Storefronts and Mountain Tops
A large sector of Western Garfield County’s economy is retail and tourism driven. Bordering the Roaring Fork and Eagle Valleys, which include high-end retail and tourism arteries in Vail and Aspen an hour and a half away, our communities have several of the same opportunities that many metropolitan cities do – without the traffic. From small, locally-owned shops to high-end couture, our region hosts a cross section of retail and dining options unique to Western Colorado. In addition, most national retail and dining chains are within an hour’s drive.
We also have a large variety of lodging experiences. The historic Hotel Colorado and Hotel Denver were built in the late 19th century and housed some of the biggest characters in the Old West, including John H. ‘Doc’ Holiday, President William Howard Taft, President Theodore Roosevelt, and the ‘Unsinkable’ Molly Brown. For a modern version of the west, our region has a handful of private guest ranches and lodges with limitless views of Colorado’s mountainous backyard. We also have a multitude of national hotel chains for your stay.
It also goes without saying that our region boasts world-class fishing, mountain climbing, biking, skiing, and hunting. Western Colorado is home to the world’s largest hot springs pool and the Winter X Games, and annual tourism is one of the top three economic industry leaders for the State of Colorado.