Every state has swimming pools and putt putt, but no one does summer quite like Colorado. Here are a few things that make the Centennial State’s hottest season iconic.
Peaches and Chiles
Coloradans wait all year for two signature crops to appear — Palisade Peaches and Pueblo Chiles. A unique microclimate and some innovative irrigation in the late 1800s have created one of the world’s great fruits in the Palisade Peach. Colorado restaurants are keen to break out peach desserts, peach-infused cocktails and salsas. Locals know to get it while you can, because the peak season — late July to early September — always passes faster than expected.
Pueblo Chilies are another summer staple, and most consider green chili to be the de facto state dish. New Mexico may have Hatch Valley, but Colorado has its Pueblos. Driving through the Arkansas Valley and towards Pueblo, you can see the chile roasters torching the first batch of the season, bringing out the smoky spice that characterizes Colorado green chili.
Read: The Best of Colorado In The Summer Time
Outdoor Concerts
By now, few people on Earth haven’t heard of Red Rocks. But Colorado has a deep collection of unique places to take in music under the stars. The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail provides an intimate environment surrounded by trees and mountain views. Musicians playing on the Mishawaka’s log stage are serenaded through their set by the Poudre River, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has brought the best pickers in the business to Colorado since 1973. Brevity dictates I can only mention beautiful spaces like Planet Bluegrass, the Dillon Amphitheater, and State Bridge, though one-off events are still home to some of the season’s best tunes. With no lack of options, the mountain air on a summer night never fails to pair nicely with your favorite band.
Hot Springs
Colorado is rich with natural hot springs, and you can experience them in just about any way you can dream of. Glenwood Springs has the world’s largest hot springs pool, and it recently added a white water tubing chute. For those looking for a more natural experience, Valley View Hot Springs — situated just north of Great Sand Dunes National Park — requires a little hiking to enjoy the cascading pools. And for those enticed by the VIP treatment, there is Dunton Hot Springs. Just past Telluride in a ghost town abandoned by miners, this resort boasts private hot springs and cold plunges in bespoke cabins.
Breweries and Drinking in the Sun
Beer has been a driving force in Colorado culture since before it was a state. Coors opened its doors in 1873, and our state’s love for beer has only grown. While the selection in your local liquor store is just fine, drive across the state and you’ll find a wide array of local spots with suds. Craft Mountain Brewing — formerly Mad Jack’s — in Bailey is an ideal stop between the city and the mountains, and New Terrain Brewing Company has set up a beautiful space in Golden that hosts live music on the lawn all summer.
While beer has dominated the state’s drinking scene, distilleries are on the rise. One of the founders of the Colorado spirits industry is Peach Street Distillers in Palisade. In 2008, they produced the first legal bourbon in Colorado, but the real stars are their pear and peach brandies made from local fruits. Stop by on your summer road trip and enjoy a tasting overlooking the orchards.
National Parks
The American West is blessed with some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the world. Colorado is home to some of its most unique landscapes. The rock structures at Mesa Verde National Park have been inhabited for 9,000 years, with evidence of early tribes dating back to 7,500 BC. It is a window into humanity’s past tucked into the Four Corners region. Dinosaur National Monument takes us even farther back, as visitors can see the footsteps of ancient giants preserved in the rock.
From the history of Mesa Verde to the majesty of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado has a wealth of public land to explore. Places like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison are a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some, but often a yearly road trip for lucky Coloradans.
Coors Field
To be honest, our Rockies aren’t exactly knocking it out of the park lately. But that doesn’t detract from a good day at the ballpark. There’s nothing quite like sitting under the lights on a summer night at Coors Field, Rocky Dog in one hand and a Silver Bullet in the other. We may be last in the standings, but we’re beating fourteen other teams in attendance. Must be that Mile High air.
While summer still feels at its peak, it’s important to catch these fineries fast. They’ll be a sweet memory in no time.
