Where to Rent Snowshoes in Colorado

There are many shops and resorts that rent snowshoes in Colorado. When choosing where to rent, consider shop hours and whether they charge you an additional day's rent if you return the equipment on the morning after your outing. Most shops include a complimentary pair of ski poles with snowshoe rental, but it is worth asking before deciding on where to rent.

Here are some of the snowshoe rental locations that I have experience with:

Larson Ski and Sport (Arvada, CO) Located at I-70 and Kipling, this family-owned and operated shop rents an array of winter equipment, including snowshoes. They also sell new and used equipment as well as new boots, ski socks, and other equipment that you might have forgotten on your way to the mountains. Their daily rental rate is $12. Their hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 10-5 Saturday and Sunday. I know from personal experience that as long as you bring in your rentals by store opening, you won't be charged extra for not getting your snowshoes back by closing time.

REI. All Colorado REI stores offer snowshoe rentals. They charge REI members $18 for the first day's rental and $6 for each additional day. Non-REI members are charged $22 for the first day's rental and $9 for each additional day. They do not charge you for your pick-up and drop-off days. For example, if you pick up your shoes on Friday, snowshoe on Saturday and drop off the shoes on Sunday, a member would be charged $18. The Denver flagship store hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10-7 on Saturday and 10-6 on Sunday.

Breckenridge and Frisco Nordic Centers. These shops are located at the Nordic Centers' lodge. Some benefits to renting from the Nordic Centers are that Nordic boots and ski poles are both included with the rental, and the lodge opens at 9 a.m. so you can get an early start. Best of all, when you are done snowshoeing, you just drop your equipment off at the lodge and you are done; you don't have to rush back to Denver or make a trip the next day to return your rentals.

Pioneer Sports (Frisco, CO). For the earliest morning start and the latest night return, stop off at this easy access shop on your way to your adventure. The shop opens at 7:30 a.m. and stays open until 9 p.m. Their rental rates are $14 for 12 hours and $19 for 24 hours.

Crystal Ski Shop (Boulder, CO). This independent, family-owned shop offers snowshoe rentals for $12 per day. They also offer a kid sled rental for $18 per day, which allows you to pull your child behind you as you snowshoe through the hills. Their store hours are 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9-6 Saturday and Sunday.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.