After the jump are ten travel experiences set to connect travelers with some
of rural Colorado’s best flavors, farmers, tours and road trips,
historical landmarks, festivals, markets, outdoor adventures and natural
wonders for summer 2018.
SADDLE UP. Colorado’s Dude and guest ranch
offerings provide an elevated western hospitality experience, with
several ranches launching new activities and packages for 2018. While
horseback experiences will always be the center of any ranching
vacation, more guest ranches promoting bike programs for guests that
still want to be in the saddle: Majestic Dude Ranch has extensive mountain biking programs with on-ranch trails available. Vista Verde Ranch
launched Fat Biking as part of its winter activity line-up and has new
top of the line mountain bikes for summer riding. Over at Cherokee Park Ranch in Livermore, kid’s bikes are dotted all over the ranch and available for smaller guest-riding. For the girls, Latigo Ranch offers women a chance to find their inner cowgirl, with a women’s only ranching week, June 3-10, 2018.
In addition to playing a hands-on role on the ranch, guests are invited
to try out rifle shooting, shotgun shooting, single action revolver
shoot, line dancing, breakfast ride, sunset ride, horse-drawn covered
wagon ride, fly-fishing lesson, all-day rides, moving cattle, hot-tub,
guided hikes, swimming pool, whip cracking, tomahawk throwing, and lots
more fun stuff. While guest ranches make the perfect family vacation,
many ranches are holding adult-only retreats and themed weeks, often
during the month of September when school break finishes. For those who
can’t wait until September, Black Mountain Ranch offers adult-only weeks throughout the summer. Colorado Trails Ranch offers a painting workshop in September and The Home Ranch offers Yoga week, combining plenty of Zen with typical ranch activities.
NEW RURAL CUISINE. Top-tier chefs are moving into
rural areas—especially west of Denver—and raising the bar on the dining
scene with small focused dinner events and intimate dining rooms
offering fast-evolving menus that reflect seasonality and locality of
ingredients. Guest and dude ranches are moving from pork and beans to
offer 20-course fine tasting menus and molecular dining. Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant
opened doors mid/late 2017 in Steamboat Springs offering an intimate,
fine dining experience using locally grown and sourced ingredients
alongside a curated old world wine list. Traditionally a hunting lodge, High Lonesome Ranch
in Debeque launches its 2018 season of high-end dinners, serving a
20-course tasting menu overseen by Matt Chasseur and Patrick Ayers. Latigo Ranch in Kremmling will also offer a second program of fine dining, with a molecular dinner club.
THE YEAR OF THE BIRD. 2018 is the Year of The Bird
and Colorado offers many must-see bird watching locations and events.
While not an exclusive Colorado event, International Migratory Day
(IMBD) is celebrated worldwide, with events in Colorado sometimes
associated with it or occurring at the same time, statewide in mid-May.
For details about local events visit the IMBD website. Wray’s Prairie-Chicken
event attracts visitors from around the globe to see the
prairie-chicken courtship calls. Tours run from mid-March to April and
must be booked. The Cheyenne Canon Hummingbird Experience in Colorado Springs (May 21) is a great opportunity to discover the secrets of the smallest birds in the world and become a “Hummingbird Expert.” The Yampa Valley Crane Festival (Aug 30-Sept 2)
is a great time to view hundreds of cranes from the Rocky Mountain
flock which join local birds to rest and feed before continuing their
journey south. The Colorado Owl Festival
kicks-off in October, hosted in Pueblo by the Nature and Raptor Center
of Pueblo, Pueblo County Library District, Pueblo Zoo, Arkansas Valley
Audubon Society and Mark Park Environmental Center for a weekend of all
things owl. Other wildlife events and festivals can be found at the
Colorado Parks & Wildlife website.
NEW RURAL MAKER SPACES. As maker culture grows in
popularity, across rural Colorado more maker spaces and retail outlets
are opening doors for budding artists and crafters. CoCo Crafted
of Colorado Springs now offers budding crafters the chance to create
wall hangings, art, embroidery, and painting. At the recently opened
Pueblo House, weekly MakerSpace classes and events are available. Fort Collins is now home to Creator Hub
offering workshops and classes covering everything from CAD design,
soldering, and crafts. In Durango’s Powerhouse science center, the new Maker Lab
is the first ever maker space for the Four Corners region, offering
training and tools for budding inventors and designers. In Carbondale, a
new mobile maker space, Rosybelle, rolls into events throughout western Colorado offering crafts for adult and kids alike. Mancos is already known for its Mancos School of the West, but coming soon to the town is an outdoor maker space.
MEET YOUR FARMER. As one of the country’s leading
agritourism destinations, there are many ways for travelers to connect
with the growers and producers through farm stays and tours, farmer’s
markets and foodie events across the region. Eastern Colorado's High Plains Adventures
connects vibrant communities into one visitor experience and spring and
summer season are dotted with farm festivals and events. From Aurora to
Deer Trail these towns are linked by history and commerce, by pioneers
and entrepreneurs, by geography, agriculture and new business, and by
adventure seekers and the local folks who welcome visitors to their
towns, ranches, homes and real lives. The Guest House, Carbondale
brings new farm experiences, dinners, and events to a sixth-generation
family ranch in The Roaring Fork Valley. The Guest House is a working
permaculture farm with expansion plans that include a high-end lodge and
restaurant. Focused on principles of beauty, sustainability, and
transformation, The Guest House offers guests the opportunity to eat
with a connection to the land, be cared for at the highest of standards,
and build their own connections to themselves and their community.
Cabin hospitality experiences launched December 2017, along with a
community dinner program and events each month. Rick and Kristi Cranston
of Tall Grass Farms Alpacas
in Bennett on the Eastern Plains are always eager to share their love
for alpacas. Tours of the farm are available to get acquainted with the
alpaca herd and their friends, which include dogs, cats, horses,
chickens, and llamas, check out the handmade fiber products for sale at
their store or request a fiber-arts class. There are many farming
regions to choose from to taste Colorado’s finest local produce. La
Junta and the Arkansas Valley are famous for corn, cantaloupes and
watermelons. Farm markets
are typically open between July and October to the delight of residents
and visitors alike seeking the good bounty from this fertile land, and
market season offers a delightful time to visit, with more than ten
farms markets available. From July through September, chefs from
critic-approved restaurants in Boulder and beyond whip up meals for farm
suppers under the stars at Lyons Farmette.
The intimate organic farm grows ingredients for the dinners, local
restaurants, and on-property weddings. The events include a tour of
their fields and the chance to mingle with their alpacas, a goat named
Waylon and a llama named Cuzco. The farm also offers great workshops on
chicken keeping, beekeeping, and other topics. Celebrate rural Colorado
farmers & producers at one of the world’s leading event for
locavores when Slow Food USA and Slow Food International comes back to
Denver for its second U.S. Slow Food event, July 13-15, 2018. Slow Food Nations
combines the energy of a street food festival, gravitas of a food
systems conference and inspiration of a cultural exchange, while
showcasing some of Colorado’s leading culinary influencers, farmers and
producers who participate in markets, dinners and events that
demonstrate why Colorado is one of the leading local food destinations
in the country
REGIONAL TOURS & TRAILS. There are new ways to
plan a rural road-trip, with regions offering a new lens to see the
cultural, historical or epicurean highlights. For Summer 2018, The
Colorado Creative Corridor will offer visitors to the State an
invitation to pair destinations for a unique arts and cultural
experience. The “Corridor” will take visitors some 331 miles through
five Creative District destinations, traveling through several different
regions that tell the rich story of Colorado mountain culture. The arts
communities of Carbondale, Salida, Crested Butte, Delta County/ North
Fork and Ridgway all offer unique event programming and activities,
alongside mountain town eclecticism, outdoor recreation, and authentic
Colorado flair. The Colorado Distillers Guild is launching a Colorado
Spirits Trail in 2018 inviting visitors to discover the spirits of the
West. The trail highlights more than 50 participating distilleries from
every corner of the state, and offers a map and interactive website to
folks interested in tasting the amazing and creative spirits being
produced across Colorado. Individuals can pick up a map at
participating distilleries, Denver International Airport and tourist
information offices throughout the state. Each travel season, the
Colorado Tourism Office brings a new collection of inspiring travel
ideas via its online trip-building platform, the Colorado Field Guide,
which is designed to take travelers off the well-trodden path and into
new corners of the state where untapped and lesser-known experiences are
for the taking. Summer travel highlights include Lamar to La Junta via
the Santa Fe Trail, Three Days of Heritage Sites on the Royal Gorge, All
About Wildflowers in Crested Butte, and Zero Impact in The Vail Valley.
RIDES THE RAILS. A symbol of a bygone era,
Colorado’s historic railroads have been lovingly restored and expertly
maintained so riders can relish access to jaw-dropping landscapes and a
steady supply of family-friendly fun. As if spectacular views of the
Royal Gorge weren’t enough, Cañon City’s Royal Gorge Route Railroad
doesn’t shy away from a themed outing. Soak up the splendor of spring
while sipping craft brews paired with chef-created appetizers during
Ales on the Rails, from mid-March to late May. In springtime, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
sets a course for Cascade Canyon, a 26-mile journey through the San
Juan National Forest along the Animas River. Opt for a Historic
Narration Coach to hear tales of what it took to build the rails, or
combine the trip with a Snowmobile Adventure Package for two hours of
thrills around Molas Pass. Scenic wonders are revealed around every
curve as the Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad’s
century-old steam engine takes you back in time to the gold-mining days
of these eponymous towns just west of Colorado Springs. The relaxing,
four-mile round trip passes the old Midland Terminal Wye, historic mines
and Echo Valley, all set to an educational narration. Departing from
Alamosa with a stop in Fort Garland, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad
chugs toward Fir Summit on weekends June through September, where an
outdoor amphitheater awaits at the top of La Veta Pass. This
one-of-a-kind concert venue is home to the Mountain Rails Live concert
series, an occasion to see how the West was sung. Another way to connect
with Colorado’s railroad culture is through a visit to the Colorado Model Railroad Museum which hosts themed events throughout the summer season, starting with Dinosaur Days (June 8-9) bringing dinosaur-related activities into the railroad space.
NEW OUTDOOR ADVENTURES. The Eagle River Park
will open Summer, 2018, unveiling a world-class whitewater park
featuring an in-stream design optimizing the river’s natural
morphology, and will offer riverside recreation areas, where there will
be riparian plantings and restoration. The Eagle River Park with its
layers of recreation opportunities and proximity to I-70 will be a
gathering spot for is destined to attract tourists/travelers, athletes,
and events from around the region. Splash-In Sea Planes (July 14)
offers a highly unique spectator event as seaplanes land in Kenney
Reservoir, Rangely. The Seaplane Pilots Association is taking advantage
of one the two private lakes where the aircraft can land in Colorado.
Kenney Reservoir is owned by the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District. A
new outfitter is offering week-long classes in the art of elk hunting
and butchery. Timber to Table of
Hotchkiss, empower first-time hunters with specialized
courses—including special programs just for women hunters— to hunt the
land and then butcher and cook the game. Timber to Table aims develop
respectful and ethical hunters, who understand the benefits of defending
public lands while responsibly sourcing their food. The Run, Rabbit, Run 50 and 100 Mile Endurance Runs
of Steamboat Springs recently announced the creation of the inaugural
$100,000 “Rabbit Cup.” Paired with the Run, Rabbit, Run’s existing
$65,000 purse, the combined $165,000 prize package makes this - by far -
the largest trail ultra purse in the world. The Rabbit Cup also is the
first event of its kind in the world. Run, Rabbit, Run returns September 14-15, 2018.
NEW CULTURAL VENUES TRANSFORMED FROM OLD SPACES. Rural communities are rebirthing old or unusual spaces into venues for culture, the arts and music: The Tank Center for Sonic Arts
is a former silo in Rangely now renovated into a stunning music venue
with outstanding and renowned acoustics; The 1887 brick building that
was originally the Salida Edison Electric Light Co. is now the Steamplant Event Center,
drawing guests to its scenic riverside location for community
gatherings, art showings, movie screenings, live music and a sculpture
garden. Established in 1915, The Sherbino
has been the heart of Ridgway, providing a venue for community events
ranging from music to poetry. Now in a period of rebirth, the Sherbino
continues to stand out as the hub of community activity throughout Ouray
County. The Rocky Mountain Land Library is a former historic ranch
dating to 1862 in South Park, taken over by Jeff Lee and Ann Martin, two
longtime bookstore employees who have stockpiled some 32,000 natural
history books over the years for an ambitious library project.
Renovations at Buffalo Peaks Ranch are ongoing, but visitors can already
participate in workshops on poetry, ecology, botany, painting and more —
or simply come to soak up the invigorating Southwestern landscape that
inspired so many of the books in Lee and Martin’s collection. A former
Western-style dry goods shop in downtown Trinidad. The A.R. Mitchell Museum has
brought this vintage gem back to life and filled it with artist Arthur
Roy Mitchell’s work and collected pieces on subjects like cowboys,
horses, cattle and frontier landscapes. The horseshoe-shaped mezzanine
is something to behold, and the building’s original pressed-tin ceilings
and wood floors are beautifully intact.
ON YOUR BIKE. It’s no secret that Coloradoans love
their bikes and there’s plenty of cycling events all over the state
throughout 2018. From the quirky to the fat tire, to the high-altitude
to the scenic prairies, there are many events to watch or participate
in. Known as one of the most unique and quirky festivals in the country,
Frozen Dead Guy Days (March 9-11)
takes place in the Colorado mountain town of Nederland — three days of
frosty merriment featuring 30 live bands in heated super tents and
outrageous events like coffin racing, costumed polar plunging, frozen
t-shirt contests and much more. Celebrating its 17th year in 2018,
Frozen Dead Guy Days continues to be a world-renowned spectacle. The Fruita Fat Bike Festival (May 4-6) is in its 23rd year and celebrates the best of the Western Slopes mountain biking offerings. The Pony Xpress Gravel 160 (May 19) takes competitors on the twisty, rolling gravel roads northwest of Trinidad for 70 or 160-kilometer timed races. The Death Ride Tour (June 9-11)
is an epic 235-mile three-day charity bike tour through beautiful
Southwestern Colorado and the San Juan Mountains supporting ALS
Research. The tour covers Five Mountain passes and 16,500 of climbing on
magnificent Colorado roads including the Million Dollar Highway over
Red Mountain Pass. You’ll ride Silverton to Telluride Day One. Telluride
to Durango Day Two and Durango back to Silverton Day Three. Pedal The Plains launches into its sixth year (Sept 15-17)
Governor Hickenlooper and The Denver Post launched a one-of-a-kind
cycling event celebrating the agricultural roots and frontier heritage
of Colorado’s Eastern Plains, with a loop beginning and ending in
Ordway. Described by the Governor as “a ride for the rest of us,” Pedal
The Plains seeks to engage riders of all abilities, from seasoned
cyclists to first-time riders, in an educational and recreational
experience.
