DENVER — I grew up in Colorado, but up until this year, I can’t say I’ve spent much time in places like Lincoln County or the San Luis Valley.
That changed this year when I was lucky enough to take on more work for the #9Neighborhoods series, where the digital team highlights a different Colorado community each week. This has involved traversing the state and meeting some very cool people who were kind enough to show us the places they call home.
Here’s a look at nine unique places that stuck out to me. We’ll be continuing this series next year, so if you have a cool Colorado city or person you think we should highlight in 2020, send an email to webteam@9news.com! We’re always looking for ideas.
This story is part of our weekly #9Neighborhoods series. Join us at noon on the 9NEWS Instagram for more photos of these towns.
Saguache
Visiting Saguache started with an email from Heidi Wong, who recently reopened the colorful Ute Theater right off of the town’s Main Street.
She gave us a tour of the historic theater in the late stages of its renovation – and was gracious enough to show us around the awesome town, which is about three hours south of Denver by way of US 285.
In recent years, Saguache has become a haven for artists who are moving to this relatively cheap place of the north end of the San Luis Valley in pursuit of its natural beauty and simpler way of life.
RELATED: You can buy a hotel in this scenic Colorado town for what it would cost to buy a condo in Denver
Another cool thing about Saguache (at least when we visited)? The town’s hotel off Fourth Street was on the market for $275,000 – about what it costs to buy a condo in Denver.
The Great Sand Dunes are about an hour away from Saguache, which was pretty awesome since I visited town right when the surge flow as at its peak. I got video of it for my boss and was able to spend an hour prancing on a “beach” for work: a win-win!
Read the original 9Neighborhoods story here: http://bit.ly/2ruVDF3
Karval
This sleepy town might have sparked my love affair with Colorado’s Eastern Plains. The town’s main drag isn’t much – a few churches and a post office. There’s not a gas station, and definitely not a grocery store.
But, once a year, dozens of birders converge in what at times feels like the middle of nowhere in pursuit of a weird little bird with long legs that happens to love the prairie in Lincoln County.
RELATED: How a Colorado town with a graduating class of 1 hopes a tiny bird will help it get a gas station
The backstory of Karval embracing the mountain plover begins with a farmer named Russell Davis and a wildlife biologist named Tammy Vercauteren – who he initially kicked off of his property once she realized the rare bird was all over the land where his family ran cattle for multiple generations. Now, Davis lets a busload of birders chase the elusive bird on his ranch each year.
Meeting him and hearing his story was super inspirational for me in that it really illustrates the power of compromise and open-mindedness – something we can all agree our society might need a little bit more of.
Beyond the plover, I can’t emphasize enough how strangely beautiful the drive to Karval was. It’s a landscape where the sky and prairie seem to stretch on forever, and a perfect place to get away in a state that might be better known for its mountains.
Read the original 9Neighborhoods piece here: http://bit.ly/2StoNj2
Walden
One thing you might see on Facebook a lot is the sentiment that Colorado is “full” or there are too many transplants moving to the state.
Enter Walden, a Colorado town that’s actually losing part of its population – and wants to bring more people in.
Nestled in “North Park” between Fort Collins and Steamboat, Walden is a place with a historic downtown and stunning views of the Medicine Bow Mountains, Never Summer Mountains, Rabbit Ears Range and Park Range.
During my visit to Walden, I had the opportunity to talk to a group of longtime residents about the town’s challenges – it’s an hour-and-a-half from the nearest hospital – as well as its opportunities, including its amazing potential for tourism.
One resident said he sees Walden as a future telecommuting destination, where people live there for the cheap housing but work remotely for other companies in the state.
RELATED: What residents are doing to bring growth to a rare Colorado town that's the opposite of full
“This is God’s country,” said longtime Walden resident and former mayor Tootie Crowner. “Nothing stops North Park. We help ourselves.”
Read the full 9Neighborhoods about Walden here: http://bit.ly/35UJIPL
Keenesburg
Honestly, what brought me to Keenesburg was the official motto: “home of 500 happy people and a few soreheads.”
What fascinated me when I arrived was the fact that a lot more people will be coming to this Eastern Plains community in the next few years – building a population that’s already closer to 1,300 people (no word on the number of soreheads).
Seriously: a new development is slated to add 346 homes to a town that has roughly 470 right now.
It’s part of a boom of growth along the Interstate 76 and I-70 corridors that will only continue as other communities near Denver reach their capacity.
Read more about Keenesburg here: http://bit.ly/2EYM3Ny
Holly Hills
I’m including this 9Neighborhoods story just because I interviewed my mom for it and she was really excited.
With that being said, I was kind of shocked to see Holly Hills on the list of the best places to live in Colorado – especially because my mom grew up there, and my parents live there now.
RELATED: This small community in unincorporated Arapahoe County was named the best place to live in Colorado
“I hope that award doesn’t make it too crazy over here,” my mom cautioned.
Read the full Holly Hills 9Neighborhoods story here: http://bit.ly/2PZaFME
Palisade
Honestly, I was kind of jealous of everyone I spoke to during our 9Neighborhoods tour of Palisade.
I met a peach farmer (and ate about 600 calories in peaches over the course of the day), and someone who is retired and now gets to make wine for a living.
It doesn’t hurt that the landscape is more similar to Moab than the Front Range: I went on an awesome hike through a canyon during my visit, and got to talk to one of the masterminds behind what will soon be one of the coolest mountain bike trails in Colorado.
Read more about Palisade here: http://bit.ly/2EXgG64
Cripple Creek
Unfortunately, very sad circumstances brought me to Cripple Creek. I spent about a month here with 9NEWS Reporter Jennifer Meckles to help cover the Kelsey Berreth murder trial.
But, during this time I had the opportunity to meet some very cool people who choose to live in this gambling town at just below 10,000 feet – and learn about the history of what was once one of the state’s largest communities.
That was back when Cripple Creek was known more for its mining than its gambling. About 50,000 people lived in the area at its peak in the late 1800s– compared to its population of 1,200 now.
The drive into Cripple Creek from Highway 67 is one of the most beautiful in the state – especially at sunrise, when the mountains have a pink glow that’s nearly impossible to describe.
Read more about the history of Cripple Creek here: http://bit.ly/39dN8iD
Pueblo
OK, we all know Pueblo – kind of like Greeley – tends to be the brunt of our state’s jokes.
But, after visiting Pueblo for 9Neighborhoods, I would honestly consider going there for a weekend getaway.
I was there during the best time of year: green chile season, and took a drive along the “green chile byway” connecting Pueblo and Avondale to celebrate/sample fresh produce from farmers in the area.
There’s more to this city two hours south of Denver than chile though. The Pueblo Riverwalk was absolutely delightful, and the Neon Alley was one of the more Instagrammable places I’ve visited in the state.
Read an itinerary for exploring Pueblo below: http://bit.ly/352u0k9
East Colfax
This stretch of East Colfax Avenue on the Denver/Aurora border encapsulates a lot of the struggle the Mile High City is going through.
This neighborhood is home to one of the largest immigrant communities in the metro area, and used to be known for being affordable … but is now a hotbed for development.
While working on this story, I met a teenager whose sister wrote a college essay in favor of preserving the famous PTs Showclub sign, neighborhood leaders trying to keep longtime residents in the community, and the head of the business improvement district who had interesting ideas for the street’s famous motels.
Read the full 9Neighborhoods story about East Colfax here: http://bit.ly/35ZfBGJ
Seriously … send your recommendations
We’re going to continue this series in 2020, and as we do so, we need your help! Let us know where you’d like us to visit – and what we can do to better reflect the amazing people and places in our changing state.
Send your tips to webteam@9news.com.
SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS
