Steamboat Locals Look Forward To Mud Season
Spring has sprung in Steamboat. Once the ski resort closes, locals tend to do one of two things: head out of town for a change of scenery or savor a staycation without the crowds. Affectionately known as mud season, springtime is when locals get to appreciate each other. Restaurants and bars run specials, retail shops slash prices and you can get through the grocery store without a game of shopping cart demolition derby.
A Guide To A Few Favorite Day Trips Near Steamboat Springs
For those of us who want the best of both worlds, there are day trips to be had. In a little over two hours, you can drive yourself into a completely divergent landscape. Head east to Georgetown to ride the historic Georgetown Loop Railroad. Opt for a walking tour of the Lebanon Silver Mine, which takes you 500 feet into a mine tunnel, bored in the 1870s. Guests can pan for minerals and whatever you find, you can take home. Dubbed ‘The Silver Queen of the Rockies,’ Georgetown is filled with Victorian-style homes and offers a quintessential taste of the Colorado’s rich mining heritage.
An escapade north of Steamboat can take you through picturesque Hog Park and into Encampment, Wyoming. The town was once home to over 3,000 people in its copper mining heyday. Time stands still from the 1800s to the mid 1900s at the Grand Encampment Museum. Visitors can tour original cabins complete with a two-story outhouse, step inside the saloon, ice cream parlor, blacksmith shop, supply store and schoolhouse. Kids race up the fire tower, but usually run from an original dentist chair complete with tools. The meticulously preserved town is a true taste of early Western life. Don’t backtrack home, but take the road through Walden and stop for dinner at a local gem, the Antler’s Inn.
The road west of town is a favored track by Routt County residents seeking a little post-winter sunshine. The dramatic topography of Dinosaur National Monument is the closest thing in the area to a living museum. It’s impossible to cover all 210,000 acres, but a stop at the Quarry Exhibit Hall where a 150 foot-long rock wall showcases over 1,500 late-Jurassic bones, is a solid starting point. The area houses an unrivaled fossil collection and diverse plant and animal life, some of which can be spotted on the 1.2-mile Fossil Discovery Trail. It’s hard to imagine that this area, shrouded by 23 layers of rock was once beneath the ocean. For those who don’t make it to the beach this spring, this is the next best thing!
Don’t Miss These Spring Events In Steamboat
Main Street Steamboat Clean Up Day • May 1
Spend the day sprucing up the town with fellow locals. www.mainstreetsteamboat.com
Yoga Spring Cleanse • May 1
Start the 21-day Spring Cleanse with the Yoga Center of Steamboat. www.yogacenterofsteamboat.com
Spring Fling on Rabbit Ears Pass • May 1
Join fellow snowmobilers at this year’s Hawaiian-themed Spring Fling on Rabbit Ears Pass at 9 a.m. The annual event includes food, drink, demos, raffle, a bonfire and movie. www.stayhappening.com
Steamboat Dance Theatre Concert • May 15
Snag a limited seat at the Steamboat Grand, or watch the live stream of Steamboat Dance Theater’s annual concert. www.steamboatdancetheater.org