Northwest, Colorado Attractions
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The Northwest Colorado Travel Region includes the counties of Mesa, Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, Summit, Rio Blanco, Moffat, Grand, Routt and Jackson. Highlights of the region include the Vail and Aspen Ski Resorts, and Dinosaur National Monument.
Grand Mesa National Forest
Grand Mesa National Forest encompasses the area around Grand Mesa, the largest flat top mountain in the world. The highest point on the mesa is Leon Peak, which reaches 11,234 feet. There are over 300 lakes and reservoirs in the forest, which covers a total of 360,960 acres. Visitor information centers are located at Cobbett Lake and the Lands End Observatory.
Arapaho National Forest
Round Rocky Mountain National Park are great expanses of forest, now a popular recreation area for the people of Denver well equipped to cater for vacationers with scenic highways, cableways, ski-lifts and skiing pistes.
Keystone Ski Resort
Keystone Ski Resort is home to 3 mountains and 121 trails. Located in the Arapaho National Forest, Keystone receives a substantial amount of snow each season.
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Routt National Forest
Routt National Forest, is one of eleven national forests in Colorado, covering 1,353,836 acres. Wilderness areas include Mount Zirkel, the Flattops, Neota, Rawah and Never Summer.
White River National Forest
White River National Forest provides opportunities for hiking, fishing, mountain climbing and camping. The 2.3 million acre forest is also noted for world-renowned ski resorts.
White River Ski Area
In White River National Forest is the world's largest skiing area on a single mountain, with more than two dozen cableways and lifts. The season is from the end of November to the middle of April.
Maroon Lake
The beautiful Maroon Lake is set against the backdrop of three mountains over 13,000ft/4,000m (Maroon Peak, North Maroon Peak and Pyramid Peak).
Eagle County
Eagle County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Basalt
Basalt is nestled between the Sopris and Basalt Mountains and is located at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan Rivers. Noted for fly-fishing, Basalt also offers cross-country skiing, hiking and mountain biking trails.
Ann Korologos Gallery (formerly Basalt Gallery)
The Ann Korologos Gallery features the work of Roaring Fork Valley artists and highlights painters from throughout Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. There is an excellent array of work in traditional and contemporary oils, watercolors, pastels, sculpture and photography.
Eagle
Eagle is the county seat of Eagle County. There is a visitor center and historical museum in Chambers Park.
Sylvan Lake State Park
Located south of Eagle in Eagle County, Sylvan Lake State Park is a high mountain lake ideal for fishing, boating and outdoor photography.
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Jackson County
Jackson County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge is located in Jackson County. More commonly known as North Park, the refuge was established for waterfowl to nest and raise their young. The peak period is late May when over 5,000 ducks are present.
Walden
Walden is a small town in Jackson County. It is a good base for exploring the North Park area or fishing at nearby Lake John.
North Platte River
Two French explorers, the Mallet brothers, named the North Platte River. 'Plat' means 'flat' in French. The North Platte River begins in North Park and offers many water recreation activities; it is most notable for fishing.
Mesa County
Mesa County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument features a landscape of cliffs, canyons, and unique rock formations. Many short trails offer easy access.
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Fruita
Fruita is the gateway to Colorado National Monument in Mesa County. Its other main attractions are the Dinosaur Discovery Museum and a bluegrass festival in September.
Devil's Canyon Science and Learning Center
The Devil's Canyon Science and Learning Center in Fruita has a Dinosaur Discovery museum with interactive exhibits about the Jurassic era. Other attractions include an earthquake simulator, a dinosaur dig and a paleontology laboratory.
Dinosaur Journey Museum
Dinosaur Journey in Fruita has robotic displays of Dilophosaurus, Utahraptor and T-Rex, real bones and casts from various dinosaurs, animatronic examples as well as other hands-on, interactive exhibits.
Palisade
Palisade is a fruit-farming community in Mesa County that is a popular outdoor recreation destination. Mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking and magnificent scenery are just a few of the opportunities.
Collbran
Collbran is a small town in eastern Mesa County, surrounded by the Grand Mesa National Forest and close to Vega State Park.
Vega State Park
Vega State Park offers recreational opportunities such as fishing, boating, water skiing, hiking and cross-county skiing. Vega State Park is located on a high mountain lake at the edge of Grand Mesa National Forest. Four campgrounds, with 110 sites, surround the lake.
Pitkin County
Pitkin County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
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Ashcroft
Twelve miles south of Aspen is the ghost town of Ashcroft, a former mining camp that has been abandoned since 1890. In 1883, there were 2,500 residents, which soon dwindled as the mines played out and a new source was found closer to Aspen.
Independence
East of Aspen is the ghost town of Independence, once a mining center founded in 1879 and abandoned by 1890.
Snowmass Village
Snowmass Village was established in 1967, and has become a well known ski and year-round recreation resort.
Aspen - Snowmass Ski Resort
Among the finest skiing areas round Aspen are Aspen Mountain, the Aspen Highlands, Snowmass and Buttermilk Mountain.Snowmass Ski Resort has the largest vertical drop of any ski resort in the United States. It receives an average annual snowfall of 300 inches. There are 83 trails.
Krabloonik
Krabloonik is home to over 200 Toklat sled dogs that live next to the restaurant. Dog sled rides are available through the wilderness area. The romantic log cabin restaurant serves prepared wild game and fresh fish and is set in an exceptionally beautiful and private mountain wilderness area.
Rio Blanco County
Rio Blanco County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Meeker
Located in Rio Blanco County, Meeker is a small Western town that still has ranchers driving their cattle through town on their way to pasture. Meeker bills itself as the gateway to the White River National Forest and Flat Tops Wilderness Area.
White River Museum
The White River Museum in Meeker has exhibits on Nathan Meeker and his battles with the Ute Indians. The original building was built in 1880 and used to house officers until the army moved out of town. Then it was a private residence until 1945 when it underwent major renovations. Clothing from the late 1800's through the 1940's, photographs and personal belongings from residents of Meeker are on display.
Routt County
Routt County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Summit County
Summit County is one of ten counties in the Northwest Colorado travel region.
Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain is a resort town in Summit County, home of the Copper Mountain Ski Area. Copper offers ski and snowboard terrain, snow tubing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling in the winter, and hiking, biking and rafting in the summer.
Copper Mountain Ski Resort
Copper Mountain Ski Resort has 118 trails, 20 lifts, and a vertical drop of 2,601 feet. Snowshoeing, snowmobiling or fishing are other popular activities in the Copper Mountain area.
Frisco
The town of Frisco was named and founded in 1873 as a thriving mining community. Located in Summit County, this small, quaint town attracts visitors all year round with many heading for the ski hills during the winter months.
Frisco Historic Park
Frisco Historic Park has 12 preserved buildings, including a schoolhouse, jail and log chapel. Some of the buildings house exhibits on the town's history, focusing largely on its mining and logging era.
Breckenridge
Breckenridge is a historic Victorian mining town in Summit County, with a ski resort and numerous festivals throughout the year.
Breckenridge Ski Resort
Breckenridge Ski Resort has a base elevation of 9,600 feet, a summit elevation of 12,998 feet and 19 lifts. Each peak has a mix of terrain for all levels of ski enthusiasts. Breckenridge offers 146 trails over four interconnected mountains.
Country Boy Mine
The Country Boy Mine in Breckenridge offers tours of the 19th century mine shaft with real miners and equipment in operation. Over 1,000 feet underground, visitors are given a glimpse of a working mine!
Breckenridge Golf Course
Breckenridge Golf Course is the only municipal golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. This 27-hole course is owned by the town of Breckenridge.
Dillon
Dillon is a lakeside resort town located on a reservoir of the same name in Summit County. It is centrally located near some of the best skiing resorts in Colorado.
