fairplay

Location: 84 miles southwest of Denver on U.S. 285
Elevation: 9953, Population: 610

If you picture a Gold Rush miner as a grizzled old guy leading a burro, you might still see that today in Fairplay! Especially during its annual World Champion Pack-Burro Races and celebration. There's also an annual Mountain Man Rendezvous, where you can watch re-enactments of Colorado's earliest days.

And speaking of early days, it doesn't get much earlier than this: At the nearby Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area outside of the nearby town of Alma, you'll see trees that were seedlings about, oh, 2,000 years ago. Twisted and gnarled, these ancient conifers were shaped by the ceaseless winds that blow across the mountain tops here.

In Fairplay itself, be sure to visit the South Park City museum. It has a main street flanked by 30 or so historic buildings brought here from the surrounding area including a trapper's cabin, a saloon, general store, blacksmith shop and other businesses that thrived in the late 1800s. This amazing collection is only open during the summer months, run entirely by volunteers.

There's no downhill skiing in the immediate area, but the Fairplay Nordic Center offers rentals and guidance for some great cross-country sport. Inquire about fly-fishing on private ranches in the area. And if it's open, and passable, you might drive over Mosquito Pass, but make sure your vehicle has the clearance for it first!

Source: Colorado.com

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