Must-See Rocky Mountain Towns
Some of the best-kept secrets in the Rocky Mountains lie just beyond the western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. With distinct personalities and opportunities for grand adventures, these towns should jump to the top of your Rocky Mountain bucket list. Here's our list of must-see Rocky Mountain towns:
Winter Park, Colorado
Don’t let the name fool you — Winter Park is a wonderland year-round with extensive things to do in both summer and the winter, inc signature events like the Winter Park Jazz Festival, Blues From the Top Music Festival and High Note Thursdays.
Your trip to Winter Park and Fraser wouldn’t be complete without a day or more of mountain biking. With over 600 miles of cross-country trails & two downhill bike parks, Winter Park has it all... mellow rides, heart-thumping epic singletrack adventures and gravity-fed adrenaline.
Trestle Bike Park is North America's fastest growing bike park with three lifts and over 40 miles of freeride trails.
Bike Granby Ranch is located between Winter Park, Arapaho National Forest and Rocky Mountain National Park. Its downhill, cross-country and family-friendly biking trails draw cyclists from far and wide, and are enjoyed by experts and beginners alike.
Winter Park is also home to an incredible summer concert series. With music events and festivals featuring local and national artists every week all summer long, it’d be hard to miss! Make sure your summer retreat overlaps one of these great events.
Fraser & Tabernash
Located near Winter Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake, Snow Mountain Ranch offers a wholesome environment where friends, families & groups enjoy a tranquil setting, more activities than anywhere else & quality time together. Also the only Summer Tubing Hill in Colorado, located at Snow Mountain Ranch opens for the Summer on May 28th!
Summertime at Devil's Thumb Ranch in Tabernash offers the perfect chance to rediscover the great outdoors. When you visit us in summer the fun begins with a variety of choices, whether it's a day spent ziplining with friends and family, a sunset horseback ride overlooking the Ranch Creek Valley, a day spent exploring our 6000 acres by mountain bike, or getting your zen on with stand up paddleboarding yoga, there's something to suit every taste.
Thought dog sled rides were only for the winter months? Dog Sled Rides of Winter Park offers dog cart rides during the summer months. Elevate your golf game and your spirit. Pole Creek Golf Club is everything a Colorado mountain golf course should be. Stunning alpine views, drastic elevation changes, cool clear mountain air and the right amount of quiet and solitude make Pole Creek a Colorado golf classic.
Granby, Colorado
Located between Fraser and Grand Lake, Granby is home to both Granby Ranch and Snow Mountain Ranch, as well as Grand Elk Golf Course and great fishing and hiking. For an authentic western experience, visit one of the town's authentic dude ranches and make sure to take a hike or a nice drive to take in the views of the Continental Divide before dining or shopping on the town’s charming main street.
Grand Lake, Colorado
Also known as the Western Gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake is an great place to stay while you explore the park. The town offers classic mountain activities like hiking and mountain biking, as well as miles and miles of ATV/OHV trails that will satisfy the most discerning off-roading enthusiast. And with the largest natural lake in Colorado, Grand Lake is water sports haven, too. But check the town's calendar before your visit and you might even be able to attend one of its signature events like the 4th of July Extravaganza or Grand Lake Regatta Week.
