COME TO LIFE / Helping of Hot: Historic Sites & Family Fun in Pueblo HELPING OF HOT: HISTORIC SITES & FAMILY FUN IN PUEBLO MORNING Kick off your visit in the quaint and colorful Union Avenue Historic District (1) , the town’s original city center, which once housed trading posts, gambling saloons and second-story brothels. Today, the area’s beautiful brick and sandstone buildings, 70 of which are on the National Register of Historic Places, house a collection of boutiques, art galleries and sidewalk cafes. The neighborhood is one of three that make up Pueblo’s Creative Corridor , hubs of museums, live music, galleries, public sculpture, fountains and more. COLORADO Once a rough-and-tumble mining town inhabited by cowboys, gold-seekers and infamous ruffians like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody, modern-day Pueblo is a sunny playground nestled on the banks of the Arkansas River. Visitors can immerse themselves in the area’s history and culture, play outdoors in what is often one of the state’s warmest locales and savor some of the best green chile in the world. SIDETRIPS THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: BISHOP’S CASTLE, MILES/ANNA ZOROMSKI; DOWNTOWN PUEBLO’S HISTORIC UNION AVENUE, MILES/ANNA ZOROMSKI; HISTORIC ARKANSAS RIVERWALK, MILES/ANNA ZOROMSKI. OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT: BUELL CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, MILES/ANDREA BUROLLA; HISTORIC ARKANSAS RIVERWALK, MILES/ANDREA BUROLLA. 1 WESTCLIFFE & SILVER CLIFF Take a scenic drive west of Pueblo to the towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, nestled between the Wet Moun-tains and the Sangre de Cristos. The quiet area, home to 200 miles of hiking trails and 54 alpine lakes, has an air of the undiscovered. Peek into the Westcliffe Depot railroad museum and stop for a performance or movie at the Historic Jones Theater. The area is also an International Dark Sky Community, so plan for some stargazing and a stop at Smokey Jack Observatory. COLORADO CITY South of Pueblo along I-25, this town anchors the southern leg of the Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway. The 104-mile road along the splendid Sangre de Cristos travels through the San Isabel National Forest, by Hardscrabble Canyon and 40-acre Lake Isabel, an ideal spot for fishing, hiking and picnicking. Head west 24 miles along Hwy. 165 to Bishop’s Castle (pictured above), billed as “The Largest One-Man Construction Project in the Country.” Jim Bishop has been building this quirky fortress for more than 40 years. 2 Check out the Historic Arkan-sas Riverwalk (2) , a 32-acre waterfront plaza, a nature center, a new outdoor amphitheater and the world’s longest painting — a new miles-long mural created by artists from around the world. Enjoy a morning stroll along the picturesque riverwalk, or get your heart pumping on one of the bike trails, many of which connect to nearby Lake Pueblo State Park , one of the state’s most popular. If you’d rather be in the water than next to it, head to the river’s Whitewater Park , where you can kayak, bodyboard and surf. STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Colorado City , Pueblo (page 211), Pueblo West , Silver Cliff , Westcliffe QUICK TIP 144 / Keep an eye out on local menus for The Slopper , a local concoction that features a cheeseburger smothered in the city’s famed green chile. Those in the know eat it with a fork and knife. COLORADO.COM
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2017: Page 144
