Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Steamboat Springs is a bracing blend of the Old and New West. Surrounded by lush rangeland, the town lies in a broad upland valley flanked on the east by the northern Colorado Rockies. The agricultural potential of the Yampa River Valley first attracted ranchers and homesteaders to this area in the 1870s. After a century of slow growth, development of a vast skiing complex at nearby Mt. Werner secured the town’s current role as “Ski Town, U.S.A.”

The town’s handsome business district remains the vital core for the area. Many new structures complement restored turn-of-the-century buildings. Galleries and specialty shops have joined an outstanding cluster of Western ware stores. Distinctive restaurants and bars are also proliferating, often with plush Western decor appreciated as much by farmers and ranchers as by sportsmen and après-skiers. The area’s numerous luxurious lodgings are at the

For more information, check with the local Chamber of Commerce.