2017-12-13 07:00:43
With vast ranches, aspen-draped mountains and oxbow rivers, this area makes for a serene escape, but there’s also plenty of adventure. MORNING Start your trip by heading to one of Steamboat Springs’ two thermal-water attractions — Old Town Hot Springs or Strawberry Park Hot Springs (1). Located off Lincoln Avenue, Old Town Hot Springs boasts a waterslide, soaking pools and lap lanes, while Strawberry Park offers a more rustic and secluded (but no less indulgent) experience. Follow your soak with a gondola ride to the top of Mount Werner for brunch or lunch with a splendid view or head to Steamboat Zipline Adventures (2) on Rabbit Ears Pass, where Lake Catamount, Flat Tops Mountains and Yampa Valley views fight for attention as you zigzag down the mountainside. A few miles away, Stagecoach State Park’s reservoir tempts water bugs with boating, jet-skiing and hard-fighting rainbow trout. As you drive through the region, look for interpretive signs that share the rich legacy and cultural heritage of the area (go to nwcoloradoheritagetravel.org for a map). AFTERNOON Kids could spend days exploring the ropes course, climbing wall and trampoline bungee jump at the Coca-Cola Adventure Zone at Steamboat Resort. Other options include the more than 50 gardens at Yampa River Botanic Park (3) and the Tread of Pioneers Museum to explore the ways of the Native Americans, early settlers, miners, ranchers, skiers, outlaws and lawmen in this once-Wild West town. Head up Buffalo Pass Road, an especially picturesque scene in fall when aspens blanket the Park Mountain Range slopes. High-clearance vehicles are recommended if you want to drive far up. Anglers will delight in the Yampa River’s Gold Medal fishing waters — in particular, the stretch below Stage-coach Reservoir where leviathan brown and rainbow trout lurk in swirling tail waters. Steamboat is also a big destination for biking. Rent a cruiser and ride the Yampa River Core Trail in search of adventure: fishing access, the hot springs, shopping in town, yoga, riverside parks and the rodeo, or just watch the tubers, kayakers and rafters float by. There are also new trails at the Steamboat Bike Park and more than 50 miles of scenic singletrack trails on Emerald Mountain. End the afternoon at Butcherknife or Storm Peak brewing companies, recent additions to the artisan beer scene. EVENING Delicious dining options abound in historic downtown Steamboat Springs. One new favorite: Cloverdale Restaurant serves multi-course dinners made with fresh ingredients from Cloverdale Farm. On summer weekends, cross the Yampa River to the Romick Rodeo Arena and cheer on the cowboys of the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series, followed by live country music. Or, since Steamboat was also recently named a Certified Colorado Creative District, stroll through the town’s galleries, pick up the First Friday Artwalk or see what other arts events are happening during your visit. WINTER FUN Steamboat is a prime spot for skiing and riding. Its famed Champagne PowderTM is light, dry and smooth, which makes for great skiing and also snowmobiling, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in Steamboat and the public lands that surround it. SIDETRIPS To Steamboat’s west, stop into the quiet towns of Craig and Hayden, popular with hunters and fishermen as an easy homebase amid pristine lakes and wilderness areas. In Craig, find one of the nation’s best collections of cowboy and gunfighter memorabilia at the Museum of Northwest Colorado. Just 45 miles west of Craig, spot one of the few remaining herds of wild mustangs in the Sand Wash Basin, also prime off-roading territory. The horses are consistently seen along the Wild Horse Loop on Sevenmile Ridge just north of Maybell. To the far west, there’s also Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge, a nesting/resting area for migratory waterfowl along the Green River where hikers, sightseers, fishermen are welcome year-round. See page 155 for information on Dinosaur National Monument, south of Browns Park. Get sidetracked south of Craig toward Meeker’s 250-mile Wagon Wheel off-highway-vehicle trail system through the White River National Forest to explore some of Colorado’s finest wilderness. Meeker itself is OHV friendly, too, so you can ride your vehicle right through town to peek into the many new shops and restaurants. Meeker sits along the Flat Tops Scenic Byway, which grants access to amazing wilderness scenery, hunting, fishing and horseback riding, as well as snowmobiling and cross-country skiing from the Lost Creek trailhead. Visit in June for Meekerpalooza’s arts and culinary fun, July for Colorado’s oldest rodeo or September for the famed Meeker Sheepdog Trials. In the winter, hop on the White River Nordic Council’s groomed trails, including the one to Marvine, where a warming hut and hot chocolate await! Northeast of Steamboat is an area called North Park, known as the Moose Capital of Colorado. Stop in Walden, where a Main Street welcome center can point you to year-round outdoor activities, including ghost towns, wildlife refuges, rodeos, the OHV trails in North Sand Hills’ sand dunes and the North Park–Cache la Poudre Scenic Byway. STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Clark (page 191), Craig (page 193), Hayden (page 199), Meeker (page 201), Oak Creek (page 202), Rand, Steamboat Springs (page 204), Walden (page 206) QUICK TIP In the fall, the temps are cooler, the leaves are changing, fall events abound and a soak in the hot springs or a round of golf are the perfect way to send out warm weather.
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