Northwest

Northwest Colorado covers the high mountains and western slope of the state, running from the Continental Divide west to the Utah line. The terrain is varied — the central spine of the Rockies with its 14,000-foot peaks, the high parks of North Park and Middle Park, the Yampa and Colorado river valleys, and the desert canyon country at the western edge near Grand Junction. Most ski traffic in the state lands here. Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Mesa, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, and Summit counties cover the region. Vail, Breckenridge, Aspen, Steamboat Springs, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, and Frisco anchor the major travel hubs. Rocky Mountain National Park’s western entrance sits in Grand County; Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur National Monument straddle the western edge; the Maroon Bells outside Aspen hold the iconic high country. Most trips run by season. Winter is ski-resort dominant — Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen-Snowmass, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Keystone, and Steamboat all sit within the region. Summer carries hiking, biking, and rafting on the Colorado, Roaring Fork, and Yampa rivers. Glenwood Springs handles the hot-springs scene year-round.