The 10 Can't-Miss Towns In The Rockies

In the Rockies, a mountain town can be adobe galleries under the desert sun or a glacier-fed resort in Alberta. Same range, a thousand miles apart, and nothing alike. These ten are the ones that stand out across that whole spread, the towns that make people detour to reach them. What they share is setting. How they use it is where no two agree.

Telluride, Colorado

Telluride's free gondola crosses the ridge to Mountain Village in about 12 minutes, with a stop at San Sophia for mountain views and trail access. At San Sophia, you are above 10,500 feet, with the town far below and trails continuing across the slopes. The cabins operate in summer and winter, with maintenance breaks between seasons.

Back in town, Colorado Avenue runs between old storefronts with the steep end of the valley behind them. Follow the San Miguel River Trail to Town Park for a picnic beside the water. For a longer morning, Bear Creek Trail begins at the end of South Pine Street and climbs through the preserve to a waterfall. The trailhead is within walking distance of downtown. Along Colorado Avenue, the New Sheridan Chop House sets out summer sidewalk tables facing the peaks beyond the storefronts.

Ouray, Colorado

Ouray gets you remarkably close to a waterfall without a long approach. At Box Cañon Falls Park, a roughly 500-foot walk leads into the narrow gorge where Canyon Creek drops between rock walls. The higher bridge trail adds a view across town toward the Amphitheater's cliffs. Black swifts nest in the canyon during summer, adding a reason to linger beside the waterfall.

Over on the east side of town, Lower Cascade Falls supplies another short waterfall walk. Then head to Ouray Hot Springs Pool, where you can soak outdoors with the San Juan Mountains rising beyond the pool deck. In winter, the nearby Ouray Ice Park adds a very different outing: climbers work their way up ice formed along the Uncompahgre Gorge. Local guides introduce beginners to the sport, and the park also welcomes spectators.

Taos, New Mexico

The southern Rockies look different in Taos, where adobe buildings stand below the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Galleries and small shops surround Taos Plaza and continue along nearby Bent Street. Lake Object, an artist-run gallery on Upper Bent Street, exhibits contemporary art and jewelry.

Set aside a separate visit for Taos Pueblo, north of town. Its multistory adobe homes belong to a living Native community, and guided tours help visitors understand what they are seeing. Check the Pueblo's visiting calendar before going; community needs can close it to visitors.

West of town, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge puts a deep canyon beneath your feet. The adjacent West Rim Trail extends the visit along the canyon edge. For a day among the higher peaks, drive into the mountains to Taos Ski Valley, a separate village with winter skiing and summer hiking.

Estes Park, Colorado

The Estes Park Riverwalk follows the water through downtown, passing patios and shops that are easy to miss when driving Elkhorn Avenue. You can step off for an ice cream, then rejoin the path without moving the car. East of downtown, the paved Lake Estes Trail makes a 3.75-mile loop, with kayak rentals at the marina during the boating season. For a higher view, the seasonal Estes Park Aerial Tram climbs Prospect Mountain above town. The red cabins cross a free span of cable, with no supporting towers between the two stations. Save a separate morning for Bear Lake inside the national park, where a short approach reaches water beneath Hallett Peak. During the reservation season, access to that corridor requires the appropriate timed-entry booking at designated hours.

Jackson, Wyoming

Snow King rises directly above Jackson and its Town Square, where arches of elk antlers mark the entrances. Its gondola carries visitors to a summit overlooking the valley and the Tetons. In summer, the mountain also has an alpine slide and a mountain coaster. Near the square, Persephone Bakery serves bread and pastries a block away from the antler arches.

North of Jackson, Grand Teton National Park has boat shuttles across Jenny Lake during the warmer months, shortening the walk to Hidden Falls. Back near Jackson's northern edge, the National Elk Refuge changes the visit in winter. Horse-drawn sleigh rides take visitors out among wintering elk when conditions allow. The square's arches are built from shed antlers collected at the refuge.

Red Lodge, Montana

The road south of Red Lodge climbs to nearly 11,000 feet. On the Beartooth Highway, switchbacks carry drivers above the forest to alpine lakes and exposed plateaus before the route continues toward Cooke City. Give it a substantial part of the day, including time at the pullouts. This is a seasonal drive, usually available between late May and mid-October, with weather capable of interrupting access.

Broadway's brick storefronts include restaurants such as Red Lodge Pizza Co., a convenient stop after the high-country drive. The Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary, in town, cares for animals native to the Greater Yellowstone region that cannot live independently in the wild. Resident gray wolves include animals born in captivity, so the enclosures serve as permanent homes. In winter, Red Lodge Mountain supplies downhill skiing outside town.

Whitefish, Montana

Pack a swimsuit for Whitefish. City Beach has a sandy shore and a designated swimming area on Whitefish Lake, with wooded mountains across the water. It is an easy place to spend a summer afternoon, especially after a morning on the Whitefish Trail. That community trail network includes forest loops and overlooks across the hills around town.

For a bigger view, take a summer scenic lift ride at Whitefish Mountain Resort to the summit of Big Mountain. On a clear day, you can look toward Glacier National Park. The resort also has more than 20 miles of lift-served mountain bike trails.

Downtown, Central Avenue has restaurants and shops within walking distance of the railway depot. Amtrak's Empire Builder stops here, making Whitefish a Rockies town you can reach by overnight train.

Fernie, British Columbia

Old-growth forest fills the valley below the Lizard Range outside Fernie. At Island Lake Lodge, trails run beneath large cedars and around a lake with the peaks above it. On public summer operating days, visitors can hike and have lunch at the lodge. Its gravel access road and limited public calendar make this an excursion to plan ahead.

In Fernie itself, Second Avenue runs between brick buildings with mountain slopes visible beyond downtown. The Fernie Arts Co-op sells work by regional artists, including paintings of the Elk Valley. Fairy Creek Falls supplies a shorter forest walk beginning at the visitor center. For time on the water, local guides take anglers fly-fishing for trout on the Elk River. Winter visitors have Fernie Alpine Resort nearby, with ski runs spread across five alpine bowls.

Canmore, Alberta

Canmore's mountain views begin on a boardwalk through town. Policeman's Creek passes through wetlands with the Bow Valley's peaks above it, and the path connects with a larger walking network. Continue exploring along the Bow River to the old railway Engine Bridge, now used by pedestrians. The Bow River Loop crosses the bridge.

The turquoise Grassi Lakes require more climbing. In summer, two routes lead uphill: a gentler trail and a steeper interpretive route with waterfall views. The lakes sit beneath rock walls used by climbers, adding something to watch once you arrive. Nearby, the Canmore Nordic Centre has mountain biking in summer and cross-country skiing in winter. The center was built for the 1988 Winter Olympics, and visitors can ski on trails developed for that event.

Banff, Alberta

Cascade Mountain fills the view along Banff Avenue. For a riverside walk, cross the Bow River and follow the trail toward Bow Falls, a broad rush of water below the wooded slopes. For time on the water, rent a canoe at the town docks and follow the operator's upstream route; the falls are downstream.

The Cave and Basin National Historic Site brings you close to the thermal spring that helped establish Canada's national park system. Swimming is prohibited here to protect the thermal habitat, which supports the endangered Banff Springs snail. Above town, the Banff Gondola reaches Sulphur Mountain. A summit boardwalk follows the ridge to the old weather station on Sanson's Peak, overlooking the Bow Valley and the town below.

Telluride's gondola runs until midnight during its operating seasons, so the ride back across the mountain can come after dinner. Banff also makes a high viewpoint accessible without an uphill drive: Roam's Route 1 connects downtown with the Sulphur Mountain gondola. These connections change how much time a mountain visit needs behind the wheel. In Whitefish, the train reaches downtown itself, beside the shops and restaurants near Central Avenue. The Empire Builder connects the town with Seattle and Portland to the west and Chicago to the east. During its winter and summer operating seasons, the free SNOW Bus links downtown Whitefish with Whitefish Mountain Resort.