Colorado's Majestic Mountains
OLD WEST
As home to some 415 square miles of Rocky Mountain National Park,
Colorado is synonymous with breathtaking mountain ranges. And what
could be more Western than taking in the views of these granite
monoliths from a dude ranch? The Drowsy Water Ranch, outside of
Granby (90 miles northwest of Denver and 21 miles from the park),
has more than 600 acres for would-be cowboys and cowgirls to
indulge in trail rides, hayrides, trout fishing, square dancing,
and daylong rafting trips on the Colorado River through Gore
Canyon. Owner Ken Fosha aims to give his guests an authentically
Western experience: "There's been cattle ranching here since the
1800s. This is the way that cowboys saw these mountains when they
were herding cattle around," he says, noting that trails to higher
ridges offer 200-degree views of the Continental Divide. School-age
kids love the gymkhana rodeo: "It's basically games on horseback -
barrel racing and pole bending, which is like a slalom course,"
says Fosha. "At the end of the week, kids show off to their parents
how much they've learned about riding."
NEW WEST
If WiFi is more your speed than bunk beds and campfire songs, there
are amenities galore (along with plenty of Western appeal) at
Devil's Thumb Ranch, in Tabernash, which sits at the base of the
Continental Divide and is minutes away from downhill skiing at
nearby Winter Park. If dodging kamikaze snowboarders isn't your
idea of getting close to the mountains, stay nearer to home (i.e.,
in your cozy log cabin) on this 4,000-acre ranch and take in the
impressive Nordic trail system of 63 groomed, well-marked trails
ready for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing (or hiking in the
summer, which includes bird-watching and nature treks). Or, sign up
for an all-day guided backcountry ski tour. Horseback riding and a
full spa are also available. For an eagle's-eye perspective of the
Centennial State's mountainous landmarks, take a turn in a tandem
paraglider (you fly with an expert pilot in a cross between a hang
glider and a parachute) with Vail Valley Paragliding; you'll take
in views of the mountains, of course, as well as of the Eagle River
and the towns of Vail, Beaver Creek, and Cordillera. And when
you're in Boulder, do your best to score a table at the white-hot
Frasca Food and Wine. Its cuisine is inspired by that of Italy's
Friuli region, which is situated at the foot of some other very
impressive mountains, the Alps.
Natural Wonders | Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park, (800) 365-2267, www.nps.gov/romo, $20 (per vehicle) entrance fee
Drowsy Water Ranch, Granby, (800) 845-2292, www.drowsywater.com, $1,525 per adult, $1,190 per
child (inclusive), for a six-night stay
Devil's Thumb Ranch, Tabernash, (800) 933-4339, www.devilsthumbranch.com, from $170
Vail Valley Paragliding, Avon, (970) 845-7321, www.vailvalleyparagliding.com, from $150
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, (303) 442-6966, www.frascafoodandwine.com