COME TO LIFE | Dinosaur, Maybell, Craig, Meeker, Rangely Cowboy Country Literally millions of acres of pristine public land and free-flowing rivers soothe travel-weary eyes. This corner of the state includes Dinosaur, Maybell, Craig, Meeker and Rangely — and endless routes leading to wild beauty still home to cowboys and gals. Rest Awhile in Meeker Day 1 Spend a day at Dinosaur National Monument, an active research area brimming with fossils and artifacts. The little-known Yampa Bench Road offers five-star monument views. Visit the Gates of Lodore, accessible by trail or raft, for tranquility and sheer wow-factor. Drive east to Maybell for a day excursion or camping trip, where Cross Mountain Canyon walls surround the Yampa River. At Sand Wash Basin, marvel at hundreds of wild mustangs (tours are available). North of Dinosaur is Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge. This high-desert valley hosts 300-plus native and migratory species, like pronghorn, bighorn sheep and moose. the Museum of Northwest Colorado, as well as lots of places for good grub. The horseshoe-shaped, juniper-rimmed Cedar Mountain offers 880 acres for mountain biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. On the 3.5-mile Stearns Trail — great for many abilities — you’ll see mule deer, marmot, foxes and coyotes. Wrestle with your crappie, pike and rainbow trout dinner at Elkhead Reservoir State Park. It’s also a water-and Jet-Skiing paradise, and 11 miles of trails greet recreators. legs on a self-guided history tour of the downtown area, followed by a pint at Smoking River Brewing Company. The town is also a hub for the electric-vehicle-friendly Flat Tops Trail scenic byway (loved for autumn leaf peeping). Press east to Rangely for a museum with rare cars and motorcycles from the early 1900s; The TANK Center for Sonic Arts, an acoustically perfect steel-water-tank-turned concert hall; and more opportunities for wilderness exploration. The area is also home to numerous hiking and biking trails and ample free camping on surrounding Bureau of Land Management lands — perfect for celestial stargazers. Petroglyphs and pictographs decorate the sandstone walls of the Canyon Pintado National Historic District south of town. Prehistoric peoples began occupying the region as long as 11,000 years ago, and the canyon contains Fremont culture archaeology sites. Day 3 & 4 Meeker and Rangely are prime jumping-off points for exploring some of our finest wilderness areas along the 250-mile Wagon Wheel OHV trail system. Visitors can ride through OHV-friendly Meeker to stretch their West of Maybell in Craig, find one of the nation’s best collections of gunfighter and cowboy memorabilia at 170 1-800-COLORADO ALLEN L. THORNTON. Day 2
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2023: Page 170
