The Colorado cannabis field is full of talented growers, but Cherry's out-of-this-world ability to take users to another planet needs to be recognized. Lead grower Jason Maclean wasted little time asserting himself among the city's best, pumping out versions of Oreoz, MAC, Grape Pie and Kush Mints that are simply better than the rest, covered in trichomes with aromas that cannot be contained inside a wimpy plastic bottle. Don't measure Cherry's potency as if it were flower for mere mortals: Smoking this shit is like taking a dab, and it should be toked slowly, if only to better appreciate that sweet Cherry flavor.

We get it: You can smoke weed anywhere if you really want to. But some people enjoy their highs more when not illegally consuming pot in public, and at Boulder Adventure Lodge, you can soak up Colorado's very great outdoors and burn one freely. Known more for activities than its cannabis policy, Boulder Adventure Lodge is a pot-friendly cabin and camping area that also has a nearby creek, a slackline park, rock-climbing sessions and regular group hikes. While there's no smoking allowed in the rooms, the lodge has several designated smoking areas outside, all of which allow cannabis use.

We're not sure if Max Montrose would call himself an "influencer." He doesn't really hawk products or discount codes, and selfies are rare on his Instagram. But as president and instructor at the Trichome Institute, an accredited cannabis education course, Montrose definitely influences takes on cannabis, psychedelics and plant medicine with his posts on interesting legal fungi operations, shady hemp farmers, psychedelic cacti and the ins and outs of terpenes, the plant compounds in cannabis responsible for their distinct aromas. You almost always learn something new about flora and horticulture from Montrose, reminding us that this journey doesn't always start and end with cannabis.

You can find close-up pictures of frosty buds and saucy concentrates on any pot social media page, but at least following Vangst might get you a gig. The cannabis industry job recruiter's Instagram account regularly posts information about upcoming career fairs, and also highlights growing pot companies and notable executives and business owners around Colorado's cannabis space. More important, Vangst tags the Insta accounts of these movers and shakers, enabling easy networking opportunities for those who are bold enough to reach out. You'll learn about the skunky stuff, too, but it never hurts to know who's pulling the strings.

Make fun of the heady references all you want, but if Positive Vibes is anything, it's authentic. An elaborate rig for $50 more than your wallet allows won't be pushed on you here, and you won't find any stoner douches rolling their eyes when asked to explain what a terp pearl is. The beloved Englewood head shop is all positive vibes, my dude, and we mean it. There are so many options, from smokeable glass art to elaborate rigs and pendants crafted by local artists, that no matter what your budget, you'll find something nice here. Head in after a glorious meal at the Breakfast Queen across the street — or before, if you want to warm up before the feast, the Mile High way.

A hike up the Independence Trail takes you up the side of a mountain overlooking Evergreen. Local chipmunks are known for greeting hikers at the top, so keep your snacks tight to the chest — but make sure they're woodland-friendly, just in case. Otherwise, you'll find enough privacy — even on weekends — for a low-key toke while sitting 8,000 feet above sea level, with a stunning view heightened by an imagination high on weed and serotonin.

Public cannabis consumption is still illegal in Colorado, but that's never stopped us: A joint in the park is one of the greatest simple pleasures of summer. For those who'd prefer to enjoy one inconspicuously, the right patch of grass for an afternoon j requires a rare combination of size, beauty and location. City Park is too wide open, and Washington and Cheesman Parks are too packed — but Little Cheesman is just right. The square-block park sticks out like a green hangnail on one of Denver's most popular recreational areas. Like Cheesman, it's loaded with good trees and hangout areas; unlike Cheesman, it's rarely busy enough to stop you from having a safe, respectful smoking session. And there's room enough for a game of catch afterward.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science staffers don't just showcase history, they dig it up. In 2019, the staff helped excavate triceratops fossils from a construction site in Highlands Ranch, some of which are on display at the museum's Prehistoric Journey exhibition. Imagine learning that after a mid-afternoon joint at City Park! And if dinos don't intrigue your stoned mind, there's always the fail-safe planetarium and IMAX theater for visual fun, as well as a gem and mineral hall for you crystal-lovers out there. All told, the museum probably holds too much stimulation for a fried brain to handle, but it'll be fun to try.

Nowadays, most massage therapists will incorporate CBD into your session if you ask — but why not get yours from a true specialist? A former medical marijuana caregiver, a molecular scientist and a licensed massage therapist partnered in 2015 to create Color Up, a therapy center and CBD manufacturer, and the team's Denver studio takes that expertise to a new level. Not only are massage therapists and estheticians available for a CBD glow-up and other therapeutic services, but Color Up's new digs also host an on-site lab that offers a dose of education, as well as a retail area so you can take more feel-good supplies home.

ReCreate didn't invent cannabis tincture, but the company is doing a damn fine job of perfecting it. The THC-infused branch of the business created by the Stanley brothers, the growers behind the Charlotte's Web strain, ReCreate wasn't designed to get users high, but instead mixes a full spectrum of cannabinoids to reach desired effects. Each blend and ratio of THC, CBD, CBC or CBG is made to help sleep, offer pain relief or aid everyday self-medication. And while we can't make medical recommendations, we can say the sleep tincture, a 1:4 CBD-to-THC ratio with valerian root, knocks out our marijuana reviewer like a half-bottle of Nyquil.