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Outdoor recreation is plentiful with chances to hike, bike, kayak, view wildlife, and fish. Surrounded by the Elk Mountains and nestled in the heart of the White River National Forest , Aspen is a hotbed for outdoor activities. Known for its world-class skiing, legendary apres-ski scene, and fine-dining experience, Aspen also sprinkles in a bit of charm with its unique historic downtown. Winters in Crested Butte bring in eager skiers and snowboarders, and in the summer the single-track trails lure in mountain bikers ready to chase down the mountain.

As a former mining town, Crested Butte is also loaded with historic charm, which is best seen with a stroll through its Main Street downtown. As the highest incorporated city in America, Leadville takes a front-row seat in the high-altitude life. Leadville proudly promotes a down-to-earth lifestyle and makes up for its lack of ski runs or fancy mountain resorts with plenty of national forest and public lands at its fingertips.

Thanks for reading over our most popular mountain towns in the state! Although less frequented, each holds big attractions and unique reasons to visit any time of year. Menu Skip to right header navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer. Photo: Gina Collecchia Make the most of your next long weekend and discover a few days in one of these classic Colorado towns. Join our Colorado travel community Enter your email below and grab our free locals’ guide and monthly what’s up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do.

Previous Post: « Ski Epic or Ikon? Choosing the Best Colorado Season Pass. Disclosure: Uncover Colorado is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Mile High Happy Hour shares showcases Denver neighborhoods’ restaurant happy hours.

Vacation like a VIP! La Vida Nomad shares life and travel hacks, as well as cheap luxury travel. Beyond its history and art culture, Trinidad provides many opportunities for outdoor recreation with the Trinidad Lake State Park and the Purgatoire River, that runs right through town, offering ample fishing for anglers.

But beyond its convenient location to both big-city life and life in the mountains, Evergreen offers plenty of outdoor recreation and a quaint historic downtown with shops and restaurants. The epicenter of town is Evergreen Lake. The compact historic downtown of Evergreen is full of charm and personality. Visitors can enjoy a variety of restaurants, bars, cafes, boutiques, art galleries, and more. A favorite choice for dining is finding a spot outdoor along the Bear Creek that runs through the center of town.

Home to mushroom farms, hop farms, and potato farms, Alamosa is a hotbed for local agriculture, evident with its local breweries and authentic farm-to-table cuisine. Be sure to also explore the unique downtown, filled with shops, dining, cafes, breweries, and more.

Experience Colorado like it used to be with a visit to Marble. Found within the heart of Colorado Rockies, in the Elk Mountain Range, Marble is home to 14,foot peaks, rushing mountain streams, evergreen forests, and the quiet surroundings that make it the perfect mountain escape. The Yule Marble Quarry is one of the best producers of white marble in the world.

Marble from this quarry was used to help build the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D. Established in , Georgetown is an old mining town that continues to grow as more and more flock to the front range.

A year-round destination, Georgetown offers it all, from hiking and off-road adventures to train tours and historic sites. The Georgetown Lake is another main outdoor attraction, with fishing in the summer and ice racing in the winter, where visitors race their cars on top the frozen lake. Soak up a bit of history with a stroll through the historic downtown with plenty of museums to choose from or ride the Historic Georgetown Loop Railroad.

Thanks for checking out our list of small town gems in Colorado! Menu Skip to right header navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer. Lake City Downtown Lake City. Photo: www. Paonia Winery in Paonia, CO. Photo: Jessica Hughes Cradled within the North Fork Valley, the town of Paonia is a unique place filled with artists, farmers, winemakers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

Crestone Ziggurat in Crestone, CO. Photo: Steven Martin As the center of it all in Park County, the town of Fairplay is one with loads of character, stunning scenery, and a vibrant arts culture. Trinidad Trinidad Opera House, photo: Muhammad At the southern base of Colorado, just north of the New Mexico border, lies the-sometimes-forgotten-about town of Trinidad.

Evergreen Evergreen Lake. Alamosa Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. Marble Crystal Mill, CO. Georgetown Downtown Georgetown, CO. Join our Colorado travel community Enter your email below and grab our free locals’ guide and monthly what’s up designed to help you live your Colorado life and uncover fun things to do. Previous Post: « Are there rattlesnakes in Colorado? Disclosure: Uncover Colorado is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

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Small towns near mountains in colorado.Top 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Colorado

 
Glenwood Springs. This authentic steam-engine train chugs through the mountains along the Animas River. The town has left its mining days behind and жмите сюда to become a popular ski resort luring visitors there with its rustic, remote charm. Crestone Ziggurat in Crestone, CO.

– Visit These Ten Small Town Gems in Colorado

And in the summer, it’s all about biking and hiking in the Elk Mountains, which is arguably the state’s most beautiful mountain range. Make the Limelight Snowmass which is ski-in, ski-out in the winter your home base and enjoy exploring the quaint village before jumping into the day’s adventure. In addition to high altitude Silverton clocks in at 9, feet , you’ll find high peaks surrounding this historic mining town, which has a population under 1, Estes Park isn’t too far from the city of Boulder around one hour by car , but thanks to its location among the protected lands of Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest, it feels like a completely different world.

Its position makes national park access easy, while wildlife lovers will enjoy visiting in the fall, when the town celebrates the annual elk rut — a mating ritual where the bull elk spar for mating rights. Down in southwestern Colorado near the New Mexico border lies this small town, which is best known for its natural hot springs.

Here, mineral-rich waters are a given. Either way, don’t miss a visit to the Pagosa Baking Company for your morning coffee and a sweet treat or three. Carbondale is a town full of people who live for outdoor adventure.

The town makes it easy to pass a day fly fishing in the Roaring Fork River, biking the Prince Creek trail system, or cross-country skiing at Spring Gulch.

But even the most adventurous need a rest from time to time, which is where a night at the Marble Distilling Co. Steamboat Springs is one of the few places in Colorado where you can soak your legs in geothermal hot springs after a full day of epic skiing. But in addition to natural hot springs and skiing, Steamboat is well loved for its distinct Western feel, Gold Medal fishing waters, and myriad hiking and biking trails.

After a long day in the mountains, grab a beer at The Barley Tap and Tavern before walking the 10 minutes to Laundry for a handful of small, shareable plates we recommend the artichoke hearts. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies.

Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. Trip Ideas. By Evie Carrick. Evie Carrick. Share Tweet Pin Email. If you want to steer clear of the burn scar, heading south or west from Grand Lake will get you to other outstanding opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and camping either on national forest land or in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.

Established shortly after gold was discovered in the area in , Fairplay boasts both an interesting history and a stunning location. Other fun events to check out include the free summer concert series and the South Park Arts Celebration.

In terms of outdoor recreation, Fairplay is rimmed by the Mosquito Range, which has outstanding hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, camping, and off-roading.

Located on the western edge of the San Luis Valley, the town of Del Norte is a scenic spot with big mountain views and outstanding access to some of the more stunning and remote spots in southern Colorado. The town itself was once a mining town and a stage stop, and that history is reflected in the architecture and feel of its downtown.

The town is by the Rio Grande, where you can enjoy a day fishing, paddling, or tubing. You can head out for a hike at the nearby trails of Lookout Mountain Park or dive deeper into the San Juans for a more remote adventure. For adrenaline junkies, Penitente Canyon offers some outstanding rock climbing with over routes as well as trails for mountain biking — and you can rent bikes in town.

This Colorado small town is a great basecamp if you want the perks of a Rocky Mountain retreat without the crowds. Another under-the-radar mountain town, the small town of Westcliffe , established in , is on the high plain between the Sangre de Cristos and the Wet Mountains. That drive is much more relaxing than sitting in traffic on I Known for its dark skies, Westcliffe and the adjoining small Colorado town of Silver Cliff is one of only 31 dark sky communities around the world. For a full-blown astronomical experience, you can book a trip to the Smokey Jack Observatory, or simply crane your neck back on a clear night.

Hiking, biking, camping, backpacking, and horseback riding are the main draws here. And for a totally unique roadside attraction, head 28 miles out of town to visit the fantastical Bishop Castle. But this mountain town lives up to its promises — and then some. In a beautiful canyon along the Uncompahgre River and on the Million Dollar Highway, Ouray has loads of entertainment downtown with everything from art galleries to breweries and historic buildings — the entire Main Street is a National Historic District.

Off-road enthusiasts can enjoy a Jeep tour or ATV excursion up Engineer Pass, and if you visit in the winter, time your trip to the Ouray Ice Festival for an extra treat. You can also take ice climbing clinics with local outfitters. Hot Sulphur Springs is the kind of deceptively small Colorado town that many people pass through without a second glance. The town is best known for its eponymous hot springs, which are the primary attraction.

The Hot Sulphur Springs Resort and Spa offers a slightly upscale experience as well as lodging and massages. From town, you can take a stroll along the Colorado River or take a drive into nearby Arapahoe National Forest for hiking and mountain biking in the summer or snowshoeing, skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter. If downhill turns are more your style, Granby Ranch and Winter Park ski resorts are a short drive up the road.

Sign up for the Weekend Wanderer to join thousands of readers getting epic travel and gear ideas every week. Seen in: Colorado , Rockies , West. Kristen Arendt is a creative writer and lover of the great outdoors.

She has edited and written outdoor content for several online publications and enjoys exploring issues at the intersection of recreation, stewardship, compassion, and care-taking in the West and the wider world. Follow her on Instagram. Sign up for Weekend Wanderer and join thousands of readers getting epic travel ideas weekly.

– 15 Best Small Towns in Colorado – Affordable Small Mountain Towns to Visit and Live In CO

The mountainous state of Colorado is home to a lot of towns that are perfect for anybody looking for an escape into nature. Combine it with a history of silver mining, and a present-day status as one of the most progressive, liberal Western states, and you have a fascinating place to explore in terms of nature and culture. Ziplining, caving, and ropes courses are up for grabs at the nearby Cave of the Winds Mountain Park too.

As such, you can get involved in ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park — attracting adventurous types from across the globe — and go hiking in the scenic Box Canyon Falls Park. Prospectors arrived in Ouray in , looking to get rich from the multiple silver and gold mines in the area; the wealth from the mines is reflected in the historic buildings here, like the brick-built Beaumont Hotel and the Ouray City Hall. Film fans will appreciate that some scenes in the original True Grit were filmed in and around Ouray.

If you like a spot of skiing, Frisco is the town for you. You can also go cross-country skiing at the Frisco Nordic Center too.

For those less interested in skiing, the Frisco Adventure Park is perfect for biking and hiking in the summer months. The nearby Dillon Reservoir is perfect any time of year: winter means ice fishing and snowmobiling, whilst summer brings the promise of yachting and rainbow trout fishing. Needless to say, Frisco is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Trinidad was settled in before Colorado even became a state in The s brought Spanish and Mexican settlers, who liked the convenient location close to the historic trading route, the Santa Fe Trail.

The infamous Drop City, located north of Trinidad, was the first rural hippie commune, established in , before it was abandoned in the s. Named after the first known English explorer of the area, John W.

Gunnison, this small town began to grow in the s; you can learn all about the history and heritage of this place at Gunnison Pioneer Museum. This year-old festival celebrates the Western way of life, complete with rodeos and a parade. Visiting in the winter months? The old silver mining town of Silverton sits in a valley in the San Juan Mountains. The town has left its mining days behind and grown to become a popular ski resort luring visitors there with its rustic, remote charm.

The slopes become sun-soaked meadows in the summer months and are lace with hiking trails which make their way past gushing waterfalls. Nowadays the town is a booming destination for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy adventuring among the stunning beauty of the East River Valley. Skiing and snowboarding are what the town is most famous for, but in warmer months rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, and fishing are also extremely popular.

Not only that, but the town claims to have been the spot where mountain biking was invented. Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but it is a fact that Crested Butte is still a fantastic spot for fans of mountain biking.

Durango is also the gateway for the incredible Mesa Verde National Park, home to cliff-side stone palaces and pueblos built by indigenous people to the area over 1, years ago. The small town of Creede packs a punch when it comes to history. The high elevation in the mountains and the authentic late 19th century buildings make this not only a picturesque place to visit, but also a fantastic spot to for filmmakers.

Numerous films and television programs have been shot in and around Creed, including the John Wayne film The Shootist as well as the film, The Lone Ranger. Twinned with the quite literally stunning alpine scenery, with glassy lakes, pine forests, and snow-capped mountains to take in, is the charming look of the town itself. Head to Vail Village for a quaint, old world feel, or get lost in the winding lanes and colorful, European style buildings of the Lionshead district.

Known for being the central command for the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is the place to come for anything outdoor related. Naturally, tours of this Edwardian hotel are King-based. Though skiing is most likely the reason every visitor comes to Breckenridge, the origins of this town lie in mining. And remnants of that prospector-born wealth are reflected in the log and clapboard fronted buildings dotted throughout town, dating all the way back to the late 19th century.

The hiking is perfect around here, too; head to Blue River for wildflowers along the scenic trails in summer. Another Rocky Mountain town with good skiing credentials, Steamboat Springs is home to not just one, but two good skiing areas. For more water-based fun, you can go for a spot of white-water kayaking on the rugged Yampa River.

With its history rooted in the late 19th century mining boom in the area, Telluride is awash with historic buildings. In fact, these make up a significant portion of what constitutes the town, arguably making it the best place to come if you feel like hopping back in time to the mining days themselves. The 80 acres in the Downtown area of the former silver mining camp are perfect for exploring, now filled with restaurants and boutiques.

Telluride is also a great jumping off point for skiing — being just a gondola ride away — and hiking, or driving, to Bridal Veil Falls is a great way to soak up the unreal landscapes around this beautiful town.

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