Colorado Explorer

By Linda DuVal


> Frisco: Main Street to the Rockies
> Activities: It's time for summer fun
> Dining
> Lodging
> Shopping

Frisco: Main Street to the Rockies

There's no better way to get to know Frisco than by exploring the amazing Frisco Historic Park, prominently situated right on Main Street. This town is proud of its 130-year history.

At the historic site, which includes 11 structures in a landscaped park, visitors tour the schoolhouse/museum, the original 1881 jail, a chapel, trapper's cabin, ranch house and other beautifully restored buildings. This amazing collection was assembled in 1983.

But there were people here long before the town. The Ute Indians roamed this area, and mountain men came to trap fur-bearing animals as early as 1810.

The 1870s ushered in a new era of development for the Summit County village when mining became king. Frisco, boasting two railroads, served as transport center for all those mines. Hotels, restaurants and stores supported the 250 or so permanent residents as well as multitudes of travelers. During the 1930s, it nearly became a ghost town, with only 18 residents at one point. These days it has rebounded to a manageable 2,800 permanent residents. Though not a ski town itself, Frisco has amenities to support those who pass through on the way to Copper Mountain, Breckenridge and Keystone.

Frisco also is the choice of nearly 5,000 second-home owners who prefer it to the bustling ski towns.

You'll find something to please your palate at dozens of restaurants serving everything from Cajun to Szechuan, Himalayan to Mexican cuisine. We particularly recommend the Butterhorn Bakery & Café for hearty, tasty breakfasts and lunches.

Watersports, anyone? At the Frisco Bay Marina, on the shores of Lake Dillon, you can rent a canoe, kayak, powerboat or sailboat to explore the 3,300-acre lake. They'll even teach you how to sail and use the other watercraft.

"The marina may be the best-kept secret in Frisco," says Tim Bock, director of marketing for the town. "People just don't expect a lake of this size at 9,000 feet."

For cyclists, the Ten-Mile Recreation Pathway runs through town as it stretches from Vail to Breckenridge and Keystone. Fat-tire fans can leave the paved path to test their skills on local trails.

There are several dozen hotels, motels, inns and countless condos where you can rest your weary bones after a day in the mountains or on the lake. Take time to explore the shops, too. In particular, check out Junktique, where you enter through an old train caboose to be wowed by about 5,000 square feet of wonderful antiques, strewn over three floors. Also check out Diane Harty Millinery, where you can have a hat custom-made just for you.

"Her hats are truly amazing," Bock says.

Special events happen year round, but the town's old-fashioned July 4 celebration is worth catching-complete with a fishing derby for kids, live music and fireworks, naturally.

For information on visiting Frisco, go to www.townoffrisco.com or call 800-424-1554.

Linda DuVal is a former travel editor and freelance writer in Colorado Springs.

It's time for summer fun

Activities

Athletes converge upon Colorado Springs July 30-August 2 for the 2009 State Games of America. Anyone can compete, and more than 10,000 people from 47 states are expected to do so-in 31 sports ranging from rock climbing to inline hockey, from table tennis to flag football. Sign up on their website. 719-634-7333, www.stategames.org.

Looking for a little lake time in your life? Try McPhee Lake near Dolores. It's the second largest natural lake in Colorado and supports both warm- and cold-water fish, so you can catch crappies and trout, bass and salmon. You're sure to find a private spot along its 50 miles of shoreline. 800-530-2998 or 800-253-1616.

Glenwood Caverns is marking 10 years in business in Glenwood Springs by adding some new attractions, including Colorado's first 4D movie theater, a laser-tag arena, a spelunking simulator and two new trampolines. Don't forget to visit the caverns while you're there! 800-530-1635, www.glenwoodcaverns.com.

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Colorado Gold Rush by learning to pan for gold. You can do it at the Lomax Placer Gulch Tour in Breckenridge. You also can see how placer mining changed the landscape and learn how to use all those cool mining terms, like flumes and riffles. 800-980-1859.

The Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder started in 1898, and remains one of the few such continuing operations in the U.S. Designated a National Historic Landmark, it's also the only year-round Chautauqua. The eclectic schedule includes concerts (such as Joan Baez on July 15 and Peter Kater on July 25), bird-watching seminars, silent films and talks by authors. 303-440-7666, www.chautauqua.com.

Immerse yourself in Asian-Pacific-American culture at the free Dragon Boat Festival, July 25-26, at Sloan's Lake Park in northwest Denver. Besides the exciting and colorful dragon boat races, there will be music, dance, arts, crafts and food representing various countries of the Pacific Rim. 303-953-7277, www.cdbf.org.

Dining

Whether you like your barbecue Kansas City, Texas or Carolina style, you'll find something to your taste at Nordy's Bar-B-Que & Grill in Loveland. The Nordhagen family has been in the restaurant business for 25 years, and Nordy's shows their cumulative knowledge and experience.

Besides, how often do you get to eat in a bunkhouse? 970-461-9227, www.nordysbbq.com.

For fresh, seasonal American food with a Southwestern twist, try the Old Blinking Light in Highlands Ranch. Chef Joseph Wrede, named one of 10 "best new chefs" by Food & Wine magazine, is at the helm of this local favorite. Check out such specialties as achiote-rubbed, brick-oven roasted chicken with green chile mac-and-cheese. 303-346-9797, www.oldblinkinglight.com.

Lodging

When you stay at a dude or guest ranch, you get much more than a room and a horse. Join a cattle drive at Sylvandale Ranch near Loveland the week of July 5, or attend Cowgirl Camp at Wilderness Trails Ranch near Durango, August 23-29.

Many of Colorado's ranches now offer themed getaways such as women's yoga weeks or murder mystery weeks. Perfect your horsemanship, hone your culinary skills or sign up for adult-only weeks. Can't do a whole week? Some are just weekends. 303-758-1386, www.duderanching.org.

Shopping

One of the true pleasures of summer is access to fresh local veggies. Try the Greeley Farmers' Market, which has dedicated a huge covered space to its annual outdoor shopping treat. Located next to the Historic Union Depot, you'll find local produce, homemade breads, honey, beef and bison, on Wednesdays and Saturdays into October. 970-350-9783.

If you have a recipe that calls for fresh lily bulbs, duck's feet or candied mango, Asian Pacific Market in Colorado Springs probably has them. It's the largest Asian foods market in southern Colorado. Check out aisle after aisle of ingredients from Hawaii, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and Korea. 719-573-7500.

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Linda DuVal is a freelance writer and former travel editor for The Gazette in Colorado Springs.