spot along the trails.

Mark Bloom's been skiing Vail for 15 years but this was his first downhill run on a bike.

"You don't recognize the runs with no snow on them. You can't even name the runs. It looks totally different, the mountain," Bloom said.

The nice thing is you can set your own pace as long as your brakes are working.

The Vail Nature Center is east of the village. A $2 donation gets you in but some tours cost extra. Good mountain bike rentals may cost $30 a day. A lift ticket on the Eagle Bahn is $16 for the day, or if you're feeling adventurous, you can ride up Vail mountain for free.

Bill's Travel Notes

The Vail Nature Center is the best place to see what the Vail Valley looked like before Pete Seibert and his pals identified it as a place with ski area potential more than 40 years ago.

The neighborhood is quiet, peaceful, and undeveloped, and the center itself, which was built as a farmhouse back in the 1930s, is full of interesting information and exhibits. There's a modest admission charge for children and adults, but Tom Gaylord says no youngster has ever been turned away because they didn't have the money.

In fact, the whole thing is so unpretentious and Tom is so enthusiastic about what all it has to offer that it put Vail in a new perspective for me.

The Eagle Bahn lift is your primary way up the mountain but if the $16 day-long ticket seems too pricey, you can peddle uphill for free.

Our experience was that people at the bike rental places in town know their stuff. You'll pay more for a bike with front and rear suspension, but your body will thank you later on. Even if you're a beginning mountain biker, you can take this downhill ride without fear. You'll go slowly, but you'll make it.

And if you run across a young mountain biker named Jared, who helped with some of our shooting on the hill, ask him to show you what a good mountain bike and mountain biker are capable of doing on the downhill.

More Information

Vail Nature Center
Activities at the Nature Center
Vail.com: Mountain Biking