Today, I take you to Colorado, a state I have visited multiple times. That’s why instead of a simple journal on our latest and fondest experiences in the state this past August, I want to take a step back and name the top ten towns of Colorado you must experience in order from ten to one, one being the best. I base their rank on charm, their pedestrian friendliness, activities, and natural beauty. It was a hard list to make. Sadly, I couldn’t fit Montrose with the Black Canyon and the Curecanti National Recreation Area on the list. But it’s worth a mention.
10. Grand Lake
Of all the towns surrounding the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is probably made famous by the movie shining and its proximity to the attractions inside the National Park itself. But I had to pick Grand Lake because of its sheer beauty. The small town, located on a beautiful lake tucked to the west side of the park, offers cute shops and restaurants without tearing you from nature. That’s why it made my pick of the number ten.
9. Aspen
Aspen made the top ten list because not only is the route to the town breathtaking, it offers a bustling downtown, nature hikes, and mountain bike competitions. Not our fondest memory, but we inadvertently got stuck in Aspen because of the ongoing bike tournament when we were there. While in Aspen, take the Silver Queen Gondola up to the Aspen Mountain, where you can enjoy a meal and a view.
8. Keystone
If possible, stay on Lake Keystone and relive the glittering lights I saw around the shimmering waters at night and its sleepy wakefulness in the morning. Five minutes away is the pedestrian River Run Village, where you can enjoy the gushes of Snake River, or take a Gondola up, or eat breakfast at Inxpot, or tread the brick-laced paths. No matter what you choose, the River Run Village in the Keystone area will bring Europe to you. Drive on the road up to Mount Evans while you are there for breathtaking views of the area studded with lakes.
7. Salida
A town snuggled into the heart of Colorado, away from the popular tourist destinations, has a lot to offer to my fond surprise. Take the spiral drive up to view the city and Arkansas River from S Mountain. You can walk along or kayak on the river in the valley town. The downtown will not disappoint either, but that’s not all. Residing on the famous Route 50 of Colorado, each direction on Highway 50 offers a scenic attraction. About twenty minutes west, you will find the Monarch Scenic Tramway with the gift shop that gives free popcorns to all taking the tram, including the woolens you might need in the middle of summer.
So don’t overlook Salida next time you are in Colorado. It’s also close to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.
6. Cortez/Dolores
Removed from the big urban centers, seven hours from Denver, almost six hours from Salt Lake City, eight hours from Las Vegas, and four hours from Albuquerque, NM, you will realize Cortez’s first benefit right away. Cortez is a cross-section in the road, and what you pick can land you in a widely different state, different scenery altogether.
Now consider this: Cortez is fifteen minutes from Mesa Verde National Park, two hours from Monument Valley, Forest Gump Point, three hours from Horseshoe Bend in Arizona, ten minutes from the intersection of four states, home to the sleeping Ute Mountain, minutes from the foothills of San Juan Mountain (home to the top four towns of Colorado on my list), and has several maintained Native Americans cliff dwellings besides Mesa Verde (Escalante Pueblo being my favorite). To top it, Cortez Cultural Center is the epicenter of traditions, dances, stories, and history.
Cortez is the unsung hero of Colorado. Grab breakfast from SilverBean while you are there.
5. Vail
Vail was Colorado’s first pedestrian town I had visited in 2013. My daughter was only eleven weeks old. Without fail, this town will reflect Switzerland in its floral displays, cobbled paths, quaint alleyways, restaurants, shops, big public restrooms in every block. Like Aspen, this, too, is a ski town centrally located in Colorado.
4. Telluride/Mountain Village
Situated in the heart of the San Juan Mountains, two towns connected by free-of-charge gondolas, one pedestrian, both breathtaking, Telluride and Mountain Village is a combo designed in heaven. We visited Telluride this past summer. Telluride has lots of hiking trails, and the one I recommend for families is the Cornett Creek Falls along the brick-colored mountain and a stream to a spectacular end of the waterfall. It provides just enough adventure yet isn’t too taxing.
Parking by the gondolas took a while. You can get out of the gondola at the first stop atop the mountain to hike to views, but we carried on to the Mountain Village: stop number two. Additional gondolas take you to more destinations. The best parts of the Mountain Village were the plazas uniquely named like the sunset, reflection, heritage, etc. We grabbed food from one of the restaurants open for lunch (most open for dinner) and grabbed a stationary, standalone gondola for our very own private cocoons lunch at the Heritage Plaza.
This area is a little away from the other towns in the San Juan Mountains, but that’s its strength. Check out the bookshop and café in Telluride—a great bookstore. But don’t miss my favorite lake of the region, accessible from the road with a maintained parking lot, the Trout Lake, south of Telluride.
3. Ouray
They call Ouray, hidden in the heart of the Million Dollar Highway, the Switzerland of America. Waterfalls slam down its rocky and muddy cliffs. Flowers flutter through the pots lining the windows. Restaurants are abundant. Coffee shops, too. Must-see attractions include Cascade Falls and the Box Canon.
Follow roadside signs for Box Canon instead of google. Otherwise, you will find yourself on a gravel road with no entry visible into the park. The correct entrance is east of the river beginning at a well-maintained parking lot with a ticket entrance. So if you don’t see that, turn around. Box Canon will offer two hikes. Take both. You can finish here in an hour or two max. One path leads down to the roaring canyon with a waterfall on the inside of the mountain. Brilliant. Up the stairs, the second path leads to a bridge overlooking 360-degree views and a tunnel.
A roadside waterfall worth stopping thunders down the mountain as you leave Ouray going south. While in Ouray, stop at the Otis Hot Spring north of here, noting it’s “clothes optional.” That posed a dilemma for us because we have three little children. But, gladly, we did go, and people, naked or not, minded their own business. It was pristine, and the staff was friendly.
2. Silverton
Masked with mud roads, laced with its notorious history, and studded with out-of-this-world coffee, ice cream, and funnel cake shops, that’s Silverton. Blair Street flaunts a jail amongst other ancient displays. The animus river here is thundering and roaring. Surrounded by the Molas Lake and Molas Pass, this town is where the Million Dollar Highway begins, leading you to the narrow, high Uncompahgre Gorge with nothing between you and the cliff but a twenty-five-mile speed limit.
1. Durango
Durango is the biggest town in Southwest Colorado, boasting an endless stream of activities and an eclectic array of restaurants. Rafting. Ziplining. Biking along the Animus River. Or sitting down. Historic parks lining the river. Downtown. James Ranch Grill for an organic, pure lunch and farm. The Pinkerton Hot Springs. And when you tire from that, Durango is near Pagosa Springs, Mesa Verde, Cortez, and the San Juan Mountains themselves. It’s the well-rounded offerings that firmly put Durango on the number one spot.
There you have it, my top ten Colorado towns. Until next time, it’s me bidding goodbye. Here’s to a more peaceful and safer world.
Mars D. Gill is the author of House of Milk and Cheese and Letters from the Queen. If you are following the release of her third book and life, www.bookofdreams.us is her landing page, the best place to subscribe. If you are already here, you need to do nothing else.
