11 Small Towns in the Rockies that Were Ranked Among US Favorites
While beauty comes in many shades, the Rocky Mountain region is hands-down among the most spectacular in the United States. The rawness of the Rockies, its starkness and ascetic beauty, its wild and whimsical terrain, its razor-thin ridges and wave-like valleys, its vastness and emptiness — are features much better experienced than described. It could be true that you do not really visit the Rockies; the Rockies visit you. Then again, spread across this spellbinding wonderland are several charming small towns, some of which dabble up as among the most historic in the United States. The following are 11 small towns in the Rockies that were ranked among U.S. favorites.
Canon City, Colorado
From raging rivers to thundering waterfalls, water has always evoked a sense of wonder in humans. If you want to stand in awe of the stupendous force of water, there are few places in the Rockies that would surpass or come close to Canon City. Sometimes spelled with a little squiggly line on top of the letter "n" as "Cañon City," this Colorado stunner occupies the eastern edge of the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River between the Front Range and Wet Mountains. The steep cliffs you will gasp at here — all carved by the Arkansas River — are testimony to both the power and patience of water. There are several opportunities for rafting down the rapids, enjoying the scenery that encircles the Royal Gorge Route Railroad, and sampling the town's many wineries and restaurants.
Park City, Utah
You may have heard of Park City, Utah because this cute little town plays host to the Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent film festival in the United States and one of the largest in the world. While screening up to 200 films is often among the festival's main features, the ten-day event also comes with insightful panel discussions, entertaining musical events, and fun-filled parties for an impressive annual crowd of about 50,000 attendees. Yet Park City, a town of about 8,500 residents which sits at the south end of Snyderville Basin in the heart of the heart-melting Wasatch Mountains — is much more than the Sundance Festival. From skiing to hiking and a lot of fishing in between, Park City may never let you idle.
Georgetown, Colorado
While Georgetown, Colorado, is home to just about 1,400 residents, thousands more visit this Colorado treasure every year. First-time visitors will find a beautiful town that today is a tiny speck you can pass in a blink. To those acquainted with Georgetown's history, however, this will be quite odd because it was once the third-largest town in Colorado. But regardless of its size — Georgetown is huge in charm and character and boasts a delightful array of several world-class attractions. These include Georgetown Loop Railroad, a perfect pastime in the area, especially if you want to get out into the mountains and soak in the spectacular scenery. For something a bit off the beaten path, Hamil House Museum is a magical piece of the town's history and among the most beautiful homes in the area.
Breckenridge, Colorado
Curled at the base of the Rocky Mountain's Tenmile Range, Breckenridge, Colorado — because of its picture-perfect beauty — is consistently ranked among the favorite small towns in the United States. For instance, according to USA Today's 2021 10 Best, Breckenridge comes up at an impressive position 8 among the Best Small Towns in the United States for Adventure. It was the only Colorado entry on the list. If you know the total number of small towns in the country, you will appreciate the town's incredible achievement. While the former mining town boasts several exciting features, a first-time visitor will sing about, including its spectacular mountain scenery, the town's star of the show remains Breckenridge Ski Resort, a world-renowned winter wonderland.
Stanley, Idaho
Stanley boasts a population of 128. And if we are honest, it rarely gets smaller than this. So if you are only looking for a small town, you have your answer right here. Yet Stanley is more than a small town. Set in the backdrop of the heart-sinking Sawtooth Mountains, a whimsical mountain range so named because of its jagged peaks, Stanley, sometimes called the "heart of the Sawtooths," will leave a first-time visitor completely blown away. While the town can make for a stellar detour, you can also choose it as a base from which to explore the area's natural gems. And if tempted to stay — as many often are — Mountain Village Resort, a rustic lodge with an on-site natural hot spring, is everything you will need for a sizzling Sawtooth Mountain Experience.
Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is another Rocky Mountain favorite that often plants a broad smile on the faces of first-time visitors. Known as the "central command" for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park is the ultimate outdoor adventure destination. This heart-stirring mountain village, nestled along the Big Thompson River about 70 miles from Denver, is chockful of spellbinding attractions and outdoor opportunities. While the star of the show is the Rocky Mountain National Park., an outdoor wonderland you can spend months in, you will enjoy strolling through the town's downtown area and admiring the Western-inspired artwork and architecture. The iconic Stanley Hotel, known for its connection to Stephen King's bestseller The Shining, a novel whose success established King as a preeminent author in the horror genre, will be worth checking out.
Creede, Colorado
Creede, Colorado, occupies the eastern end of the San Juan Mountains near the headwaters of the Rio Grande — about 50 miles southeast of Lake City. Once a bustling silver boom town, Creede is today home to a paltry 310 residents. Despite its size, however, Creede is often among the best-ranked Rockie Mountains small towns. One of the most picturesque towns in Southwest Colorado is home to several attractions. Among the most notable of the town's landmark natural features is the La Garita Caldera, one of the largest known calderas on Earth. For clarity, a caldera is a large depression created when a volcano erupts and collapses. La Garita Caldera is not only large — or well-known — but possibly the largest single eruption in history.
Taos, New Mexico
It will be hard for Taos to miss out on the list of favorite Rocky Mountain towns ranked among the best in the country. Home to about 6,600 residents, Taos is not only known for its impressive art heritage, thanks to such celebrated art notables as Thomas Benrimo, Emil Bisttram, and Edward Corbett — but also for playing host to St. Francisco de Asis, one of the most photographed churches in the United States. While there are numberless places to sample Taos's impressive art scene, Taos Art Museum, featuring an amazing blend of rustic southwestern style and Russian folk art, should be a must-do. Then again, Taos is home to Taos Ski Valley, a world-class resort offering some of the best skiing in the Land of Enchantment.
Lyons, Colorado
Boasting a population of about 2,100, Lyons, Colorado, is tucked away in the state's Boulder County at the confluence of North St. Vrain Creek and South St. Vrain Creek — about 20 miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park. This Rocky Mountain stunner has been called a "Hip Little Town Everybody Loves": Once a sandstone quarrying town and a gold rush hot spot, Lyons is today famous for its art and music scene and for its heart-tickling beauty. If you crave a break from the glass and glitz — or from the steel and soot — you can never go wrong with Lyons, a slow-paced getaway ideal for winding down. Then again, still featuring much of its original sandstone architecture, with up to 15 such structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, time spent strolling through the town's downtown area will be well-spent.
Butte, Montana
Once the largest city in the Rocky Mountains, Butte, a quaint Montana charmer secreted on the western slope of the Continental Divide in the Silver Bow Creek Valley — is yet another U.S. favorite Rocky Mountain small town worth checking out. During its gold, silver, and copper boom years, Butte was called the "Richest Hill on Earth." Today, one of the town's claims to fame is that it plays host to one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States. More than 4,000 structures in and around Butte are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you want to learn about Butte in less than two hours — and in a dramatic and colorful style — consider hopping on the town's Trolley Tour. Nothing will come close to this memorable experience.
Telluride, Colorado
Capping this list is Telluride, Colorado, a town of about 2,500 nestled on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains — about 65 miles from Dolores, Colorado. While it is the last entry on this list, Telluride may as well have been the first. The Thrillist, for instance, ranks this Colorado jewel as the best small town in Colorado. Though difficult to get to, the endeavor is worth it. If there were no other feature, the fact Telluride plays host to Telluride's Bridal Veil, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, earns it enough credibility. Boasting peaks suitable for skiing, mountain biking, and other outdoor adventures, first-time visitors to Telluride should prepare for quite a number of heart-pounding pleasures.
The Takeaway
The Rocky Mountain region, or simply the Rockies, is a vast, spectacular expanse whose raw beauty and pristine natural settings — are like few other places on Earth. From alpine lakes to jagged peaks, lush, woody forests to narrow ridges, a visit to the Rockies often offers a delicious visual feast that will leave a first-time adventurer gasping in awe. But the region is also home to a cornucopia of small towns that are as cute as they come. Some U.S. favorite Rocky Mountain small towns include Estes Park, Colorado; Taos, New Mexico; and Telluride, Colorado.
