10 Best Small Towns In Colorado For A Crowd-Free Summer
Summer in Colorado can take on varied forms. It can be a chaotic experience, where people have to squeeze past each other or share the most hidden trails with dozens of other people, with the laws of personal space thrown out the window. On the other hand, summer in Colorado can be tranquil, with fewer crowds and less noise. It all depends on where you go. If the latter sounds appealing, then there are no better places to visit in Colorado than these small towns, where everything can be enjoyed at a slower pace. Spend a minute or two chatting with the shop owner without feeling rushed, and soak in the mountain scenery without getting interrupted. Visit these towns this summer, and you will have Colorado’s iconic landscapes and attractions to yourself.
Silverton
Silverton is one of Colorado’s small mountain towns, where summers can be enjoyed without the crowds that can be found in places like Denver and Colorado Springs. Populated by around 600 people, the town invites summer travelers to enjoy a thrilling drive to Ouray on the Million Dollar Highway. This drive is among the best in the state, extending 25 miles through rugged landscapes, offering sights of gorges, peaks, and wildlife. On the way, travelers can stop to explore ghost towns like Animas Forks and enjoy a relaxing soak in Ouray Hot Springs at the end of the drive. Molas Lake also sits on the highway, providing opportunities for camping, non-motorized boating, and fishing.
Back in town, the San Juan County Mining Heritage Museum invites history buffs to delve into the area’s mining history, while White Eyes Gallery is always open to delight art lovers with Native American arts. Additionally, the Animas River flows through Silverton, setting the stage for fishing and rafting.
Mancos
Mancos is a serene town in the La Plata Mountains populated by barely 1,500 people, yet perfect for a summer vacation away from the crowds. This town is around nine miles from Mesa Verde National Park, where some of America’s historic treasures are preserved. The only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Colorado and the country’s largest archaeological preserve, this park hosts thousands of Ancestral Puebloan sites, including 600 cliff dwellings, some of which date back to 550 CE.
Near Mesa Verde is the Mancos State Park, featuring the 217-acre Jackson Glutch reservoir, an excellent water body for kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and fishing. The park also has 32 campsites and multi-use trails, such as the Chicken Creek Trail, which winds around eight miles through ponderosa pines and across Chicken Creek. As for art lovers, the Kilgore American Indian Art gallery is in town and displays unique American Indian art and craft, including vintage Indian baskets, jewelry, pottery, paintings, and more.
Salida
Nestled in central Colorado, between the Arkansas River and Sawatch Range, Salida offers a mix of small-town charms and exciting attractions to delight summer travelers. Populated by around 5,600 people, this town is home to the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, one of the coolest places in Colorado to enjoy whitewater rafting with mountain and canyon scenery. More activities available in the recreation area include fishing, camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Elsewhere, the town’s Riverside Park set the stage for relaxation with its green spaces and lush trees, while the Salida River Trail offers a peaceful hiking or biking adventure through the downtown area and along the Arkansas River.
On top of that, this town hosts Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center, the largest indoor hot springs in the country, where there is enough room for everybody to soak in warm mineral-rich water. Amenities on site include a small pool, a large 25-meter pool, private soaking pools, aquatic fitness classes, and more.
Leadville
The highest incorporated town in the US is also one of the best places for a crowd-free summer in Colorado. Situated at an elevation of 10,119 feet, this town invites summer travelers to experience life near the sky while exploring interesting attractions, starting from the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. This museum is a great place to learn about life as a miner, as it contains cave and mine replicas and mining materials, such as masks and carbide lamps. Next, the Turquoise Lake Recreation Area is a cool place in town where one can enjoy fishing, boating, kayaking, and camping. The recreation area also boasts a six-mile hiking trail stretching around the sparkling blue lake.
Moreover, the paved Mineral Belt Trail stretches 11.6 miles through Leadville, offering hikers and bikers an easy way to explore the town’s historic mining district and soak in the surrounding scenery, characterized by groves of aspen, wildflower meadows, and mountains. Travelers to Leadville can also hop on the Leadville Railroad for a two-and-a-half-hour ride with scenic views of the Arkansas River Valley, San Isabel National Forest, and mountains such as Mount Elbert.
Paonia
Paonia might be one of Colorado’s smallest towns, with a population below 2,000. But this town on the North Fork Gunnison River punches above its weight and has so much to delight summer travelers away from the crowds. For starters, it is home to several wineries, one of which is the Black Bridge Winery, situated at an elevation of 5,800 feet with impressive views of the North Fork Valley. This winery invites visitors to taste the region’s finest wines and shop for fresh produce at the Orchard Valley Farms and Market. The Stone Cottage Cellars is another great winery in town worth visiting for tasty wines paired with delicious gourmet food, alongside impressive views of the Colorado mountains.
Around 16 miles from town, Paonia State Park offers exciting summer adventures. This park is situated in a canyon and features the beautiful Paonia reservoir, which is ideal for swimming, boating, and fishing. The park also features campsites, picnic tables, and trails.
Canon City
Canon City is one of Colorado’s popular towns. However, this town has so many attractions that distribute the crowd, making things overall less congested. With families occupied with interactive exhibits at the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience, and others taking train rides and ziplining at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, laid-back travelers will have Red Canyon Park to explore in peace. This park is around 10 miles from the town and features interesting sandstone formations that can be explored by hiking or biking. The park also has well-equipped campsites offering more relaxing experiences in nature.
Similarly, Temple Canyon Park is just seven miles from the town and invites travelers to hike or bike the Redemption Trail for slot canyon scenery and solitude. Additionally, the park has campgrounds and picnic areas. Those who love wine are always welcome to the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey to taste the region’s finest wines and soak in the spectacular scenery of the West Mountains.
Pagosa Springs
Pagosa Springs is already one of Colorado’s smallest towns, with a population below 2,000. So even in summer, when millions of people travel, this town remains less crowded compared to destinations with similarly exciting attractions. This town is particularly a haven for peaceful hiking and biking, especially with trails like the nearby Piedra River Trail. This trail is 11 miles long and offers a secluded adventure through river canyon, forests, and meadows, offering wildlife sightings and opportunities for fishing and rafting on the river. Closer to the town center is the San Juan River Walk, which provides a quick 1.9-mile hiking or biking adventure along the river, with opportunities to picnic, watch wildlife, relax in hot springs, or tube on the river.
Several waterfalls around the town also set the stage for hiking, and Treasure Falls is one of the most popular. This 105-foot cascading waterfall is around 15 miles from Pagosa Springs, and its base can be reached via a less-than-one-mile uphill hike from the parking area. For animal lovers, the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park is a tranquil place to get up close to majestic animals like grizzly bears and wolves.
Buena Vista
Buena Vista is a laid-back mountain town in the Arkansas River Valley worth visiting in summer for a crowd-free experience. Once here, travelers will have the Buena Vista Whitewater Park to enjoy rafting, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding in the company of a few other adventurers. The park is along the Arkansas River and features picnic tables, a disc golf course, and trails for hiking and biking. Less than 10 miles from Buena Vista, Cottonwood Lake awaits to offer more water-based recreation and solitude. Covering a 40-acre area, this lake is ideal for non-motorized boating, fishing, and swimming, plus a camping and picnic site is in the area.
Meanwhile, a visit to Buena Vista is always an opportunity to hike to Colorado’s 14ers. These are mountains that exceed 14,000 feet, and Colorado has the most of any state in the US. Buena Vista is close to a few, including Huron Peak (14,012 feet) and Mount Harvard (14,421 feet). Notably, Mount Harvard is the third-highest in Colorado, and thrillseekers to Buena Vista can attempt the approximately six-mile hike to the top from the North Cottonwood Creek trailhead, which is around five miles from town.
Woodland Park
Woodland Park, nicknamed the “City Above the Clouds,” is positioned at 8,481 feet in Teller County, where it is surrounded by Pike National Forest and hosts less-crowded attractions that will delight summer travelers. For starters, the Red Rocks Group Campground is just outside of this town, offering peaceful camping in a ponderosa pine forest. The recreational area also has trails like the 0.7-mile Red Rocks Trail, which leads to impressive rock formations. Nearby, Manitou Lake Recreation Area has more campgrounds and hiking trails, alongside picnic areas, and a five-acre lake, ideal for fishing. Back in town, Memorial Park is a great place to walk, play, fish, or picnic with impressive views of Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s top 14ers.
As for history buffs, Woodland Park is home to the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, featuring one of the most comprehensive collections of North American fossils. Exhibits in the museum cover a wide range of species from the Cretaceous Period, including dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and mosasaurs.
Frisco
Frisco’s location close to six world-class ski resorts makes it one of Colorado’s most popular destinations, particularly in winter. Still, with a population below 3,000, the town remains overall less crowded compared to larger destinations like the nearby Breckenridge, making it a great place for a relaxing summer. Here, travelers who want peace and quiet can always hit the Ten Mile Canyon Recreational Path for a 10-mile bike ride along towering mountains and winding creeks to Copper Mountain.
Alternatively, the North Tenmile Creek Trail presents a more relaxing seven-mile out-and-back hike through dense pine forest, meadows, rocks, and along a creek. Meanwhile, Frisco is home to the Dillon Reservoir Recreation Area, where summer travelers will lose track of time boating and fishing in the water, or hiking and biking on the 18-mile Dillon Reservoir Recpath.
Colorado is one of the most visited summer destinations in America. That is the reward (or punishment) for hosting favorite attractions such as Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods, and Denver Botanic Gardens. But even with millions of people trooping into the state, the small towns often remain relatively uncrowded, making them top options if you ever hope to escape the crowds. In these towns, expect shorter lines, less noise, and milder traffic, which is enough appeal, especially if you are coming from a larger town or city. Meanwhile, these towns in Colorado have attractions that bolster relaxation, including trails leading deep into wilderness areas, campsites sitting amid lush forest areas, and waterbodies ideal for watersports. Enjoy the best of Colorado away from the crowds when you visit these small towns this summer.
