Guest column | Spring is perfect for exploring the softer side of Grand (2024)

Spring is the perfect time to expand your horizons and experience some of Grand County’s many cultural activities and amenities like creative classes, live performances and museums. Despite the muddy trails, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors, like going for a scenic drive and watching wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park. Or relaxing on a sun-drenched patio with a co*cktail to enjoy the slower pace of the transitional season.

Grand County proves there’s more to see than just ski resorts here.

Create and craft with the Rocky Mountain Folk School

Grand County is home to the only folk school organization in the Rocky Mountain region that offers classes and workshops year-round where you can try your hand at a traditional art forms like painting, woodworking and pottery. Or you can challenge yourself to learn a more obscure craft like ice sculpting, fly tying or flute making.

The school attracts artisans and participantsfromaround the country with its mission to “engage the hands, warm the heart and stimulate the mind in an inspiring and inclusive mountain lake community.” Classes are held in Grand Lake, a special place with breathtaking scenery that has been an inspiration and respite for artists for centuries.

Learn more and sign up atRockyMountainFolkSchool.org.

Expand your mind at a museum

Take time to learn more about Grand County’s rich and storied heritage by visiting one of its many museums and historic sites.

The Cozens Ranch Museum sits on one of the earliest ranching homesteads in Fraser. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and offers a glimpse at pioneer life during the late 1800s.

In Granby, the Moffat Road Railroad Museum features nine pieces of railroad equipment and two model train layouts, including Colorado’s largest permanent O-scale Christmas layout (check for seasonal closures).

Located in the original Hot Sulphur Schoolhouse built in 1924, the Pioneer Village Museum houses a collection of ancient artifacts and an impressive display depicting the humble beginnings of Colorado’s ski resort industry.

The Heritage Park Museum in Kremmling is a collection of traditional ranch buildings, including a livery, fishing cabin and ranch house. You will also find the original Kremmling town jail and railroad depot here, each representing different aspects of early 1900s ranch life.

The Headwaters River Journey in Winter Park is a state-of-the-art interactive museum that explores the waterways that sustain our region.

Take a road trip journey with a scenic drive

Going for a drive is one of Grand County’s most iconic pastimes. The area’s 360 miles of scenic roadways boast vast, bucolic scenery, miles of meandering waterways and fence-lined ranches. And unlike most country songs, you don’t have to venture onto any backroads to snap photos of some of the region’s most insta-worthy scenery.

One of Grand County’s main entry points, U.S. Highway 40, travelsfromClear Creek County and crests the Continental Divide at Berthoud Pass. Here travelers are treated with dizzying alpine views with access to numerous backcountry trails and huts, including the 3,500-mile Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, before descending into the town of Winter Park.

On the other end of the county, Ute Pass delivers passengersfromSummit County, a journey that travels through the Arapaho National Forest, past the Henderson Mine and offers views of towering peaks in the Eagles Nest Wildernessfromthe top.

Drivers who prefer to stay under 11,000 feet in elevation can cruise along the 80-mile Colorado River Headwaters Scenic & Historic Byway. This beautiful journey meanders along the Colorado Riverfromits famous origination point in Rocky Mountain National Park. It continues through the stunning Byers Canyon and Upper Gore Canyon. In 2005, this route, which includes part of U.S. 40, was designated as just one of 13 America’s Byways in Colorado. Recently, the route was also recognized as a Colorado Electric Byway thanks to infrastructure improvements to accommodate electric cars.

While driving, look for wandering wildlife and the insignias of the Grand County Quilt Trail, a local program that posts custom, enlarged signs resembling traditional quilt squares on private homes, public buildings and historic sites.

Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer

Grand Lake holds the annual Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony to honor those who have served in the military. The parade will march down Grand Avenue and includes veterans, service groups, horses, first responders and plenty of patriotism. Afterwards, the American Legion will hold a ceremony in Town Park. Spectators should plan to arrive early to set up their chairs.

Memorial Day also marks the official opening of the town’s lakefront activities, including the town beach, seasonal shops and restaurants. The Headwaters Marina offers boat rentals, fishing charters and guided tours.

The surest sign of summertime, however, is the highly anticipated annual opening of Trail Ridge Road, which provides highway access through Rocky Mountain National Park to Estes Park. This 48-mile “highway to the sky” is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet above sea level.

Travelers are treated to 360-degree views of the unique alpine tundra landscape, featuring snow-capped mountain peaks in every direction and wildlife sightings like big horn sheep, marmot, moose, elk and bald eagles. Snowplow operations usually conclude around Memorial Day weekend, weather permitting. The ribbon cutting of the road is celebrated by locals and travelers alike as the official start of the summer season.

Get more details about events and businesses listed atVisitGrandCounty.com.Please note thattimed entry permit reservationswill be required to enter the park starting May 24. The weather dictates whether Trail Ridge Road is opened or closed. Call 970-586-1222 for current conditions.