Buena Vista, Colorado: Why This Adventure Town Deserves Your Attention

The Collegiate Peaks Fourteeners: For those who want to go all the way up

The mountains flanking BV are named after Ivy League universities—Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia—and collecting them has become something of a local sport. You don't have to summit to appreciate the trailheads: the approaches alone take you through wildflower meadows, creek crossings, and aspen groves with views that stop you mid-step. If you do want to summit, give yourself at least a full day to acclimatize at altitude first, start before dawn, and carry layers regardless of what the morning looks like.

Harvard Lakes: The Collegiate Peaks for the rest of us

Our favorite hike of the trip—and a genuine gem of the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. The trail climbs steeply from the trailhead before leveling off into dense spruce and fir forest, eventually connecting with the Colorado Trail and delivering you to two mirror-still alpine lakes at the base of Mount Columbia. It's about five miles out and back with around 1,500 feet of elevation gain—moderately challenging but deeply rewarding. Start early to have the lakes nearly to yourself, and don't miss the upper lake for the best mountain reflections. Download an offline map before you go; the initial turnoff from the service road is easy to miss.

St. Elmo Ghost Town

One of Colorado's best-preserved ghost towns sits about 30 minutes from BV up Chalk Creek Canyon, just past Mount Princeton Hot Springs, making it a natural half-day combination. St. Elmo had a population of 2,000 at the height of the silver boom; today, its Victorian storefronts stand almost entirely intact against a mountain backdrop that feels theatrical. Wander the main street, spot the resident ground squirrels that have no fear of humans, and head back down for a soak at Mount Princeton on the way home.

Mount Princeton Hot Springs

About 20 minutes south of town in Nathrop, this is the area's most impressive hot springs setup—and well worth a day pass if you're not staying on property. The natural creekside "hot pots" along Chalk Creek are the most atmospheric option, sitting right in the river with views of the white Chalk Cliffs above. The adults-only infinity pool runs at 104°F and has a quieter, more serene energy than the main soaking areas. Go on a weekday to avoid weekend crowds, and budget time for both—you'll want to stay longer than planned.

Arkansas River Whitewater Park

Right in the heart of town, the Arkansas River has been shaped into a world-class whitewater park drawing kayakers, paddleboarders, and river surfers. It's genuinely fun to watch even if you're not getting in the water—grab a coffee from Cool River and post up on the riverbank. For a proper river experience, Browns Canyon downstream is one of the most-rafted whitewater sections in the country, with Class III-IV rapids running through a national monument. Several outfitters run half-day trips that pair perfectly with a hot springs afternoon.

Cottonwood Pass

Drive or hike up to the Continental Divide at 12,126 feet on a paved road that's one of Colorado's most dramatic scenic routes. From the top, you're standing at the spine of the Rockies with the Gunnison National Forest on one side and the Collegiate Peaks on the other. Go for sunset and bring a blanket; the light on the peaks is extraordinary. The pass is also the gateway to Crested Butte on the western slope, making it a great anchor for a longer road trip through central Colorado.

Surf Hotel live music

The Surf Hotel has built a sound system that rivals proper venues, and their concert series brings surprisingly serious acts through—bluegrass, Americana, reggae, electronic. Check their calendar before you arrive; stumbling into a great show on a Friday night in a beautiful riverside hotel is a genuine discovery. Even without a scheduled concert, the lobby bar has enough energy that you'll end up staying for another round.

Downtown BV: Wander & wander some more

The main drag rewards an unhurried morning: independent coffee shops, a heritage museum in the original courthouse, outdoor gear shops, and enough food trucks and specialty stops to keep you occupied. It's the kind of downtown where you end up staying longer than planned—combine it with a coffee at Cool River and provisions for the trail at Sorelle Delicatessen before heading into the mountains.

Wesley & Rose, Surf Hotel

The anchor of BV's food scene, and it earns the position. The menu is seasonal and regionally sourced—we ordered lots, but the standouts were the goat cheese gnocchi with sage butter (rich, perfectly balanced, the kind of dish you think about afterward) and the Brussels sprouts with cherry peppers (a revelation for a dish you've had a hundred times elsewhere). For cocktails, the Saffron Sidecar and the Pollinator were both excellent—inventive without being precious. The space sits right on the Arkansas River; sit outside if the weather cooperates, inside by the fire if it doesn't. Walk-in only.

Crave

BV's best Italian, and the place we went for lunch on our first full day. Cozy, unhurried, genuinely good pastas and inventive drinks that go well beyond a standard wine list. The kind of neighborhood restaurant that earns a loyal following because nothing is trying too hard—the food is just consistently good, the space is warm, and you leave satisfied. A reliable second-night dinner option when Wesley & Rose is full.

Simple Eatery

The name undersells it. Simple Eatery has been quietly winning BV's best lunch and best burger awards for years, and once you try the elk burger on fresh-baked house bread, you'll understand why. Everything is made from scratch with clean, natural ingredients in a casual downtown spot that manages to feel like a local institution without trying to be one. It's also the right call for pre-hike provisions: Order ahead online, pick up on your way out of town, and hit the trailhead well-fed.

Cool River

On Main Street and reliably the best morning stop in town—excellent coffee (featuring Huckleberry and rotating roasters), a full breakfast and lunch menu, and a homemade bakery case that's dangerous to walk past. We went for brunch on Sunday and it was exactly right: good food, great coffee, relaxed energy, and a dog-friendly patio that makes it easy to linger. Opens at 7 a.m. and fills up by mid-morning, so get there early.

Deerhammer Distilling

Colorado's highest-elevation distillery, making American single malt whiskey from local grain right in downtown BV. The tasting room is worth stopping into for a pour or a cocktail before dinner—it's a spirit-forward alternative to the brewery scene, and the whiskeys are genuinely interesting. The staff knows their product and are happy to guide you through a tasting. A natural first stop before walking to Wesley & Rose.

The Jailhouse

Originally housed in BV's actual 1880s town jail—built from Arkansas River stone, still held together by a structural cable—The Jailhouse has moved to a new, larger location on Railroad Street but kept its identity: 10 rotating taps of carefully sourced craft beer from small Colorado breweries and beyond, plus a curated bottle and can list that would make Denver bars jealous. The staff can tell you the story of every beer on tap. One of the best-curated draft lists in the Colorado high country.

Eddyline Brewery

The original anchor of BV's craft scene, Eddyline has two locations in town and has been doing wood-fired pizza and house-brewed beer for the outdoor crowd since 2009. The back patio is the place to be on a summer evening post-hike or post-river—unpretentious, lively, and exactly what you want after a day on the water. The Rollin' Easy amber has become something of a local institution.