Denver is blessed with a winter wonderland on its doorstep – Grand County. In early spring, snow blankets the landscape under sunny blue skies, making for an ideal escape from the city. Grand County’s Nordic Skiing Centers offer unique and affordable experiences for everyone, from beginners to advanced skiers:
- Devil’s Thumb Ranch
- Luxury lodging on property, or budget in-town digs
- On property food, or dine in nearby Fraser or Winter Park
- Day visitors welcome
- Latigo Ranch
- Classic rustic western, all-inclusive (lodging, dining and skiing)
- Day skiing visitors welcome (must call in advance)
- Snow Mountain Ranch
- Budget-friendly, simple lodging and on-site dining, extensive activity options
- Nearby towns like Granby and Winter Park offer dining options
- Day visitors welcome
- Grand Lake Nordic Center
- Lodging and food options available in nearby town of Grand Lake
- Day skiing only; onsite food and ski rental shop
- Tubing hill, snowshoeing
A couple of quick tips:
- Rent Nordic skis at REI in Denver (downtown store only); REI member rate is only about $45 for 4 days.
- Wear sunscreen, sunglasses and dress in layers as you quickly warm up during springtime Nordic skiing.
To learn more, join our three day road trip in pursuit of Nordic Skiing adventures and more fun!
Leaving after work we hit rush hour, but once we pass the Evergreen Parkway exit, the drive is fast all the way over Berthoud Pass and we arrive in Winter Park less than two hours after leaving downtown Denver. Not bad.
This Thursday evening, Winter Park is mellow and quiet. We grab a quick bite at Julio’s, a mom and pop Mexican restaurant that has tasty burritos served by an extremely friendly server, then head to our hotel. Tonight we just wanted a place to crash before heading out early, so we stay at The Trailhead Inn . Our affordable motel room was clean and simple and included a continental breakfast.
Day 1
About 10 minutes outside of Winter Park, we turn off Hwy 40 to Devil’s Thumb Ranch (DTR). No strangers to this place, the beauty and grandeur always impresses us; a broad valley of pastures edged to the east by a rugged mountain range, and today it is all covered with snow. The low slung ranch compound comes into view, grand and respectful of its surroundings. Day visitors like us are welcome here to enjoy their ski trails and dining options. The Activity Center offers Nordic ski rental packages, fat tire snow bikes, snowshoes, and even sleds for the young ‘uns to slide down their sledding hill. A Nordic ski day pass is only about $22, and the trails are well-marked and perfectly groomed. Most of the time they feel empty and remote. Through meadows and creek bottoms, the views of mountains and valley are spectacular under the clear blue Colorado sky. A fun area to ski around is the stable complex where the DTR herd of horses and a few comical barnyard animals hang out, tended by an attentive crew of friendly cowpokes.
Heck’s Tavern provided an ideal spot to refresh after a rigorous workout on the trails. Under a soaring heavy-timbered dome inspired by the Grand Lodges of the National Park system, with an enormous stone fireplace holding it all up, we enjoyed lunch. Serving reasonably priced upscale pub fare, a full bar is available with an emphasis on Colorado craft beers and cocktails using Colorado distillers; the service is friendly and personable. We linger a bit, taking in the warm ambience and mountain views before heading out.
Latigo Ranch is our next destination, about an hour and a half or so from DTR, assuming you don’t stop along the way. Which would be a mistake. The string of small mountains towns along Hwy 40 offer eccentric roadside attractions and fun Americana foodie stops. Take Kremmling , for instance. Just a half block of Hwy 40, and down an alley is the Drive By Pie shop. Whole pies in various flavors are offered, and a slice (flavor of the day only) with whipped cream will set you back about $6.
Across the street we found an old school motel court repurposed into the Gore Range Artisan’s Group. Patty Shannon, a jewelry artist herself, was on duty as gallery attendant and explained how this is a grass roots project to rejuvenate an abandoned motel property, and provide economic development and community enrichment; the artists form a co-op and take turns running the shop. A series of micro galleries features works from local artists, and artist studios may be open to visitors; we popped into two and enjoyed chatting with the resident artists who eagerly shared their art stories.
Middle Park Meat Market, a few blocks off Hwy 40, is worth a stop to learn about their commitment to healthier and higher quality local meat production and butchery. Their house-made jerkies are a real treat for road trip snacking!
From Kremmling we continue along Hwy 40 toward Latigo Ranch through a scenic landscape, varied and rugged. When we turn off onto county roads, we rely on GPS mapping, which is fine until it instructs us to turn into the side of a mountain. Instead, we trust our instincts and forge ahead, climbing ever higher on dirt roads until we see a rustic archway and the sign for Latigo Ranch.
Family-owned Latigo has been a summertime dude ranch for city slickers like us since the 1920s. When the snow flies, it welcomes Nordic skiers for both overnight and day trips (call ahead and verify trails are open!). Overnight accommodations are simple and homey; our small cabin, named “Bedroll”, included a seating area with a wood fireplace, a queen bed, and private bathroom. A mini-fridge stocked with drinks and house-made caramel popcorn on the coffee table are a welcoming touch. Cozy and warm, television sets are absent in hopes visitors will enjoy simpler pleasure of another era… Surprisingly, there is wifi!
After resting up a bit in Bedroll, we mosied down to the original cabin, built in the 1920s, now used as the dining room, sitting room, gift shop and office, to enjoy an elaborate gourmet dinner prepared by Latigo’s in-house culinary team (all family members!). They wowed us with a multi-course meal that could have come from any of Denver’s most creative restaurant kitchens. Expertly paired with wines (and one craft beer) selected by their resident sommelier (also a family member), each course was imaginative and delicious. We wobbled up the hill after the meal, just as the snow started to fly, and turned in early to enjoy a quiet mountain slumber.
Day 2
After a hearty breakfast and chats enjoyed with the other overnight guests, we bade farewell to start our skiing trek. Latigo, at 9,000 feet elevation, offers grand views of distant valleys and jagged peaks, and 50 km of trails through high meadows and forest; the skiing experience is quiet and a touch on the wild side. The spring snowstorm brought gusty squalls, reducing visibility to only a few hundred feet at times. Then suddenly the sun would appear, the wind would calm allowing the snow to fall playfully. From the cabin, we ski across a hay meadow and over a ditch to a trail flanked by pine trees and aspens. The fresh spring snow sullied the groomed trails, making them a bit sticky in spots, slick in others. Not a soul was to be seen or heard; the virgin trails echoed with the scrunchy sounds of our skis and the wailing wind through the pines. Wild perfection!
Returning from skiing, we checked into the cabin office and warmed up with some cocoa and homemade cookies. We thanked our friendly proprietors for their hospitality, purchased a beautiful necklace and some warm socks in their cute gift shop and headed down the mountain, back toward Hwy 40. Soon we arrived at Hot Sulphur Springs for a soak. With about 16 natural mineral pools of varying sizes and temperatures, this was a great relaxer for sore muscles. The historic springs are popular and attract all sorts of people to enjoy themselves: families, couples, groups of friends in their 20s through 70s. The atmosphere is friendly, casual, and welcoming. (Admission is $20, towels are $2 extra and bring two quarters if you wish to use a locker to stow valuables.)
After our soak, we stop in Kremmling again for lunch at Jilly’s. This roadside diner offers inexpensive American fare like burgers and Elk Bratwurst sausages (spicy and tasty!), and lots of sweets including homemade chocolate covered toffee, all served up with a smile by the sweetest lady.
Refreshed, we head toward our last skiing destination; Snow Mountain Ranch, just past Granby. This sprawling compound has been a family-friendly mountain escape for generations. In summer, we’ve enjoyed coming here to hike the many pretty trails, try activities like archery and our favorite – star-gazing and s’mores around fires. Their yurts made for a fun family camping experience!
For dinner, we joined the other Snow Mountain guests for a simple, all-you-can-eat cafeteria style meal in the Commons. The contrast with the previous night’s meal could not have been starker. It was fun to hear all the hubbub, energy and laughter of the families and groups of teens enjoying themselves.
Our room in the Lodge was spacious, clean and simple with a memorable view of peaks to the east, and brilliant stars overhead. Like Latigo, Snow Mountain lacks television sets in hopes of providing visitors with time to reflect, rest, and enjoy the company of family and friends. They also offer lots of group activities and recreation options like an indoor swimming pool. Tired from days of skiing, we hit the sack for an early night!
Day 3
The Snow Mountain Nordic Center offers rentals, snacks and plenty of other stuff to buy; staffed by passionate lovers of the sport, they inform us which trail to take on the vast network of trails so large it is divided into zones (A,B,C). Groomed to perfection, they appeal to beginners to experts. On our visit, a two day series of competitions created a festive, exuberant atmosphere to what is often a solitary and quiet activity. Despite all the added activity, the trails were in great shape and encounters with other skiers was rare. It was fun to ski past the tubing hill, and hear the squeals of laughter. Looking at it all, we just had to smile at how beautiful it was to see people out enjoying nature and life’s simple pleasures.
After a couple of hours of Nordic skiing through open meadows and hilly forest trails, it was time to call it a day and return to Denver. Our three day road trip was over. It had been full of fun, exercise, and memorable meetings with Coloradans who live and work in Grand County. A grand place to visit, indeed!
BONUS: The Grand County town of Grand Lake offers a mighty fine, community-oriented and affordable Nordic skiing experience. Located at the town’s golf course, the fully-equipped Grand Lake Nordic Center offers trails on the golf course and more expert terrain in the surrounding mountains. There’s a bar and restaurant as well as a FREE fun tubing hill, and there are snowshoe trails. The cute town offers very affordable lodging and food options for year-round fun-seekers.
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