THE BEST OF COLORADO 1 he old and the new, the rustic and the sophisticated, the wild and the refined—all of these experiences exist Tpractically side by side in Colorado, amid what is argu- ably the most breathtaking mountain scenery in America. Colorado’s booming cities—Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Denver—and its admittedly somewhat glitzy resorts—especially Vail and Aspen—offer much of the comfort and culture of New York or Los Angeles but at a slower, more relaxed pace. Throughout the state, you’ll also find testa- ments to another time, when life was simpler but rougher and only the strong survived: historic Victorian mansions, working turn-of-the-20th- century steam trains, thousand-year-old adobe-and-stone villages, and authentic Old West towns complete with false-fronted saloons and dusty streets. Enos Mills, an early-20th-century environmentalist and one of the driv- ing forces behind the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, said that knowledge of nature is the basis of wisdom. So climb on a horse or moun- tain bike, take a hike or a raft trip—or simply sit back and gaze at the mountains. (Atop Pikes Peak, you’ll see what inspired Katharine Lee Bates to pen the lyrics to “America the Beautiful.”) Whatever you do, though, don’t stay indoors. Colorado truly comes alive for those who ven- ture outdoors—to the towering Rocky Mountains, the western canyons, or the broad eastern plains. The following are what I consider Colorado’s best experiences—high- lights that will help you begin planning your trip. THE best SKI RESORTS Large Resorts W Aspen: Not only does Aspen have predictably superior ski terrain rang- ing fromCOPYRIGHTED some of the most expert runs in Colorado MATERIAL to what Ski maga- zine has called the best mountain in America for beginners (Buttermilk), but it’s also one of the most fun, genuinely historic ski towns in Colo- rado. Although it might come off at first as somewhat glitzy and cer- tainly expensive, Aspen is a real town, with longtime, year-round residents and a history that goes beyond the slopes. See chapter 11. W Breckenridge: The lure of Breckenridge lies in its fabulous trails for skiers of all abilities, its location in an old gold-prospecting settlement, and its abundance of ski-in/ski-out lodging. It’s also less expensive than 004_9780470887684-ch01.indd4_9780470887684-ch01.indd 1 11/12/11/12/11 33:43:43 PMPM 1 Colorado 0 50 mi LLaramiearamie CHEYENNE Sidney Ogallala 0 50 km WWYOMINGY O M I N G 230 Julesburg . RROUTTOUTT PAWNEE R PAWNEE e NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST NATIONAL k 13 NATIONAL a RROOSEVELTOOSEVELT GRASSLAND n WWaldenalden N E B. DDINOSAURINOSAUR S NNATIONALATIONAL GRASSLAND e l R NNATIONALATIONAL itt FFORESTOREST FORT MMONUMENTONUMENT L 14 COLLINS Sterling Holyoke CCraigraig SSteamboatteamboat The Best Ski Resorts Best The VVernalernal 125 40 SpringsSprings F Windsor . Y O RROCKYOCKY R a mp tte a R. MMOUNTAINOUNTAIN Loveland Greeley la P 40 NNATIONALATIONAL EEstesstes th R Fort u OOakak CCreekreek PPARKARK ParkPark So Lyons Morgan C Brush 64 W GGrandrand LLakeake LLongsongs h Platteville Wiggins Akron ite PPeakeak Yuma HHotot SSulphurulphur O LLoongmont R. 131 Wray H RRangeleyangeley MMeekereeker Sprs.Sprs. GGranbyranby KKremmlingremmling BOULDER K Brighton N NNederederland 9 Broomfield WWinterinter PParkark WWestestminster WWHITEHITE RRIVERIVER Thornton A AARAPAHORAPAHO Arvada NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST Y 40 139 NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST T GGoldolden DENVER GGeorgetowneorgetown IIdahodaho Lakewood Byers GGypsumypsum AAvonvon VVailail Sprs.Sprs. Aurora NNewew EEagleagle SSilverthorneilvertho rne CastleCastle Littleton . T RRifleifle 70 GGraysrays Centennial R ConiferConifer an GGlenwoodlenwood SSpringsprings PPeakeak MMt.t. ic . e Parker bl R BBreckenridgereckenridge EEvansvans t u o 285 t ep a R ad l Goodland r P 24 Castle Rock THE BEST OF COLORADO THE BEST o CCarbondalearbondale BBasaltasalt l h o t Kiowa C u Burlington UUTAH 82 o K S M LLeadvilleeadville AAspenspen Limon CCOLORADOOLORADO FFruitaruita FFairplayairplay 70 NNAT'L.AT'L. MMON.ON. GGRANDRAND MMESAESA SSnowmassnowmass MMtn.tn. PIKE GGRANDRAND PPalisadealisade NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST MMt.t. EElbertlbert NNATIONATIONAL FOREST CCastleastle PPeakeak 24 Woodland A JUNCTIONJUNCTION O G Park u LLaa PPlatalata FFlorissalorissant n 65 133 PPeakeak n 50 CCrestedrested i Manitou COLORADO Cheyenne so MMt.t. HarvardHarvard n OOrchardrchard CCityity PPaoniaaonia ButteButte FFLORISSLORISSANT Springs Wells 141 SPRINGS N R MMt.U t. YYaleale BBuenauena VVistaista 9 FFOSSILOSSIL BEDS . Pikes Security-Widefield DDeltaelta NN.M.M. Peak D BBLACKLACK CCANYONANYON GGUNNISONUNNISON MMt.t. PPrincetonrinceton Fountain o Cripple l NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST o OOFF TTHEHE GGUNNISONUNNISON MMt.t. AAnterontero R r Creek S e NNATIONALATIONAL PPARKARK N s R GGunnisonunnison . UUNCOMPAHGRENCOMPAHGRE MMontroseontrose SSalidaalida Eads A NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST SA CCURECANTIURECANTI 50 N Penrose NN.R.A..R.A. G CCañañon A T R E City Florence Neenoshe Res. D N E Neegronda 285 C PUEBLO NNaturitaaturita 114 R Res. I Ordway S S 163 145 RRidgwayidgway A T G O nsas R. Manzanola Arka M SSililver Lamar Granada SSaguacheaguache T ClCliff OOurayuray LLakeake CCityity S Rocky Ford Las . E John Martin Animas SSanan LLuisuis PeakPeak I La Junta Res. MMonticelloonticello TTellurideelluride 149 GGREATREAT SSANDAND DDUNESUNES SAN ISABEL Colorado City 491 MMt.t. WilsonWilson CCreedereede NNATIONALATIONAL PPARKARK N.F. SSilvertonilverton AANDND PPRESERVERESERVE N COMANCHE CCANYONSANYONS OOFF NATIONAL 550 TTHEHE AANCIENTSNCIENTS SSANAN JJUANUAN SSouthouth FForkork GRASSLAND NNATIONALATIONAL NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST DDelel 17 MMONUMENTONUMENT SSunlightunlight PPeakeak NorteNorte S Walsenburg MMcPheecPhee RRes.es. MMonteonte DDoloresolores VistaVista . HHOVENWEEPOVENWEEP SSANA N JJUANU A N MMTS.T S . AAlamosalamosa 160 R RRIOIO GGRANDERANDE e Springfield NN.M..M. ir o Walsh NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST R t a CCortezortez i g 160 o r u DDurangourango G 162 285 P r a PPagosaagosa SSpringsprings a n MMESAESA VVERDEERDE BBayfieldayfield n COMANCHE d d e NNATIONALATIONAL e SSaan Trinidad NATIONAL PPARKARK LuLuis GRASSLAND 140 S a 84 160 n Juan R DDulceulce . NNavajoavajo LL.. O K L A . AARIZ.R I Z . Raton SShiprockhiprock NNEWE W M E X I C O FFarmingtonarmington 64 Boise City 2 004_9780470887684-ch01.indd4_9780470887684-ch01.indd 2 11/12/11/12/11 33:43:43 PMPM 1 LLaramiearamie OF COLORADO THE BEST SSidneyidney OOgallalagallala W Y O M I N G CCHEYENNEHEYENNE 80 80 JJulesburgulesburg 138 71 113 23 . ROUTT PPAWNEEAWNEE R 25 PPAWNEEAWNEE e NATIONAL FOREST NNATIONALATIONAL k NNATIONALATIONAL a ROOSEEVELTVELT GGRASSLANDRASSLAND n Walden NNEB.E B. DINOSAUR S NATIIONALONAL GGRASSLANDRASSLAND e 6 l R NATIONAL itt FORRESTEST FFORTORT 85 14 MONUMENT L COLLINSCOLLINS SSterlingterling HHolyokeolyoke Craig Steamboat Vernal 59 Springs F 287 WWindsorindsor . Y O RROCKYOCKY R am e p MOOUNTAINUNTAIN LLovelandoveland tt a R. GGreeleyreeley la P NATTIONALIONAL EEstesstes th R FFortort u Oak Creek PPARKARK ParkPark So 385 LLyonsyons MorganMorgan C BBrushrush W Grand Lake LLongsongs h PPlattevillelatteville WWigginsiggins AAkronkron ite PPeakeak LLongmontongmont 76 34 YYumauma R Hot Sulphur O . WWrayray Ski Resorts Best The H Rangeley 72 Meeker Sprs. Grannbyby 52 Kremmling BBOULDEROULDER K BBrightonrighton N NNederlandederland BBroomfieldroomfield 63 Winter Park WWestminsterestminster WHITE RIVER TThorntonhornton A ARAPAHO AArvadarvada NATIONAL FOREST Y 40 T NATIONAL FOREST GGoldenolden DDENVERENVER 36 Georgetowwnn IIdahodaho LLakewoodakewood BByersyers Gypsum Avon Vail Sprs.Sprs. AAuroraurora New Eagle Silverthoorne rne Castle LLittletonittleton . T Rifle Grays CCentennialentennial R CConiferonifer an Glenwood Springs Peak MMt.t. ic . e PParkerarker bl R Breckenridge EEvansvans t 85 u o 285 t ep a R ad l GGoodlandoodland r P CCastleastle RRockock lo Carbondale Basalt h KKiowaiowa o t 67 C u BBurlingtonurlington U 70 o 86 KKANSAS S M Leadville Fruita Aspen Fairplaayy LLimonimon COLORADO 83 NAT'L. MON. GRAND MESA Snowmass Mtn. PPIKEIKE GRAND Palisade NATIONAL FOREST Mt. Elbert NNATIONALATIONAL FFORESTOREST 24 Castle Peak 24 WWoodlandoodland 71 A JUNCTION O G ParkPark u La Plata FFlorissantlorissant n Peak n Crested i MManitouanitou CCOLORADOOLORADO CCheyenneheyenne so Mt. Harvard n Orchard City Paonia Butte FFLORISSANTLORISSANT SpringsSprings 94 WellsWells SPRINGSSPRINGS N R MU t. Yale Buena Vista 9 FFOSSILOSSIL BBEDSEDS . PPikesikes SSecurity-Widefieldecurity-Widefield Delta NN.M..M. PPeakeak D BLACK CANYON GUNNISON Mt. Princeton FFountainountain 27 o CCrippleripple l NATIONAL FOREST o OF THE GUNNISON Mt. Antero R r CreekCreek 59 S e NATIONAL PARK N s R Gunnison 115 . UNCOMPAHGRE Montrose Salida EEadsads A NATIONAL FOREST SA CURECANTI N PPenroseenrose 96 N.R.A. G CCañonañon A T R E CityCity FFlorencelorence NNeenosheeenoshe RRes.es. D N 50 E NNeegrondaeegronda C PUEBLOPUEBLO 385 Naturita R RRes.es. I OOrdwayrdway S S Ridgway A T G O nsas R. MManzanolaanzanola Arka M SSilverilver LLamaramar GGranadaranada Saguache T CliffCliff 165 Ouray Lake City S RRockyocky FFordord LLasas . E JJohnohn MMartinartin AnimasAnimas San Luis Peak I LLaa JJuntaunta Res.Res. Monticello Telluride 287 GREAT SAND DDUNESUNES SSANAN IISABELSABEL CColoradoolorado CCityity Mt. Wilson Creede NATIONAL PPARKARK NN.F..F. 385 Silverton AND PRESSERVEERVE N 25 10 CCOMANCHEOMANCHE CANYONS OF 69 NNATIONALATIONAL 116 THE ANCIENTS SAN JUAN South Fork GGRASSLANDRASSLAND NATIONAL NATIONAL FOREST Del MONUMENT