THINGS TO SEE AND DO NEAR GOLDEN

These places can be reached by car or (possibly) bus.

1. Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum & Grave, 987 Lookout Mountain Road. Go west on Interstate 70, watch for exit signs. Follow signs; Museum is atop Lookout Mountain. 526-0747 Museum hours daily 9:00-5:00 May1-October 31. Winter hours: 9:00-4:00 Tuesday-Sunday. FEE. Buffalo Bill Cody was a western scout, rode for the pony express, organized buffalo hunts and scouted for the US army. His Wild West Show was a colorful presentation of western life which traveled all over the world.

2. Buffalo Herd Overlook, Drive west along I-70, take the Buffalo Overlook Exit and see not only buffalo but also the Continental Divide.

3. Colorado Railroad Museum, 17155 W. 44th. 279-4591 Take the #44 bus or drive east, turning east at 10th and Washington. Collection of early day narrow gauge and steam railroads. 50 locomotives, cars, trolleys, etc. plus museum. Hours: end of May-beginning September 9:00-6:00. Winter 9:00-5:00 except holidays. Fee charged.

4. Dinosaur Ridge, Morrison. Contains more than 100 Iguanodon and ostrich-like dinosaur tracks; bones still remain in the sandstone layers. Self-guided trail with 15 interpretive signs. Guided tours on Saurdays in the middle of each month from April through October 10:00-4:00. Call 697-DINO. 6th Avenue east to Hwy 93, turn right onto Hwy 93 at the stoplight. Go under the I-70 overpass, heading south. The main entrance to Dinosaur Ridge is on the left, across from the main entrance to Red Rocks Park. Follow the signs to Dinosaur Ridge.

5. Heritage Square, on US Highway 40 one mile west of the 6th Ave. intersection. (From Interlink, take Illinois south to 19th, turn right, turn left on 6th Ave., turn right on Highway 93, go past Golden Ridge apartments.) Re-creation of 1880's Western town. Music hall, specialty shops, wedding chapel, restaurants, AMUSEMENT RIDES like water slides, alpine slides, ferris wheel, etc. FEES. Summer: 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. daily. Other seasons; Mon.-Sat. 10:00-6:00, Sunday noon-6:00. LAZY H WRANGLERS: at Heritage Square. Cowboy stage show with old-time cowboy music, a cowboy poet, dinner. (FEE for dinner, show, tax, tip) Dinner at 7:00, show at 8:00. May-early September. Separate activities: hay rack ride (horse-drawn wagon) or country western dance lessons, by arrangement. 278-1938 (reservations necessary for both)

6. Hiwan Homestead Museum, 4208 Timberdale Drive, Evergreen, 674-6262. I-70 west, Exit 252, go 61/2 miles through north Evergreen, turn left on Douglas Park Road and go 1/2 mile, watch for signs. Homestead Museum is a 17-room log home built in the late 1880s. Tours daily except Monday. noon-5:00 , year-round. FEE

7. Hogback Geological Exhibit, located off I-70 near the US Highway 93 exit. Go south on Hwy. 6, turn right at Hwy. 93, go under the I-70 overpass to the access road. Geological cross section site, interesting walk along the rock face.

8. Indian Springs Resort, natural hot mineral water in year-round swimming pool, temperature from 104-112 degrees F. 30 minutes west of Golden on I-70 in Idaho Springs. 623-2050. FEE.

9. Morrison Natural History Museum, 501 Colorado Highway 8; 1/2 mile south of Morrison. 697-1873. Wed.-Sun. 1-4 p.m. year-round. Stegosarus bones found in 1877 near Morrison. Dinosaur eggs, etc. Free.

10. Mother Cabrini Shrine, 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. daily summer. Winter 7:30-5:00. Shrine dedicated to America's first citizen saint, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. West on I-70 on Lookout Mountain, Exit 259. Many steps up a hill. Wear comfortable shoes. FREE.

11. Red Rocks Park, south of Golden. Take Morrison-Red Rocks exit off I-70 or head south on Highway 93 past Heritage Square. Natural theater looks out over a 200-mile view of the plains with Denver in the distance. World famous for its musical and cultural events. Roads wind through red sandstone spires . Hours: 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. unless a concert is scheduled. Free.