The 8 Can't-Miss Towns In Colorado
Colorado is a popular destination state, as the beauty of the Rocky Mountains is not a secret. Yet the state has so much more to show visitors, and these small towns will do that honor. Fairplay has a reconstructed mining village, and Mancos is a gateway to the cliff dwellings of Ancient Native Americans. Two towns have access to natural hot springs. All these places have special annual events, local breweries, and give access to hills and mountains covered with pines. Visit as many of the towns below to see some of the best of Colorado.
Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs in northern Colorado has year-round outdoor activities not every town can offer. Take advantage of its natural hot springs. Old Town Hot Springs is conveniently located downtown and has two waterslides. Get immersed more in nature outside of town at Strawberry Park Hot Springs next to Hot Spring Creek. Watch the steam rise from the waters during the winter while gazing at the surrounding trees and hills. Get a closer look at the town's outdoors by hiking Fish Creek Falls for the waterfall and bubbling Fish Creek stream or by snowshoeing at Emerald Mountain. Winter activities include skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding with Alaskan Huskies along trails and landscape that glows from the fresh snow. Steamboat Springs presents annual events throughout the year, like MusicFest's six days of music in January at Steamboat Ski & Resort. WinterWonderGrass every February brings bluegrass music and craft beer, while Steamboat OktoberWest arrives each fall. This celebrates German culture with games, a beef cook-off, and a Beer Stroll downtown to sample local beers.
Nederland
Nederland is also in northern Colorado and shows off more of the state's wilderness with a side of history. The region's hard rock mining from the late 19th to early 20th centuries is on display at the Nederland Mining Museum. Artifacts include carts and tools of how the miners excavated gold and silver. Go spin through time on the Carousel of Happiness with over 50 of its wooden animals that were hand-carved by a Vietnam war veteran. The main frame of the carousel is from 1910 and rotates to music from a 1913 organ. To see some of the state's environment go just outside of town to hike Hessie Trailhead and Lost Lake Trail to see clear lakes and streams. Barker Meadows Reservoir is good for fishing and has plenty of hiking around it with rocky cliffs and tree-lined hills that will give views of the serene water below. Local breweries are popular in Colorado, so try some local beer at Knotted Root Brewing Company, known for its unfiltered IPAs and farmhouse ales.
Meeker
Stay in the north of the state but travel west to this town on the White River. Meeker gives a glimpse of American wild west culture and its early settlers. The White River Museum is in an abandoned military barrack from 1880 and displays the old military officers' quarters and uniforms. The town's history is shown through other artifacts, such as Victorian dresses, wagons, cars, and horse-riding objects like saddles and lassos. Hike or bike through the White River National Forest to see valleys lined with pine trees, mountains with white patches of snow, and elk herds. The forest caters to snowmobilers of all levels in the winter with both groomed and natural trails. Warmer weather has some special annual events. Watch cowboys try to hang onto their horses and bulls during the Meeker Summer Rodeo Series in June, July, and August. If visiting in September go see some dogs in action during The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials, a competition for the best sheepdog herder.
Carbondale
Head a bit further south to this town that has the Roaring Fork River flowing through it and plenty of trails for visitors to stretch their legs. Cyclists would like the Rio Grande Trail that weaves among trees and along the Roaring Fork River on mostly paved trails. Thompson Creek Trail is a short trail next to the creek for hikers and their dogs who enjoy being near the water. Crystal River Trail is over six miles of paved trail along the river and near wide, green fields with a view of Mount Sopris. Go deeper in nature on the rocky Lorax Trail to hike through a juniper forest. Summer visitors will enjoy the annual Carbondale Mountain Fair taking place during the last full weekend of July. In addition to a carnival and several bands, there are competitions for pie and cake baking, wood splitting, running, cycling, and horseshoe games. Carbondale boasts a diverse food scene that includes a Jewish deli along with Italian, Thai, and Japanese cuisines. However, try not to miss the Brass Anvil for regional meats like bison meatballs and bison ribeye.
Fairplay
If moving towards central Colorado stop to see Fairplay. It began as a town that developed from the area's gold mining camps. The South Park City Museum contains 44 buildings, seven of which stand in their original location, from 1860-1900 that were brought together to represent a mining village. A bank, general store, and classroom are a few examples of these structures that are filled with their artifacts, while trains and wagons scatter the grounds. Take in the beauty of the lands, perhaps with a hike on Limber Grove Trail that has rocky paths, streams, hills and peaks covered with trees, and an area with ancient pine trees. Beaver Creek Trail has bright orange and yellow trees in the fall, wildflowers in spring, and moose anytime of the year. Fairplay is the official Trout Fishing Capital of Colorado, and fishermen will delight in over 50 miles of streams full of trout. Continue to sample local beer by heading to Highside Brewing. Order a classic lager or stout, or be daring and get their sour beer with huckleberry and lavender. For a snack consider their green chili, a specialty of Colorado.
Mancos
Journey to the southwest of the state to Mancos to observe history going back thousands of years. Mesa Verde National Park gives tours of the cliff dwellings from Ancestral Puebloans who lived in the region for over 700 years until around 1300 CE. The park's Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum has Puebloan artifacts and a brief film of their history. Pick from more than 52,000 acres of cliffs and forests to see more, including vegetation of pines, juniper, firs, cacti, mosses, and ferns. Go back further in time on Petroglyph Point Trail, which has prehistoric rock carvings. See history in the skies in late spring through early fall, where park rangers give an astronomy tour with lasers and telescope viewing every Wednesday during the Night Sky program at Morefield Campground Amphitheater in town. View more of the past on the Mancos Historic Walking Tour, which shows late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings, like several residential houses, the Mancos Opera House, a Methodist church, and the Mancos High School, the county's first high school, in use since 1909. If visiting in July, enjoy Mancos Days. This long-running annual event has a parade, music, beer garden, antique and classic car show, and tournaments of volleyball, cornhole, and softball.
Durango
Just a mere 28 miles east of Mancos is Durango, another remarkable town showcasing Colorado's southwest. An incredible way to see it is by hopping on a steam or diesel train from the Durango Depot to ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad that has been in use since 1882. The ride will show the San Juan National Forest, Rocky Mountains, and the Animas River before stopping into the old mining town of Silverton. West of Durango sits Mancos State Park, which has the Jackson Gulch Reservoir for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. Hiking Chicken Creek Trail lets visitors climb up to 2,200 feet. The Santa Rita Whitewater Park is in town on the Animas River and has banks and rocks constructed to create rapids for kayaks, rafts, and even surfboards. Lemon Reservoir in San Juan National Forest and Haviland Lake are both 18 miles outside of Durango and are perfect for stargazing. Their calm waters reflect the dark skies that show the galaxy and shooting stars. For both history and refreshments, go to Durango Craft Spirits that uses only local grains distilled right in downtown Durango. Each one of their spirits is a tribute to Durango's history, like their award-winning Mayday Moonshine named after the Mayday Mine from the La Plata mountains near town.
Pagosa Springs
Southwest Colorado also has hot springs like up north in Steamboat Springs, and Pagosa Springs is the perfect town in this region to experience them. The springs in this town are fed with water from the world's deepest geothermal hot spring. The Springs Resort has over 50 pools of different temperatures. There are large outdoor pools with river and sunset views and smaller and indoor secluded pools for more privacy. The town also has other types of water attractions, like the 100-foot Treasure Falls, a waterfall visible from the highway or a quarter mile walk to see it up close. Visitors can also feel the spray of Piedra Falls, which is a gentle half mile hike from its trailhead. Not too far outside of town is Opal Lake that gets its name due to its creamy translucent appearance from mineral deposits. The hike to see it is just one mile, and the autumn season is an especially good time to see it when the deciduous trees pop with bright changing colors among the green pines. For live musicals and plays the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts is home to the professional Thingamajig Theatre Company. Curtains Up Pagosa is the town's community theater that has been putting on shows for 29 years.
Big Land, Small Towns
Colorado is a big state with big lands for outdoor lovers. Countless trails weave through valleys, go along streams and rivers, and reside near mountains. But there is much more to see. Go to the museums that give glimpses into the lives of earlier settlers, be immersed in the waters of the natural hot springs, get pulled through snow by huskies, and try some delicious green chili. Take advantage of the elevated terrain and dark skies for fantastic star gazing. Do not miss the opportunity to visit as many of these towns as possible.
