Neither the following words nor the accompanying photos will accurately convey the sheer beauty that is Colorado. Having spent the majority of my life in the northeastern United States surrounded by lush farmland and gentle hills, I’m not conditioned to expect the sheer scope and magnitude of the Rocky Mountains. Ashley and I both visited Colorado in the past, but brief vacations barely capture the grand landscape throughout the state. While portions of our travels last year were certainly scenic – the sweeping forests of northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York, the green mountains of Vermont, the rolling verdant hills through the Appalachians, the sapphire ocean in the Florida Keys – nothing quite prepares you for the sights of Colorado.

We temporarily left New Mexico for two planned visits on opposite sides of Colorado, the first of which was a trip to Grand Junction to see Ashley’s sister and brother-in-law, along with their new (to us) baby. We chose a route north through Durango with an interim stop in Ridgway, playing the odds that we’d be able to find a vacant spot at Ridgway State Park for a couple of nights without making reservations. We opted for the lesser of two mountain passes heading into Ridgway, choosing a slightly longer route west through Cortez before turning north to Ridgway, rather than following 550 to Ouray. I’m sure we would’ve been fine taking the 550 pass, considering we have a smaller RV that isn’t towing anything and neither of us are afraid of heights, but after the recent trip on a dirt road through reservation land, I decided to play it a little safer this time.

The alternate route certainly didn’t disappoint, as the road grew steeper and the distant mountain peaks stretched higher the further north we traveled. We began seeing raised barricades like you’d find at a railroad crossing at various points along the road, used (I’m assuming) to close the road when the snow and ice conspire to make crossing impossible, or for road crews to have time and space to clear the passage. We’d drive for miles without seeing another vehicle on the road, simply soaking in the mountain landscape of pine forests, rippling streams, and snow-covered peaks.

We passed multiple camping areas in the San Juan National Forest, which looked inviting had we not been on a schedule to arrive in Fruita for reservations in a few days. At one point on the drive, the trees gave way and offered a view into a valley complete with a crystalline lake, snowy ridges, and a tiny mountain village. When I picture an Alpine community nestled among the mountains of Switzerland, it looks kind of like this.

We drove through the little town of Ridgway on our way into the state park, catching only a fleeting glimpse of Main Street through the windows of the RV. We’d already decided to bike into town the following day because the park and town are connected by a convenient trail system. The park was quickly filling for the weekend, but we booked a site and purchased a Colorado State Parks pass from the helpful staff member at the Visitor Center.

Colorado, like Texas, charges a daily admission to each state park in addition to the camping fee. With an admission rate of either $7 or $8 per day depending on the park, the pass for a total of $70 quickly pays for itself assuming you’re spending multiple nights in Colorado state parks – which we were. RV camping in Colorado certainly isn’t cheap, however, you can find multiple dispersed camping options available throughout the state. Because we were visiting people and staying closer to towns, we stuck with our usual state park option knowing that we’d be saving some money on camping during the summer in New Mexico. But for a future visit to Colorado, we’ll definitely seek out dispersed camping and National Forest campgrounds in addition to the state park options. Also of note – while most Colorado state parks have hot showers and laundry facilities, the showers are coin-operated at a rate of $1 for four minutes. So don’t forget your quarters if you’re planning an extended visit and wish to enjoy an occasional shower.

Ridgway State Park is perched atop a ridge overlooking the Ridgway Reservoir, about five miles north of town. The reservoir is popular for fishing and boating with a day use area located along the low-lying shore. The park is laced with mountain bike trails, one of which (the Cookie Tree Trail) connects the park to the excellent River Trail, a wide paved commuter-type trail following the Uncompahgre River into Ridgway. Additional trails for more serious mountain bikers lie in wait throughout the BLM land just outside of the state park, with a total of over 30 miles of trails in the nearby surrounding area.

Ridgway is a pretty typical state park, with multiple camping loops and modern facilities. Campers have their choice of three distinct loops, one of which (the Pa-Co-Chu-Puk campground) is located five miles away from the main park and might not be the best option if you intend to bike into Ridgway. The Elk Ridge Loop is located at a higher elevation overlooking the reservoir and surrounding mountains, with the Dakota Terraces Loop lying in the lower valley and closer to the main road. That’s really all you need to know when planning a visit – the mountain setting is beautiful, the park has plenty of sites (but gets crowded in the summer, as is usually the case), and you’re within close proximity to the town of Ridgway.

Speaking of Ridgway, we biked the Cookie Tree Trail to the River Trail on the Saturday morning of our short two-day visit. As we began our descent down the Cookie Tree Trail, we met a couple walking their dog up the trail and back into the park. They greeted us and stepped to the side as we fumbled our bikes down the steep grade and around the sharp curve. After commenting on the fishing rod holder attached to the fork of my bike, the male half of the couple mentioned a beer festival happening in Ridgway that afternoon. Guess he thought I looked thirsty, but I happily thanked him for the information and headed off down the trail with growing excitement to reach town.

At this point I should emphasize that the Cookie Tree Trail is steep and rocky, leading practically straight down the side of the ridge overlooking the reservoir so when I say we “biked” it, I really mean we coasted a little, jammed on the brakes, hopped off to push a little to avoid tumbling into the water below, coasted a little more, and finally reached the flat terrain at the base of the ridge. Definitely not a trail for the whole family (unless everyone is experienced with mountain biking), or those looking for a casual ride in the park. Cookie Tree connects to the River Trail, which is a breeze to ride and amazingly beautiful. As you pedal past the day use area and closer to the outskirts of Ridgway, the trail climbs a bit before opening up to an expansive view of the valley below, cradled between mountains on either side. I don’t think it’s a view anyone could grow tired of seeing every day, which probably explains why real estate in Ridgway is fairly expensive.

For anyone familiar with the film True Grit (the 1969 original, not the 2010 remake), you might already know that some of the scenes were shot in Ridgway. The town still retains an architectural style reminiscent of a late 1800s western settlement, easily visible throughout the village streets. We arrived in town and parked our bikes at the local coffee shop, Cimarron Coffee and Books, and enjoyed the pleasantly cool spring morning along with our fancy coffee shop cappuccino. Ridgway is mainly a tourist town, with a year-round resident population of around 1,000, thanks to its proximity to Telluride and Ouray. With an average of 85 inches of snow every year, winter activities are obviously popular in addition to mountain biking when the snow isn’t too deep. As we finished our coffees, a man with a large-wheeled unicycle pedaled by, apparently a common sight in town since no one else seemed to notice but us.

Ashley perused a couple of local shops while I ventured around town, taking in the sights and enjoying the crisp mountain air. We only had two “planned” stops in town, one for coffee and the second for beer at the local brewery. But as we learned more about the festival happening that afternoon, we decided to hang around and see what developed. We made our way to Colorado Boy Brewery and decided to order a pizza for lunch while sampling a couple of their brews. Both pizza and beer were delicious, and I’d recommend a stop here if you’re in Ridgway. It’s small, cozy, and laid-back – the kind of place I could hang out on a snowy winter night listening to (or playing with) whatever local band might be playing that evening.

The beer festival turned out to be the annual “Love Your Valley Festival” held to celebrate Ridgway and raise money for the summer concert series. Entrance into the event itself is free, and visitors can enjoy live music all afternoon while chatting with locals and tourists alike. For anyone wishing to sample beers from the roughly 15 breweries in attendance, $20 buys you a bracelet and sampling glass for unlimited tastings. I took it to be fate that we just happened to be in town on the day of the festival and purchased a sampling pass, while Ashley decided to continue around town and meet me later at the festival. The setting was perfect and the weather was ideal, the sun just warm enough to take the chill out of the air. I carefully paced myself while working my way through the breweries in attendance, making sure to drink plenty of water. If you’re new to higher altitudes, you really do need to drink more water than you think necessary and be cautious of drinking alcohol too quickly. The effects are magnified for anyone not accustomed to the altitude and it’s definitely better to play it safe in this instance. Not to be outdone by the unicycle-riding man earlier, a young kid on stilts teetered around the festival later that afternoon with his family. This was not a hallucination caused by excessive alcohol consumption, because Ashley saw him too and she wasn’t sampling any Colorado craft beer at the festival.

As the festival wound to a close and the sun began slipping behind the mountains, we hopped back on our bikes to return to the park before it grew too dark. To complete the wild west feel of the town, someone on horseback rode into the festival as we were leaving and nonchalantly hitched her horse to a tree as though it were perfectly normal. Like the unicycle and stilts, apparently the sight of a person on horseback is only unique for visitors as once again, hardly anyone else really seemed to notice. It was the perfect ending to our day in Ridgway, capped by yet more amazing views as we followed the trail back into the state park.

If you have the opportunity to visit Ridgway, even if only in passing, you won’t be disappointed. The drive through southwestern Colorado will be stunning no matter what route you take, and the town of Ridgway is an idyllic place to spend a few nights. The proximity of the state park makes it easy for RVers and tent campers to see the town while also enjoying the mountainous surroundings. With multiple festivals throughout the year, visitors likely won’t have a hard time finding something to do. Maybe your unicycle or stilts might be a little dusty and you’re looking for an excuse to brush up on your skills. Or leave your unicycle at home and saddle up your horse for a ride into Ridgway, and take a small step back in time while enjoying all that the present has to offer.