As visitors explore Colorado, they are encouraged to “Do Colorado Right” and embrace the state’s interpretation of responsible tourism — showing care not only for destinations but for visitors and the people who call Colorado home. Following is a sampling of what’s new in Colorado for the year ahead. For more information and travel ideas, visit www.COLORADO.com.
Exciting New Outdoor Pursuits and Adventure-Inspired Events:
- Bicycle Colorado Launches Regional Planning Site: Bicycle Colorado is launching a bicycle tourism planning microsite for the Mountains & Mesas travel region. The microsite will feature rides for all skill levels and types of cyclists.
- Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop Expands in 2022: For the past six years the Colorado Historic Hot Springs Loop (CHHSL) has showcased the state’s premier hot springs destinations via self-guided itineraries that share the state’s geothermal resources. In 2022, the CHHSL is adding three more destination partners: Durango, Carbondale and Saguache County.
- Colorado Mountain School Builds a New Backcountry Yurt on Cameron Pass: Colorado Mountain School built a large yurt at the Seven Utes Mountain pull off on Cameron Pass. Lodging is available for guests booking private backcountry experiences and/or participating in scheduled courses and adventures.
- Colorado Stargazing: Experience the Night Offers 3 New Locations: Colorado’s self-guided stargazing tour added three new locations to its roster in preparation for the 2022 summer travel season. In addition to the original seven locations, Colorado Stargazing now includes Gunnison, Ridgway and Nucla, Naturita and Norwood. All of these locations are home to an International Dark-Sky Designated Place or are designated themself.
- Grand Valley Grapes and Grains Adventures Offers New Winery Tours, Palisade: Grand Valley Grapes and Grains Adventures is offering three new winery tours starting this spring. The Standard Winery Tour includes reserved wine tastings at three Palisade-area wineries, an education about the grapes of the region and more. Additionally, the new Magnum Winery Tour includes a behind-the-scenes tour of a working winery and the Imperial Winery Tour includes a made-to-order gourmet lunch served at a winery.
- First Official Gravel Triathlon Series in U.S. Stops in Steamboat Springs (July 31): Gravel is growing and its popularity has reached beyond just biking. The new USA Triathlon Gravel Series is planning an eight-stop tour this year, including the Stagecoach Gravel Triathlon in Steamboat Springs. The new gravel triathlon races will utilize mostly non-technical dirt roads and singletrack.
- Junk Yard Bike Park Opens in Buena Vista: This summer, Buena Vista-based RMOC will open its brand new, professionally built bike park, The Junk Yard, on its Arkansas Riverfront property. Along with RMOC’s on-site nano-brewery and food truck and its slew of outdoor adventure offerings, guests can now hone their biking skills on this stellar bike loop and 4 trails.
- Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Hosts the 2022 NFR Open (July 13-16): The 81st Cinch Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo welcomes the 2022 NFR Open at the Norris Penrose Event Center. The inaugural NFR Open powered by RAM will be one of the biggest rodeos of the 2022 PRORODEO season with $1 million in payouts.
- Railbiking Comes to South Fork: Railbiking with Revolution Rail is a fun excursion activity for all ages and ability levels that allows riders to ride railroad tracks under their own power and explore the outside in a brand new way. Revolution Rail is taking reservations now for the full 2022 season for 2-seat and 4-seat railbikes.
- Rocky Mountaineer Launches First Full Season for Rockies to the Red Rocks Route (April – October 2022): Rocky Mountaineer, the luxury train operator, will run its first full season in the Southwest United States in 2022. The Rockies to the Red Rocks route is a two-day rail journey between Denver and Moab with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs.
- Stargazing and Solar Observing Events at Smokey Jack Observatory, Westcliffe: Dark Skies is proud and excited to offer new public celestial viewing events for its community and guests. These events include Visual Public Star Parties, Electronic Assisted Astronomy Public Parties, Open Public Observing Night and Public Solar Observing Day Sessions.
- New Summit Nature Guides Offers Guided Nature Hikes, Breckenridge: Summit Nature Guides is a new non-profit service that navigates small groups on planned nature hikes, led by an interpretive nature guide.
- YMCA of the Rockies Offers New Master Naturalist Workshops, Estes Park: YMCA of the Rockies is offering brand new Master Naturalist Workshops, through which participants can take their passion to the next level and become certified Master Naturalists via multi-day programs. Starting in May, each program will include hands-on, “in the field” classes in fire ecology and the effects of climate change, aquatic ecology, montane forest ecology and glaciology, coupled with special seasonal classes on wildflowers, wildlife and more.
Enticing New Arts and Cultural Events and Attractions:
- The Art of Banksy Exhibition Comes to Denver (April 14 - June 12): The Art of Banksy, the largest touring exhibition of authentic Banksy artwork in the world, will make its Denver debut on April 14. The Art of Banksy will feature over 100 original works from private collectors across the globe, offering a rare opportunity to view authenticated and certified Banksy artworks rarely seen by the general public. Banksy, whose identity is the art world’s most closely guarded secret, is an enigmatic artist and world-recognized political activist.
- Carla Fernandez Exhibition Comes to the Denver Art Museum (May 1 - September 5): The Denver Art Museum (DAM) presents the first exhibition to fully explore the career of Mexican artist and fashion designer Carla Fernández, founder of the eponymous fashion brand. The acclaimed Mexico City-based fashion brand, Carla Fernández, established in 2000, is a couture house that aims to bring new meaning to the luxury world as an agent of social and ethical change and innovation.
- New CSU Spur Offers Hands-On Learning in Denver: Colorado State University (CSU) Spur in Denver is a new and first-of-its-kind public learning destination for K-12 student field trips, families and visitors. Inside the Vida building, visitors can watch horses working with humans and veterinarians performing live surgeries on dogs and cats. A mock exam clinic is available for kids to try their hand at being a veterinarian and exhibits throughout the building and virtual reality supplement the real-world experiences.
- The Culture Museum Opens in Denver: The Culture Museum is a new immersive, multi-room art installation dedicated to celebrating iconic moments in Black pop culture. The museum, which recently opened in the RiNo Art District in Five Points, explores an array of Black culture expressions with themed rooms ranging from ‘90s sitcoms and iconic films, to hip hop music, to the barbershop and family reunions.
- Fort Collins Museum of Discovery Presents Upcoming New Exhibit (June 18 – Sept. 4): Food for Thought Micro Views of Sustenance: Threats & Prospects is a traveling photography exhibit using photomontage to inspire conversation about how food is connected to climate change. The goal of the exhibition is to use dramatic art to engage visitors in complex issues and possibilities surrounding the state of food on our dinner plates and planet.
- Herbert Bayer Center Opens in Aspen: With a soft opening in December 2021 and grand opening in June 2022, the new Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies will focus on preserving and honoring the art of Bayer, who designed the Institute’s historic campus, influenced the foundations of modern Aspen, and whose work is an iconic expression of the Bauhaus movement in America.
- The Historic Opera Houses Circuit Debuts: The first-ever Colorado Historic Opera Houses Circuit is a joint promotion of five historic Colorado mountain opera houses. The project will share the performances, programs, history and stories of these opera houses, which were built between 1878 and 1913 and retain their original character. The Circuit will feature a map, website and other promotions to attract visitors interested in history, arts and culture.
- Immersive Frida Kahlo Exhibition Comes to Denver (runs through May 30): On the heels of the critically acclaimed blockbuster Immersive Van Gogh, Lighthouse Immersive and Maestro Immersive Art have set their sights on the art and life of Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). The exhibition features some of the artist’s best-known works “brought to life” by the world-renowned master of digital art, Italy’s Massimiliano Siccardi, accompanied by composer Luca Longobardi’s resonant score, and art direction by Vittorio Guidotti.
- Kirkland Museum Welcomes Frank Lloyd Wright Inside the Walls, Denver (June 17, 2022-January 8, 2023): This exhibition will explore the relationship between Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture and decorative art, through Kirkland Museum’s permanent collection. Decorative art objects from around a dozen of Wright’s building projects are part of the permanent collection of Kirkland Museum.
- Planet Walk Debuts in Westcliffe: Fully complete by summer 2022, Planet Walk is an interpretive, self-guided walking adventure of a four billion-to-one scale model of the entire Solar System and other wonders on Main Street in Westcliffe. The colorful interpretive signs along the way are designed to give a conceptual understanding of the nature of the objects and other aspects across the Solar System and beyond.
- Ridgway Space to Create to Boost Creative Culture of Ridgway: Located in Southwest Colorado near the San Juan Mountains, the Ridgway Space to Create project will create workforce housing as well as 2,000 square feet of creative community space in the Town of Ridgway's downtown core and certified Creative District. Construction is underway and expected to be complete in late summer 2022.
- New Spanish Peaks Country Fest, La Veta (June 17&18): Spanish Peaks Country Fest is a new country music festival coming to southern Colorado. The event welcomes guests to experience the biggest artists playing at the foot of the beautiful Spanish Peaks. Koe Wetzel and Tracy Byrd are headlining the festival.
New Lodging Properties, Offerings and Renovations:
- A-Frame Club Opens in Winter Park: Slated to open in early summer 2022, A-Frame Club is a lifestyle hotel consisting of 31 newly-constructed A-Frame cabins integrated into Winter Park's natural environment. Both modern and nostalgic, the design takes cues from 1970s American ski culture and the iconic A-frame cabins of that era. Cabins come equipped with a main floor living room, bathroom, kitchenette, lofted bedroom with an Onsen-style soaking tub, Malm fireplace, exterior deck and vintage furnishings. The location includes a bar and restaurant in a historic saloon building.
- Camp V Adds Singletrack to Property, Naturita: Camp V and The West End Trail Alliance (WETA) are excited to announce the construction of a 2 mile single track system on the Camp V property. Guests and the public will get a taste of the much bigger trail system that is currently in the planning process for 54 miles of multi use trails. The CampV connector trail will be completed in early spring for hikers, bikers and trail seekers looking for the next hidden spot. Camp V is a boutique camp that combines art, history, architecture, design, outdoor recreation and unique spaces.
- Dunes Experiences Launches Near Alamosa: Founded by a group of explorers, Dunes Experiences will launch this year at their 320-acre private ranch property near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa. The stylish and modern clubhouse is set up to host events and retreats for private groups of any size starting this summer, and they can curate all activities and visitor experiences in the area. This full service eco-property will scale up their accommodations in 2023 with the "Desert House," a sustainably built and architecturally designed abode specifically for private groups.
- El Jet’s Cantina + Sky Outpost Opens in Grand Junction: El Jet’s Cantina® + Sky Outpost® "Born in Baja", will be a multi-acre indoor/outdoor cantina and lodging development that will also offer camping in tiny homes, Airstreams and campsites. The facility will be located right on the Colorado River in close proximity to downtown Grand Junction expected to open in late 2022.
- Historic Frontier Drive-In Reimagined as Outdoor Hospitality Destination, Center: Opening this summer, the Frontier Drive-In is a 1940s-era drive-in movie theater offering sweeping views of both the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo mountain ranges with nightly film screenings on a fully restored movie screen. Accommodations include steelmaster sheds converted to luxury hotel suites as well as glamping yurts. Starting mid-summer 2022, guests can also experience the Frontier's one-of-a-kind spas located inside signature 3D-printed adobe structures open to the sky.
- Historic Hotel Colorado Renovates Guest Rooms: Hotel Colorado’s multi-year, multi-million-dollar restoration has resumed. All guest rooms, along with corridors and the main stairway, are receiving comprehensive floor-to-ceiling makeovers. All furniture has been custom-made to match the period and respect the heritage of the hotel’s original Italian villa design. This phase of the room renovations is anticipated to be completed this summer.
- The Lodges at Knapp Ranch Offers Cabins in the Vail Valley: For the summer and fall of 2022, Knapp Ranch, a new retreat nestled in the Rocky Mountains, has four cabins offering day events only until 2023. Considering the property covers more than 300 acres, guests will have plenty of room to hike, bike, fish, learn all about the Knapp Ranch bees and go forest bathing.
- The Max, a Renovated and Reimagined Hotel Opens in Lamar: Discover the beauty and serenity of Colorado’s prairie while staying at The Max, a renovated and reimagined upscale hotel that recently opened with hints of its Art Deco roots. In 1938, The Maxwell Hotel, a southeastern Colorado Art Deco gem, promoted itself as being as modern as tomorrow. 83 years later, its new owners are making that a reality. The Max boasts custom, artful finishes and a lounge featuring house-crafted cocktails and dining options.
- Monarch Casino Resort Spa Celebrates its Grand Opening: The $400 million luxury expansion debuted this spring. Guests can play on a 60,000-square-foot gaming floor. There is also the brand new BetMonarch Sportsbook & Lounge. Foodies will delight in award-winning offerings like the white tablecloth Monarch Chophouse and Monarch’s newest upscale offering, Bistro Mariposa. Monarch offers 516 mountain modern luxury hotel rooms, a luxurious spa experience and more.
- The Pad Hotel/Hostel Opens in Silverthorne: The Pad is a brand new boutique hotel/hostel in Silverthorne. Located along the Blue River, The Pad was sustainably constructed with 18 shipping containers and is on track to become the first Certified B Corporation for a Colorado-based lodging company. Featuring 36 rooms ranging from private higher-end suites to dorm-style bunks, The Pad offers affordable rates with high-end amenities, such as an on-site restaurant (Graze and Torreys), a rooftop bar and event space, a coworking space, riverside patios and more.
- The Slate Hotel Opens in Denver: Located at the site of the historic original Emily Griffith Opportunity School, The Slate Hotel will begin welcoming guests this spring. Paying tribute to the campus’ legacy within Denver, the redevelopment of the 2.4-acre landmark preserved the historic buildings and will pay homage to the former school with thoughtful design touches and experiences. The 4-story, 135,000-square-foot property will add 251 guest rooms to downtown Denver.
- Thompson Denver Opens: Thompson Denver adds to Hyatt’s growing Thompson Hotels brand portfolio and is the brand’s first hotel in Colorado. The casual sophistication of the west comes alive in refreshingly modern style at Thompson Denver’s 216 room luxury boutique hotel. With interiors by the internationally acclaimed, award-winning design firm Parts + Labor, the natural palette and textures of the guest rooms and suites infuse impeccable details and finish with warmth and wellbeing.
- Zapata Ranch Launches New Travel Workshops, San Luis Valley: With an emphasis on learning and immersion in the striking landscape, Ranchlands’ trips to The Nature Conservancy’s Zapata Ranch have something for everyone. New travel workshops include the art of botanical dyes and foraging with designer and textile artist Edie Ure; discover nature with Ted Floyd spending time observing the Nature Conservancy’s herd of bison alongside local wildlife; join best-selling memoirist Molly Wizenberg in a generative writing workshop to explore how the sensory details of food can help unlock fertile memories; learn to move with ease at Power of Pilates; learn more about a variety of wines and spirits from New Mexico and Colorado led by Head of Beverage at Los Poblanos, Dylan Storment.
Delicious New Food and Beverage Concepts:
- The Annex at WeldWerks Eatery Opens at WeldWerks' Greeley Taproom: Similar to WeldWerks’ constantly rotating tap list, menu items at The Annex will be ever-changing, evolving and expertly paired with the current beer menu. Guests can enjoy intentionally-crafted cuisine from all corners of the world, including items like Spanish Calamari with Romesco sauce, Pork Belly Steamed Buns and a crave-satisfying Double Cheeseburger.
- James Beard Award Nominated Manny Barella Opens Second Bellota Location in Boulder: 2022 James Beard Award “Emerging Chef” semifinalist Manny Barella will bring his authentic approach to Mexican cuisine to Boulder when Bellota opens its second location this spring. Bellota opened at The Source in Denver in 2020 and quickly became a neighborhood favorite due in large part to Barella’s passion for the cuisine of his Mexican heritage - evident in every dish on the menu.
- Benzina Brings Pizza to Former Muffler Shop in Denver: Housed in a former muffler shop, Benzina features Neapolitan-style pizza and high-style, retro-cool aesthetics. Helmed by Brian Lockwood, a Boulder native with a resumé that includes the French Laundry and Eleven Madison Park, Benzina has quickly become a neighborhood favorite.
- Birch Road Neighborhood Clubhouse Opens in Denver: Opening in spring 2022, Birch Road is an independent, women-owned BYOB neighborhood clubhouse – with a membership model much like a gym or co-working space, but centered around members’ social lives. Monthly membership includes fingerprint access to the clubhouse, a personal locker in a temperature-controlled bottle storage cellar (for their favorite wine, beer or spirits), access to private event spaces for larger gatherings or to the member lounge and tasting room for more casual nights with friends.
- Bluebird Market Opens in Silverthorne: Bluebird Market is located at the hub of Fourth Street Crossing, a 3.8-acre district in the new heart of downtown Silverthorne. Tenants of the nearly 30,000-square-foot market include a dozen chef-driven culinary concepts along with three local retail entrepreneurs and a flexible co-working space.
- Aspen Welcomes Catch Steak: Steps from the Aspen gondola, Catch Steak Aspen sprawls along 10,000 square feet of rooftop terrace and indoor dining space, complete with a gorgeous bar and a tasteful private cellar. Iconic meals unfold over the world’s best steak cuts.
- Chez Maggy Opens in the New Thompson Hotel, Denver: Michelin starred chef Ludo Lefebvre brings his culinary magic to Chez Maggy - where French brasserie meets Mile High style. An homage to his Denver family, chef Lefebvre leans into his roots and heritage to create a unique approach to classic French cuisine using elements and ingredients native to Colorado.
- Cruise Control Kitchen & Cellar Opens as Colorado's First Fast Casual Winery Concept in Grand Junction: Opening in summer 2022, Cruise Control will focus on gourmet foods designed to pair with craft beer, spirits and wine. The new restaurant will feature Sauvage Spectrum wines served on tap, along with bottles, growlers and cans. Guest wines with an extremely heavy focus on Colorado producers will also round out the menu. Greeting guests upon entry will be a micro-market displaying locally produced Colorado Proud provisions.
- The Easy Vegan Opens in Denver: The Easy Vegan is a pandemic start-up serving vegetable-forward vegan food that is not centered around health or diet culture. Owners Alexi Mandolini and Taylor Herbert believe vegan eating is not a limitation but an opportunity to reimagine vegetables, their endless abilities in the kitchen and their worthiness on a plate.
- Five Nines Cocktail Lounge Opens in Cherry Creek’s Clayton Members Club & Hotel: Five Nines is an immersive craft cocktail bar serving a selection of drinks curated to be as elaborate as they are elegant, alongside a concise menu of shareable bar bites and playful pops of promiscuity in the form of multiple nightly movement-based performances.
- Fuel & Iron Opens Pueblo-Inspired Bar in Denver and Food Hall in Pueblo: The bar precludes a sister Fuel & Iron Food Hall, coming to downtown Pueblo in fall 2022. Visitors can taste their way through a mini tour of Pueblo food and drink at Fuel & Iron Bar. The kitchen will serve Pueblo classics, including green chile made with Milberger Farms Pueblo chiles, and a smaller slider take on the famous Green Chile Slopper. Guests can also expect to see products from Pueblo-area artisans and farmers. When it opens in fall 2022, Fuel & Iron Food Hall seeks to forge a bridge between Pueblo’s industrial past and a future which honors the city’s diverse population and bountiful agriculture by creating a platform for restaurant incubation.
- Fidel’s Cocina and Bar Opens in Palisade: Fidel's Cocina is a lively and vibrant taqueria serving Latin-inspired dishes and thoughtful craft cocktails. Everything at Fidel's is made from scratch with clean ingredients. Handcrafted plates mingle heritage ingredients with bright, lively flavors for an unabashed culinary experience.
- La Française Bistrot Opens in Breckenridge: The cozy ambiance and authentic menu at La Française Bistrot, a new family-owned restaurant in downtown Breckenridge, transports guests from the mountains of Colorado to Southern France. Enjoy classic French dishes like coq a vin and bone marrow and escargots, along with fresh baked bread made at their family’s bakery next door, La Française Bakery.
- Mythmaker Brewing Opens in Fort Collins: Mythmaker Brewing will open this spring seeking to create its own mythical journey, pulling from the traditions of the past as well as the experimentation of the present to represent craft beer as it evolves into the future. Along with a few year-round offerings, the brewery will provide an ever-evolving tap list of well-balanced beers from their 7-barrel brewhouse.
- Denver’s Ruby’s Market Supports Immigrant and Refugee Communities: Located in Denver’s Platte Park Neighborhood, Ruby’s Market is a multicultural artisan and food destination, incubating refugee, immigrant and indigenous entrepreneurs and supporting local businesses. The Market showcases nearly 200 snacks, spices, cooking supplies, textiles, jewelry, plants and other products made by local and global artisans, the majority of whom identify as women or members of immigrant, refugee or Indigenous communities.
- Stanley Marketplace Celebrates Five Years with New Offerings in Aurora: Stanley Marketplace, a former aviation factory turned small business collective is celebrating its fifth birthday this year and welcomes Churreria de Madrid, an authentic Spanish churrería or “churro bar,” Sky Bar at Stanley will be a mod cocktail bar featuring a 1950’s Pan-Am themed experience and Colorado’s iconic Tattered Cover Book Store recently opened their first-ever children’s-focused concept, Tattered Cover Kids.
- Storm Peak Brewing Opens Tasting Room at Steamboat Base Area: Steamboat’s Storm Peak Brewing Co. recently opened a second location in town, the Bus Stop tasting room at the ski area base. The new location currently features 30 of the local brewery’s hand-crafted beers on-tap, plus one of the largest bars in Steamboat Springs. The name – Bus Stop – is a nod to the tasting room’s location between two stops, and a reminder to use public transit.
- Suga Moon’s BBQ & Cocktails Comes to Frisco: Husband-wife team Teryn Guadagnoli and Chris Warren are bringing smoked Kansas City–style barbecue to Summit County, working with local ranchers and farmers to source high-quality brisket, ribs and pulled pork. The laid-back lodge is named after Prohibition-era Colorado sugar beet moonshine.
- Trinidad Tea Company to Be First Tenant to Open in the Renovated Fox West Theatre: The vision for the rehabilitation of the once magnificent Fox Theatre is to provide an unparalleled performance venue and event destination for the community and the southern Colorado region. Phase 1 of the Fox West Theatre rehabilitation project is underway, including exterior repairs, environmental remediation and activation of the commercial storefront spaces. The eastern storefront of the Theatre will soon be home to the Trinidad Tea Company, owned and operated by a talented local couple, opening this summer and giving a first glimpse at the long-term vision for the fully revitalized theatre.
Anniversaries:
- Cañon City Celebrates its 150th Anniversary in 2022: Cañon City turns 150 in 2022, and the city has planned a year-long celebration filled with events for all ages. Events include a Gala, Jubilee and Fireworks, Concert, themed monthly First Fridays and more. The anniversary year encourages residents and visitors to explore themes of history and education, innovation and entrepreneurship, social equity and robust democracy, as well as arts and leisure.
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife Celebrates its 125th Anniversary in 2022: Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will celebrate by telling the agency’s long history of wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation in a series of stories, videos, podcasts and community events throughout 2022.
- Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Celebrates 50 Years of Racing the Train from Durango to Silverton (May 28-30): Half a century ago the Mayer brothers decided to race from Durango to Silverton: Tom on a bike, Jim aboard a steam-powered train. Every Memorial Day Weekend since, riders from around the U.S. and the world gather for fifty miles of cycling over two mountain passes that summit just under 11,000 feet. New additions to the 2022 event include a new segment from Ouray to Silverton, special dual slalom and roostmaster competitions and a special exhibit at The Center of Southwest Studies on the history of the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.
