Tucked away east of the 14,000-foot shadows cast by the Collegiate Peaks (Mount Yale, Mount Princeton, etc.), the town of Buena Vista, Colorado, carries some of the rambunctious spirit of a former gold mining town. The town's bar count is down from the 68 saloons it had in 1880, but you can still find a beer on tap and a friendly game of foosball or pool in the Western-themed bars on Main Street, and get a steak or prime rib for less than $10 down at Quincy's Restaurant.
Buena Vista has changed from a boomtown of tents, hastily erected cabins and mining operations to a sleepy vacation town with about 2000 residents. The area is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and offers a large network of ATV trails in addition to great mountain biking, fishing and hiking. Due to a rich mining history and a number of historic towns and mines in the area, you can combine riding and ghost town exploration. Or you can just ride-the area's mountain trails are great riding and can keep you busy exploring new territory for a solid week.
One of the best-known local riding attractions is the town of St. Elmo, a former mining center that's now an eclectic ghost town with a dusty main street running past about 25 old buildings that are some of the best-preserved in Colorado. The funky town can be ridden to via off-road trails or driven to on a dirt road by car. If you go, be sure and check out the ruins of the dam, which rumor has it was blown up one night when one of the locals got drunk.
One of the most popular rides near St. Elmo is the run-up to the 12,154-foot Tin Cup Pass, a rocky trail winding through the gorgeous pine country west of town. Another nice ride runs south over toward the ruins of Hancock, which is only an old foundation. The trail forks at the ruins and you can continue up and over Hancock Pass or hike 2 miles to the Alpine Tunnel. The tunnel was built in 1881 to allow mail and supplies to more easily make it through the pass. Lined with California redwood, it is 1845 feet long and was the first tunnel through the Continental Divide. Beware: It now is extremely dangerous to enter due to rotting timbers and is closed from both ends.
A fork on the trail to Hancock runs to the Mary Murphy Mine and is a nice little ride. East of this area, a trail runs to the top of the 14,269-foot Mount Antero and continues on to Mount White. We ran this network (minus the Antero ride) on an easy day of riding and didn't even hit some of the other local riding areas. As a bonus, the area has some great hot spring resorts, and you can stop by Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort or Cottonwood Hot Springs for a soak after a long day of riding.
| QUALITY OF RIDING | 9.5 |
| Vast network of mining roads, trails and mountain roads open to ORV use |
| SCENERY | 9.5 |
Mountain views, pine and hardwood forests and
crystal-clear streams and lakes |
| FOOD | 9.0 |
| Great steaks, inexpensive yet good Mexican food and great breakfasts | |
| LODGING | 8.0 |
| From cabins to chain hotels and camping, Buena Vista has it covered |
| CULTURE | 5.0 |
| Twentysomethings, ski and mountain bike bums, empty-nesters and crusty independents who fled the cities |
| OVERALL RATING | 9.0 |
| Tons of riding in a mountain setting with the bonus of ghost towns and old mines |
InformationPlace visited: Buena Vista, Colorado (125 miles southwest of Denver)Riding season: Year-round; check in advance on condition of winter trails as deep snow occasionally closes themMaps recommended: Trail map, available at BV ATVs; general area map at www.coloradodirectory.com/maps/atvbuenavista.htmlArea information: Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce, 719/395-6612; www.fourteenernet.com/buenavistaPermits/licenses required: ATVs must be registered and have a valid permit Critters: Deer, moose, eagles, black bear, partridge and hawksWhile you are there: Fishing, hunting, canoeing and cross-country skiingRoad-trip CD: Alison Krauss and Union Station's "Lonely Runs Both Ways"Best local beer: New Belguim Sunshine Wheat (but there are lots more in Colorado) Digs: Liar's Lodge, an area lodge owned by an ATV enthusiast. It hosts the annual Historical Fall Color Tour each September, 719/395-3444, www.liarslodge.com.Buena Vista & Salida Information, 877/772-5432, www.coloradoheadwaters.comLocal ATV clubs: www.atvsource.com/clubs/state/colorado.htm Good eats: Quincy's (good steak for cheap); Casa Del Sol (great breakfast); Friendly's (burgers)Useful links: BV ATVs, rents Yamaha ATVs and Rhinos, trailers are available, 719/395-3399, www.bvatvs.com. St. Elmo General Store, rents Arctic Cat TRVs and Jeeps, 719/395-2117, www.st-elmo.com. BV Jeeps, rents Jeeps, 719/395-4418, www.bvjeeps.com
Whitewater Rafting the "Capitol"The self-proclaimed title of Buena Vista is "Whitewater Capitol of Colorado." The upper Arkansas Valley has more whitewater than any other region in the state. The Arkansas River drops 5000 feet in 125 miles, and guided trips are available on stretches of the river with Class II to Class V rapids (Class II is relatively tame and Class V is not!).
Rafting opportunities abound with various companies that line the banks of the Arkansas south of Buena Vista proper. You can do short trips of a few hours in length or week-long expeditions on the river.
Rafting is a sport that people of any level of skill can do, provided you are in good health and reasonable physical condition. Bear in mind that you'll need to show up sober and stay sober on the trip-rafting requires all of your attention and faculties! You will have to paddle, sometimes hard, in order to complete the journey safely.
Be sure and carefully choose your outfitter. You'll want to go with one that has an established track record of at least a year of safely guiding rafts on whitewater. Some sections of the river require wet suits, helmets and self-bailing rafts to complete the journey safely, so your choice of an experienced guide is key.
The best time of year to go for excitement is in the spring, when the water is high and the rapids at their peak. Bear in mind that spring runoff water is usually cold and that you'll probably need a wet suit at this time of year. In the summer, you can get by with shorts, bathing suits and water shoes or sandals. Of course, don't forget to pack the sunscreen.
Prices run from about $30 to $75 per person, but long trips in popular destinations can be a bit more expensive. Some outfitters include lunch in the package price, while others offer several day-long expeditions that include camping and food. The Arkansas River Outfitters Association offers lots of helpful information on selecting a proper trip and company.