COME TO LIFE / A Grand Time in Grand County 7 WINTER FUN Winter Park Resort’s deep snow, incredibly diverse terrain and the Winter Park Express Amtrak route from Denver right to the slopes make it a favorite skiing and snowboarding destination (and now fat-biking!) with beginners and experts alike. Nearby, the smaller Ski Granby Ranch is known as a long-time family favorite. All the Grand County towns pack in plenty of fun beyond the slopes, with groomed trails for snow-shoers and cross-country skiers, six area snow-tubing hills, sleigh and dogsled rides, as well as snowmo-biling routes with epic Continental Divide views. In Grand Lake you can even ride your snowmobile through town and right up to your favorite Grand Avenue lunch spot. Or head to Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby to experience the spectacle of their summer tubing hill and other family activities. In the afternoon, go north to the laid-back county seat of Grand Lake (1) , where hints of the vil-lage’s Western character are revealed in its historic boardwalks and hitching posts alongside the parking spots. As Colorado’s deepest and largest natural lake, Grand Lake attracts sum-mer fun-seekers looking to water ski, fish, sail or relax on the beach. Rent a boat and take leisurely laps on the water, look up for eagles and down for trout. Take a mile-long hike to beautiful Adams Falls , which feeds into the lake. This area is the western entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and one of the state’s most popular areas for viewing moose and other wildlife. Or explore the area’s four mountain golf courses, where you’ll tee off amid inspiring scenery (and your ball will fly farther through our thin air). Catch an evening show at Grand Lake’s Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre , which presents a lineup of Broadway favorites and will have you whistling show tunes throughout your Rocky Mountain excursion. @Eli Duke DAY 2 As the Colorado River carves its way from the Continental Divide on its journey to the Pacific Ocean, it treats Grand County visitors to some of the best rafting around. Jagged red canyons and green valleys provide stunning backdrops for mellow floats, perfect for families. Outfitters can be found throughout the county. The river is also home to Gold Medal fishing. The sleepy mountain town of Granby offers Western hospitality, an idyllic main street of restaurants and antique shops and easy access to the area’s outdoor pursuits, including boating and fishing on Lake Granby . Expect nothing but the best at the many dude ranch resorts (3) that dot Grand County. Proprietors roll out the country hospitality to those seeking an authentic Old West experience, offering activities like horseback riding, hiking and square dancing, and the not-so-cowboy tennis, yoga and volleyball. Some even have luxurious spas and miles of trails and fishing. SIDETRIPS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS, FLICKR/ELI DUKE; NEAR KREMMLING, ETHAN WELTY; C LAZY U RANCH; SNOWMOBILING IN GRAND COUNTY, KERRICK JAMES. Retreat to Hot Sulphur Springs and do what visitors have done since the time of the Ute Indians: Soak in the area’s mineral-rich pools. Volcanic rock 35,000 feet below the earth’s surface heats the water that fills the pools at the town’s namesake resort and spa. Fraser is another ideally situated home-base for exploring the area’s outdoors (and is perhaps best known for its epic lift-served snowtubing hill in winter). And Kremmling is a sportsman’s paradise amid some of the state’s best fishing waters and elk-hunting grounds, as well as miles and miles of ATV and OHV trails. Head to Rusty Spurr Ranch for trail rides and cattle drives, book saddle-and-paddle trips for great rafting and riding or hike to Radium Hot Springs on the Colorado River. 3 STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Fraser (page 196), Granby (page 197), Grand Lake (page 198) Hot Sulphur Springs (page 199), Kremmling (page 199), Tabernash , Winter Park (page 206) 144 / COLORADO.COM
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2018: Page 144
