Colorado
What’s new in Colorado this summer? Hotels, festivals, a wave park and more
Some people return each year to a favorite spot for summer vacation. But if you are among those wanting to try something new in the Rocky Mountain region, here are some suggestions that will give you reason to brag.
Ride the rails
The Rocky Mountaineer launched its Denver-to-Moab train trip in 2021, with the journey going roundtrip from Union Station downtown. What’s new is that this summer, it’s partnered with the Moab Music Festival, which is in its 31st year. The eight-night musical travel experience is Sept. 3-11, with two nights in Denver, two nights in Glenwood Springs, and four nights in Moab. Guests will get to attend four concerts at the music festival, set in stunning outdoor spaces with perfect natural acoustics. (Note that the entire festival is Aug. 28-Sept. 14, and the acts change each year. For details on the trip, go to rockymountaineer.com, and check out the music lineup at moabmusicfest.org.
Plus, when the train stops in Glenwood Springs, travelers can check out the historic Denver Hotel, which was refurbished and rebranded as Hotel Maxwell Anderson. Stop in to see its new lobby and have a cocktail.
Riding high
You’d be excused if you found yourself in Grand Junction and mistook it for Denver’s RiNo neighborhood because this Western Slope city has gone from a way station for outdoor adventure to a hip destination. The new Hotel Melrose opened in fall 2023, so this is the first summer to stay at this “historically inspired boutique hotel” with chic dark walls and sumptuous furniture. Or, just drop in to get a cocktail at the Melrose Spirit Co. while you amble around downtown.
Grab a bite to eat at Jojo’s Dinette, from the same people who brought you the always popular Tacoparty and Bin 707 Foodbar. Opened in spring 2024, this restaurant is aiming for affordable small bites with a combination desert and Parisian twist.
Ride the waves
For the past 10 or more years, the town of Salida has attracted adventurers with its Scout Wave river surfing at Salida Park. New this summer: Scout River 3.0, a new, improved version of the popular spot.
“The 1.0 didn’t really perform the way it was supposed to, and you couldn’t really surf it,” said Mike “Diesel” Post, Salida’s director of parks and recreation. In 2022, the city invested in version 2.0, which was ideal for 1,200 cfs (cubic feet per second of water flow), but when high water came in 2023, there were problems. “It turned into a hole and flipped some fishing rafts,” Post explained.
For this newest version, “We did a whole bunch of improvements, beefed it up to make sure the wave did not collapse during high water and created a safe fish passage.”
Post estimates that this little river wave draws at least 10,000 people to Salida each year.
More art
Aspen was founded with the idea of blending culture and community, so there has long been a wide variety of choices for music and art. New for summer 2024: The Aspen Art Fair, taking place at the Hotel Jerome with more than 35 galleries filling the historic hotel’s iconic ballroom and beyond. Taking place July 29-Aug. 2 during the established Aspen Art Week, this new fair has a big advantage: It’s free and open to the public. The fair, which was co-founded by Becca Hoffman, founder of 74tharts, will highlight international modern and contemporary art and design.
Not roughing it
In Estes Park, you’ll find two refurbished lodgings that are now Trailborn boutique hotels: Trailborn Rocky Mountains and Trailborn Rocky Mountains Outpost. These properties opened in late 2023, so this is the first summer guests can stay there while exploring Rocky Mountain National Park. Forget about roughing it, and instead experience stylish interiors with complimentary coffee and a soft cooler, among other amenities.
Not just camping
Ramble, a Golden-based company, has found that sweet spot between camping and glamping, and this is its first summer in Mancos, outside of Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. Here, campers get to experience nature, not being alongside RVs in a parking lot, and it provides a low-smoke fire pit, seating, cooking accommodations and more.
Outdoor recreation
Outside Magazine is debuting its Outside Festival June 1-2 in downtown Denver’s Civic Center, a collaboration between the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office and Visit Denver. For a few years, Denver was the host to Outdoor Retailer, a massive trade show for outdoor gear and more, before it moved back to Utah in 2023. This event is an attempt to fill that void with a variation that includes brands sponsoring concerts and giveaways. Attendees can take a walk with athlete Diana Nyad, drop off gently used gear for cash; learn about the future of gear; and much more.
Look up
Head north to Wyoming for the opening of the Snow King Observatory and Planetarium in Jackson on June 1. This is the first observatory located in a North America ski resort. There are daytime and nighttime experiences available; tickets need to be purchased for admittance. Check the calendar for concerts so you can combine this celestial outing with some local music fun.
“We get more summer visitors who come to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and that demographic is looking to broaden their experience of the outdoors,” said Sidney Roubin, sales manager at Snow King Mountain Resort. “Usually the technology we have in this planetarium and observatory is only found in research centers so it’s exciting that the community and visitors will get this chance.”
Jackson is currently working to become a designated Dark Sky Place, Roubin added, which could further enhance the sky viewing on this mountaintop.
Play cowboy
En route to Jackson, consider a stop in Cheyenne and take advantage of its new Saddle Up Pass, which for $125 lets you play cowboy: learn roping skills and horsemanship at Terry Bison Ranch; get discounts on authentic Western wear at participating local retailers; take a tour of the Cheyenne Street Railway Trolley; and get that souvenir Western photo. The pass is available year-round, and will certainly come in handy during the annual Cheyenne Frontier Days, July 19-28.
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Colorado
What the nation’s top QB Julian Lewis said about official visit to Colorado
Julian “JuJu” Lewis says he enjoyed his time in Boulder. But was it enough to sway him away from his commitment to USC?
The highly sought-after Carrollton high school quarterback prospect was ushered in and welcomed by everyone around the foot of the Flatirons. This was Lewis’ third official visit to Colorado since the start of the year. However, this visit was particularly noteworthy given how the city showed the Peachtree passer nothing but love.
“It was a cool weekend,” Lewis told SI. “I met a lot of good people while I was in Boulder and definitely noticed the things they did around town.” He went on to say he was shutting down his recruitment.
The nation’s top ranked prospect, according to ESPN, had a burger named after him and had welcome signs all over the place. He garnered a great deal of attention with everyone knowing how monumental it would be for CU to land him
As for the verbal commitment to USC? That hasn’t alter Lewis’ approach or wanting to survey his options. The elite signal-caller has taken official visits to Indiana, Auburn and Colorado as of late. While the Trojans are still in the picture, the Buffaloes and Tigers did enough to stay afloat.
The prominence of Deion Sanders has brought significant attention to Colorado’s football program, making it a prime destination for top recruits like Lewis. Upon arrival, he was greeted with a warm welcome that included a tour of the university’s state-of-the-art facilities. The facilities at Colorado have undergone significant upgrades in recent years, making them competitive with some of the best in the nation. Lewis and his family were shown around the Champion Center athletic complex, training rooms, and the newly renovated Folsom Field.
A key highlight of the visit was the opportunity for Lewis to sit down with Shedeur Sanders for a “legendary” picture. The Buffs “Grown” QB approach to mentoring is focusing on building character and leadership qualities in his teammates, which resonated deeply with Lewis. Sanders’ commitment to his personal and athletic development in noticeable this offseason as he ramps up to preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Additionally, Lewis was treated to a glimpse of life in Boulder, Colorado. The university’s scenic campus, set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, offers a unique environment that combines rigorous academics with a vibrant college town atmosphere. The natural beauty and recreational opportunities of Boulder were emphasized as part of the overall appeal of being at CU.
The official visit left a strong impression on Lewis and his family. Coach Prime’s dynamic leadership and the comprehensive support system at Colorado present a compelling case for why the university is an excellent choice for top-tier recruits. As Lewis continues to weigh his options, the time spent with Sanders and the Colorado football program will undoubtedly play a significant role in his decision-making process.
Colorado
Colorado GOP 2024 primary: 6-way race to replace Lauren Boebert in House District 3
Voters around Colorado are coming out to the polls Tuesday to weigh in on the primary elections, which includes candidates for Congress and the state legislature.
Pueblo Democrats didn’t have any contested races for local seats, but Republican contests for their Congressional as well as a local state House seat are underway.
Here’s what to know about who is running. Check back on this page later for updates on what’s happening.
Who is running in the CO-3 Republican primary?
Six candidates are vying to be the Republican candidate in the race for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Pueblo, the San Luis Valley and most of the Western Slope.
Puebloan Stephen Varela emerged as top candidate at the CO-4 assembly in April. Ron Hanks, who wasn’t far behind Varela at the assembly, won the controversial endorsement of the state GOP. Grand Junction attorney Jeff Hurd has raised the most among all of the GOP candidates, with over $1 million of contributions reported.
Also in the running are Russ Andrews, a financial advisor from Carbondale; Curtis McCrackin, a businessman from Delta and Lew Webb, a businessman from the Durango area.
The incumbent in CO-3, Republican Lauren Boebert, decided to move to another, more conservative congressional district late last year. Boebert was the top-place candidate at the CO-4 assembly in April.
The winner will face Democrat Adam Frisch in November. Frisch has been the only Democrat running in their primary for months and has raised about $13.2 millions since officially announcing his candidacy over a year ago.
Frisch was 546 votes shy of defeating Boebert in November 2022, a result that surprised many in a district considered relatively safe for Republicans.
Who is in the HD-46 Republican primary?
Christina Mascarenas and Kim Swearingen are the two Republicans facing each other in the primary
The winner will face incumbent Democrat Tisha Mauro in November, who was unchallenged in her party’s primary.
Mauro has been the representative for HD-46 for two legislative sessions. The district includes most of the city of Pueblo with the exception of Bessemer and the East Side, parts of the St. Charles Mesa community and the southwestern quadrant of Pueblo County.
No local Democratic races are contested
The only contest with multiple candidates on local Democratic primary ballots is between two candidates running for University of Colorado regent at-large: all of the other races have just one candidate.
Daneya Esgar is running for her first four-year term as a Pueblo County Commissioner after being appointed to the seat by a group of local Democrats last year. Miles Lucero is challenging incumbent (and former Democrat) Epimenio “Eppie” Griego for the other seat on the BOCC that will go to voters this fall.
Pueblo’s two Democratic incumbent representatives in the state House, Tisha Mauro and Matt Martinez, are running unopposed.
Frisch is running alone in this primary in CO-3, as are the Democratic candidates for the state board of education and University of Colorado regent in this district.
Anna Lynn Winfrey covers politics for the Pueblo Chieftain. She can be reached at awinfrey@gannett.com. Please support local news at subscribe.chieftain.com.
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