Carbondale
Six89: 689 Main St., 970-963-6890
Chef-owner Mark Fischer continues to wow with his seriously fun approach to food, served
efficiently and with style in a charmingly renovated house. Best fall dish: Rosemary and Madeirabraised
lamb with heirloom-potato salad and Zephyros Winds Farms fresh feta.
River Valley Ranch Golf Club: 303 River Valley Ranch Drive, 970-963-3625
Set in the Crystal River Valley with a view of Mount Sopris, the Jay Morrish-designed
championship-style course offers expansive greens and elevation changes, and the
cottonwoods along the river that run through it are magnificent this time of year.
Greens fee: $50.
Redstone
Redstone Art Center: 173 Redstone Blvd., 970-963-3790
Part studio, part gallery, this co-op is worth a stop to see who’s working on what, from wood pottery
to stone carving, painting, jewelry, glass and ceramics. The exhibitions change as the gallery side rotates
new works.
Glenwood Springs
Daily Bread Bakery & Cafe: 729 Grand Ave., 970-945-6253
This is the cheapest, easiest way to fill up with some of the tastiest food around, from breakfast burritos to
cinnamon rolls, all homemade and served up fast. Breakfast and lunch only.
Hot Springs Lodge: 415 E. Sixth St., 970-945-6571
The rates may seem high at $154 per room (up to four people), until you find out that a night at this ultrapopular
and comfortable place includes not one, but two, full days of relaxing in the oversized hot springs pool and a continental breakfast too. Don’t want to stay? A few hours of R&R costs $12 (adults).
Buena Vista
Pancho’s Mexican Buffet: 215 U.S. 24 N, 719-395-
2863
The best french fries in the West, and great milkshakes,
too, can be found at this quick, casual, inexpensive
stop that also makes a mean green chile. Order at the
counter; eat in or they’ll pack it up real nice to go.
Thunder Lodge: 207 Brookdale Ave., 800-330-9194
Overnight next to Cottonwood Creek in one of the
family-sized, Western-themed log cabins, each with
kitchen and outdoor grill. Rates are $45-$125 per
night.
St. Elmo Ghost Town
Follow U.S. 24 south out of Buena Vista 8 miles to CR
162 and turn west. The old mining town, born in 1878,
is about 10 miles from there. The post office closed in
1952, and since then it has been one of the bestpreserved
ghost towns in the country. Some folks swear one of the original inhabitants still haunts it.
Crested Butte
Kochevar’s Saloon & Gaming Hall: 127 Elk Ave., 970-349-6745
Butch Cassidy famously left his gun here while being chased, but you’re more likely to
leave some cash at this 100-year-old pool hall in exchange for a few Colorado microbrews
during its popular happy hour.
Slogar: 517 Second St., 970-349-5765
Get your Victorian fix in this historic eatery and take down a heaping platter of skilletfried
chicken, buttery mashed potatoes, rich gravy and fluffy biscuits, with ice cream
for dessert included. It’s all served family-style 5 to 9 nightly for $14.45 a person.
The Natural Butte: 326 Elk Ave., 970-349-7775
An 1898 mining cabin turned into a shop selling all-natural and organic body products,
many of them local.
Lazy F Bar Ranch: 970-641-3313
Just south of Crested Butte (take Brush Creek Road for 3 miles) sits the Lazy F, set up
to put you on horseback through the spectacular aspens around the Snowmass Maroon
Bells Wilderness Area for anything from an hour to overnight, with meals.
The Inn at Crested Butte: 510 Whiterock Ave., 800-949-4828
Small (17 pine-furniture-filled rooms), locally owned and featuring great views of the
surrounding mountains, the Inn has that mom-and-pop feel with decent rates ($98-$135
through October) to match and a homemade continental breakfast to boot.
