Grand Indeed
When I was a kid, my family traveled to Grand Lake, Colorado a couple of times during the summer. It’s a small mountain-town, nestled along the Continental Divide in the north-central part of the state. I was young enough back then that I don’t remember the exact nature of those trips; I assume we were probably there with our camping club, or perhaps out-of-town relatives.
The memories I took with me were pretty vague. I didn’t remember much of the town itself. I just recalled there being a lake (with a cool-looking covered marina) and the most amazing miniature golf course I’d ever seen. Lilliput Mini Golf was truly unparalleled, with some of its holes set up like a Rube Goldberg machine with pulleys, conveyor belts, and lots of other moving, creaky, metal parts. Here’s an old video I found of it, to give you a taste.
I’ve spent a lot time in the Colorado mountains and their rural communities over the years (that should come across in my Sean Coleman Thrillers), but for whatever reason, I didn’t get back to Grand Lake for close to 40 years. It wasn’t until about six months into the pandemic, in early Fall of 2020, that my wife and I got a wild hair to take Trail Ridge Road (the highest paved road in North America) through Rocky Mountain Park and stay over in Grand Lake for a couple of nights.
We discovered that the place is an absolute dream.
As a kid, I didn’t appreciate (at least not enough) the natural beauty of Colorado. Growing up here, I guess I just took it for granted. But as I grow older, I feel immense gratitude for the sights, recreation, wildlife, and tranquility the state has to offer. My family and I have been taking much better advantage of it over the last couple of decades, and last weekend the four of us made our third trip in four years to Grand Lake. It has truly become one of my favorite places, so I figured I’d share a little about it with Daly Grind readers this week.
The town was established in 1881, and has a population of somewhere around 500. Though a number of visitors pass through each year, it’s relative geographical isolation (including its northern entrance being shut down from October through May because of the snow) keeps it from being overrun by tourists.
The business district (known as Grand Lake Village) is essentially a single road lined with charming restaurants and shops. The Lilliput is no longer around, though some remnants of it remain, and there’s a new mini-golf place. The village is a fun and relaxing atmosphere, but the real gift is the lake itself. It’s Colorado’s largest and deepest natural lake, and it’s surrounding by lush, gorgeous mountains.
The best way to experience it, I’ve found, is to rent a boat at the marina on a bright, sunny day, and cruise the calm water, heading east:
We found last weekend that packing a lunch is a great idea. I especially like hanging around in the southeastern part of the lake, where boat-house-coupled residences (only accessible by water and foot) decorate the shore.
For a more traditional sit-down meal, there are a number of good options in town, but a restaurant we really like is a little place called Wolfies, which sits about a mile northwest of the village. The food is absolutely delicious. There’s limited seating inside, but they have a patio area across the parking lot, and the place is also great for carry-out.
If you’d rather eat somewhere with a broad, elevated view of the entire Grand Lake area, I would recommend the Huntington House Tavern at Grand Lake Lodge. It’s a little more upscale, but it’s worth it
For a quick and easy hike (including some great photo opportunities), there’s Adams Falls.
For wildlife viewing (and all kinds of hiking trails), you really can’t beat the southwest corner of Rocky Mountain National Park, which borders Grand Lake (the entrance is just a short drive away). It’s the best and most accessible part of the entire park for spotting moose.
In fact, we’ve seen at least one moose every time we’ve visited, in addition to elk, deer, and lots of smaller forest animals.
The Grand Lake area really is an embarrassment of riches, full of brilliant sights and high-country character. I can’t recommend it highly enough for those looking for a true getaway.
Have a favorite Colorado getaway? How about just a favorite mountain getaway? Tell me about it in an email or the comment section below.
Random Thought
If you know, you know.
Obligatory Dog Shot
Those of you who follow me on social media are already familiar with this super-cute rescue-pup. Her name is Farrah, and my daughter has been fostering her for over a month now, as part of her senior project. Puppies are usually adopted out pretty fast, but for some inexplicable reason, Farrah has yet to receive an application.
If you live in or near Northern Colorado, and are interested in learning more about Farrah (who’s a great dog), you can check out her profile on Big Bones Canine Rescue’s website. Feel free to ask me any questions as well.
Catch Up on the Sean Coleman Thrillers
All of my Sean Coleman Thriller novels can be purchased through Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Books-A-Million, and wherever else books are sold.
That’s all for now. Thanks for reading today’s Daly Grind.
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Take care. And I’ll talk to you soon!