Local Area Map
Grand County Area Map
Discover Grand County -- Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake Village, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling, Parshall, Tabernash, Winter Park
Ute, Arapaho and Cheyenne Tribes hunted and fished in the Colorado and Fraser River Valleys. The first European settler set up residence in Grand Lake in 1867 and in 1905 the railroad arrived. In 1874 Grand County was established and is named after the "Grand River" an early name for the Colorado River. It is 1,868 square miles full of meadows, rivers and mountains. The County's major geographic feature is Middle Park, a large mountain basin that includes the headwaters of the Colorado River and the deepest natural lake in Colorado, Grand Lake.
Discover Grand County's unspoiled landscape and experience a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities in Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall with wilderness areas, mountain lakes, gold medal waters, hiking, biking, sledding, ATVing and skiing trails with extraordinary alpine views.
THE QUIET SIDE: 80% of RMNP visitors enter through Estes Park rather than the Grand Country side. The west entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park is a beautiful five minute drive north of Grand Lake Village on Hwy 34. Be sure to stop at Kawuneeche Visitor Center to watch a film on the Park, talk to Rangers about Hiking Trails and watch-able wildlife. Don't forget to checkout the bookstore. The Coyote Valley Trail is a 1 mile round trip hike that is level enough to allow for wheelchair access; the path follows the Colorado River through Kawuneeche Valley where Moose and Elk are often seen grazing. Be sure to bring a picnic and your fishing pole.
TOP THREE SCENIC DRIVES: If you're planning a Fall vacation, you will be delighted by the colorful show our Aspen Trees bless us with each year! The Colorado River Headwater Scenic Byway is both a National and State Scenic Byway that starts in Grand Lake and follows the Colorado River along Highways 34 and 40 to Kremmling and beyond: enjoy first-class fishing; Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking; a soak in natural hot spring pool; find a quiet spot where you can sit on the river bank with a picnic basket. Trail Ridge Road Scenic Drive, designated an All American Road, is the highway to the sky taking you over the Continental Divide and into Estes Park; be sure to stop at the Farview Curve Overlook parking area; if you're lucky you might see Bighorn Sheep and Moose -- closes in winter. An off-the-beaten drive through Blue Ridge is Church Park Road Scenic Drive connecting Fraser to Hot Sulphur Springs during the summer months; pass large ranches; quacking aspen groves: there is plenty of access to fishing and hiking and an excellent short cut from Fraser to Williams Fork Reservoir. No matter which drive you pick -- keep your eye out for wildlife such as elk, coyote, fox, marmots, bighorn sheep, moose and array of birds.
COWBOYS and COWGIRLS: Ranching is a way of life in Grand County! Bring your western hats and boots and plan to hoot and holler for the bucking broncos, rodeo clowns, bareback-riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and bull-riding all summer long. High Country Stampede Rodeo in Winter Park runs from early-July through mid-August on Saturday nights; each night has a different theme from military appreciation to family fun night with authentic western BBQ. The annual Middle Park Fair and Rodeo in Kremmling celebrates Grand County's rich ranching history in late-July and early-August. Flying Heels Area in Granby offer boot-stompin' fun mid-June through August: the Junior Rodeo is followed by an Open Rodeo.
GRAND COUNTY FISHING: The area boasts magnificent fishing lakes with beautiful, unspoiled views. Anglers will find rainbow, brook, mackinaw and cutthroat trout in abundance and large Kokanee salmon as well. Grand Lake, the largest natural lake in Colorado, as well as man-made Shadow Mountain, Willow Creek and Granby Reservoirs are home to this incredible fishing and over 150 miles of shoreline for other water activities. If you're looking for the Gold Medal waters along the Colorado River you will find three areas between Kremmling and Hot Sulphur Springs. Williams Fork Reservoir offers year round fishing with rainbow, lake and brown trout; and northern pike Kokanee salmon; and in winter when that Res freezes, ice-fishing is allowed. North of Kremmling along Highway 40, Wolford Mountain Recreation Area features a mountain reservoir fed by Muddy Creek; spend the day fishing, standup paddle boarding, jet skiing, hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding.
Grand County, Colorado is the perfect place to start your engines with hundreds of miles of breathtaking and stimulating terrain for ATVing, Jeeping, UTVing, dirt biking and in winter snowmobiling. Rent an ATV, OHV, or snowmobile for the day or take a guided tour with a local outfitter. Near Grand Lake, North Supply Creek is primarily used by folks looking for an off-road driving experience for ATVs and OHVs and it's moderate trail. The Wolford Mountain Area offers an easily accessible network of ATV trails near Kremmling in Routt National Forest. If you are looking for a snowier high octane experience, Winter Park, Grand Lake and Kremmling all offer amazing snowmobile trails; the season usually starts around Thanksgiving and ends in mid-March depending on snowfall, of course.
SPEAKING OF WINTER . . . . Grand County has two Ski Resorts: Winter Park Resort is one of the largest ski areas in Colorado with 143 designated trails and is home to the National Sports Center for the Disabled. Ski Granby Ranch is a low-key resort focused on beginner friendly runs, it's family owned which is why it feels more like the ski area for the 1990s rather the than a jet-setting fashion show of Aspen. If your childhood dream was to find the perfect sledding hill, check this dream off your bucket list; the Colorado Adventure Park, Coca-Cola Tubing Hill, Fraser Tubing Hill, Hideaway Park Snowzone and the Grand Lake Nordic Center all provide the perfect amount of thrill and safety.
Grand County Activities & Maps
National Parks and Monuments:
Rocky Mountain National Park
Scenic Byways:
Church Park Road Scenic Drive
Colorado River Headwaters Scenic Byway
Trail Ridge Road Scenic Byway
Seasonal Attractions:
Colorado Adventure Park
Hiking Trails:
Grand Lake Hiking Trails
Fishing:
Granby Area Fishing Map
Kremmling Area Fishing Map
Rafting & Kayaking:
Upper Colorado River Rafting & Kayaking
Jeep & 4WD:
Grand Lake Jeeping & ATV/UTV Trails
Kremmling Jeeping & ATV/UTV Trails
Hot Springs:
Hot Sulphur Springs Hot Springs
Ski Areas & Resorts:
Granby Ranch Ski Resort
Winter Park Ski Resort
Snowmobiling:
Grand Lake Snowmobile Trails
Kremmling Snowmobile Trails
Winter Park Snowmobile Trails
Local Area Maps:
Denver Mountain Area Map
Grand County Area Map
Rocky Mountain National Park Area Map
More Activities & Information
Grand Lake, Colorado includes: Granby, Ski Granby Ranch
Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado includes: Parshall
Winter Park, Colorado includes: Fraser, Tabernash