Now This is Colorado

Now This is Colorado Buena Vista, Salida & Poncha Springs are the adventure capitals of Colorado! Hot Springs & Epic Adventures in Chaffee County, Colorado.
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http://www.colorfulcolorado.com/ Buena Vista & Salida, Colorado are located in the heart of the Rockies along the Arkansas River. The Sawatch Range and the Sangre de Cristo Mountain surround these charming, friendly, artistic and historic towns. These towns are know known for their laid-back, mountain town vibes, filled with opportunities for adventure. Hiking, Climbing, Fishing, Biking, Hunting,

Rockhounding, Rafting, Camping, Off Roading, Skiing, Cultural Events, and more! POLICY: This page is dedicated to tourism in Caffee, Colorado — including local businesses, events, attractions, and visitor information. To keep this space welcoming and helpful:

• Comments must relate to tourism or visiting Chaffee County
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• No outside advertising or unrelated promotions

We reserve the right to remove content that does not align with these guidelines and restrict repeat violations. Thank you for helping us keep this a positive space focused on travel and community.

09/04/2026

The Arkansas River starts cold in Lake County and turns into something else entirely by the time it hits Chaffee County.

Gold Medal fly fishing up here, Class IV-V whitewater down there, all in the same day. 🎣🌊

Video by Dave Curtis.
Read the full Raft, Reel, Repeat guide at the link.

https://www.leadvilletwinlakes.com/blog-raft-reel-repeat/

Now This is Colorado

09/04/2026

Could life get any better than changing aspen leaves, live music, and a weekend in your favorite Colorado mountain town?

Smalltown Gathering returns to Salida in just three weeks! Come for the music, stay for daily yoga and meditation, hands-on music workshops, a packed Kids Zone, and plenty of time to explore the charming downtown - shops, restaurants, river adventures, and more.

Make a weekend of it. Grab your festival passes and late-night tickets before they’re gone at smalltowngathering.com! 👀🎟️

Upcoming trip to check out Chaffee County?! 📌 SAVE & SHARE: how to spend 2 epic days in Chaffee County, Colorado 🏔️ Wor...
09/02/2026

Upcoming trip to check out Chaffee County?! 📌 SAVE & SHARE: how to spend 2 epic days in Chaffee County, Colorado 🏔️ Words, photo and video by Myranda in the Mountains

I recently got to spend more time in Chaffee County Now This is Colorado and it’s definitely somewhere you need to have on your Colorado bucket list. It’s more off of the beaten path and less crowded than other areas of the state, which is so nice...

🏠 I stayed at the historic Palace Hotel which was located right in downtown Salida and was the perfect basecamp for my adventures: https://www.thelobbysalida.com/stay-here

Here’s everything I did... Day 3:
• Breakfast:
• Drive up Monarch Pass
• Ride the Monarch Crest Scenic Tramway - it’s their 60 year anniversary
• Lunch:
• Paddleboard at Frantz Lake
• Brewery: or
• Dinner:

Day 4:
• Breakfast:
• Hike: Browns Creek Falls
• Check out of the Palace Hotel
• Lunch: The Crossroads
• Drive Cottonwood Pass and soak in .hotsprings
• Drive back to Denver

Alternate activities:
• Grab a tube from Salida River Adventures and float the river
• The Riveting Experience - custom jewelry in downtown Salida
• Watch the sun rise at Collegiate Peaks Scenic Overlook
• Visit Brown’s Canyon National Monument

Additional food options:
• Elevation B**r Co Brewery

Follow Myranda for more Colorado adventures: www.facebook.com/myrandainthemountains

📌PIN SAVE & SHARE: how to spend 4 days in Chaffee County, Colorado 📌Itinerary, images and words by: I recently got to s...
08/31/2026

📌PIN SAVE & SHARE: how to spend 4 days in Chaffee County, Colorado 📌

Itinerary, images and words by:

I recently got to spend more time in and it's definitely somewhere you need to have on your Colorado bucket list. It’s more off of the beaten path and less crowded than other areas of the state, which is so nice. I stayed at the historic Palace Hotel which was located right in downtown Salida.

Here’s everything I did:

Day 1:
Drive from Denver
Visit St. Elmo Ghost town. Fun fact: Chaffee County has the largest concentration of historic buildings in the state
Take a Jeep tour on Tincup Pass
Check out Cascade Falls or hike to the Agnew Vaille Waterfall
Lunch:
Check into
They also have a coworking space
Dinner:
Get ice cream at

Day 2:
Coffee: - they have the cutest selection of merchandise and gifts!
Inflatable Kayak River Trip with
Lunch:
Thrift & shop in town: Salida Fountain and Pharmacy, Ruby Blues, Old Log Cabin Antiques,
The Adventure Outpost, and art galleries
Walk around the historic downtown near the riverfront
Dinner:

Day 3 & 4 coming soon...

Summer is not over yet. And fall is just around the corner… 🍂🏔️ (a crispy fall morning or evening soak at the hot spring...
08/27/2026

Summer is not over yet. And fall is just around the corner… 🍂🏔️ (a crispy fall morning or evening soak at the hot springs has your name written all over it…) Mount Princeton 

If there is one place that does both seasons justice, it is Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort in Nathrop, Colorado. Imagine soaking in natural geothermal pools along Chalk Creek while the aspens start turning gold on the hillsides above you. The Collegiate Peaks in the background. Crispy autumn mountain air. Not a bad way to start fallorado… 

For the families, the kids are going to lose their minds at the water slides, the creekside pools, and the kind of splash-filled afternoon that turns into a core memory before dinner. Set on 70 acres at 8,250 feet with 14,000-foot peaks framing every view, this resort is the definition of a place that works for everyone in the group.

And for the adults? Natural odorless mineral pools along Chalk Creek, a full spa, fitness classes, complimentary mountain bike rentals with every overnight stay, and dining on site. Day passes are available if you are not staying overnight and the resort is open daily from 9am to 9pm year-round.

Labor Day weekend through fall foliage season is genuinely one of the best times of year to visit Mount Princeton. Book before it fills up. 🌿

🔗 Book at mtprinceton.com or call 719-395-2447
📸 Follow Mount Princeton for availability and seasonal updates
💾 Save this and send it to whoever you are planning a fall soak with.
📍 Mt. Princeton Hot Springs located conveniently between Buena Vista and Salida in Nathrop, Colorado Colorado Hot Springs Loop

Chaffee County is a summer paradise in the heart of the Rockies… a place I’ve been visiting with my friends and family, ...
08/26/2026

Chaffee County is a summer paradise in the heart of the Rockies… a place I’ve been visiting with my friends and family, with bikes in tow, for most of my life. Beauty alpine riding up high with some of the best single track in all of Colorado, great town trails in both BV and Salida, the stunning Arkansas River (the perfect place for a post ride dip), and a host of incredible breweries, coffee shops, and restaurants make this county what it is. It’s a place that’s stayed true to its roots, character, and style, and a place I will always return.

Words, images and videos by www.instagram.com/joeyschusler

08/25/2026

Summer isn’t over yet… Here is how we would spend one last perfect blue bird Summer day in Salida. 🏔️☀️

Demo a river surf board from Badfish Surf Shop and apply the cost of your demo directly toward buying your first board. (Best deal in town for anyone who has been thinking about getting into river surfing all summer…)

Fuel up with a latte from Howl Mercantile & Coffee and browse their incredible boutique before strolling down to check out the outdoor fashion and gear at Adventure Outpost by Howl
Rent mountain bikes and cruise the trails off S-Mountain with incredbile singletrack riding right above town. 🚵

Wander F Street and let the art galleries pull you in. This is Colorado’s largest Creative District and every single block has something worth stopping for. 🎨 City of Salida Arts & Culture Salida Creative District

Grab ice cream from Chill Salida by the river, take a cold plunge, or splash around in the Salida Whitewater Park with the kids. 🌊

Cap the evening at the lively Soggy Surfer Salida for live music and good vibes. Or better yet, this is the LAST week to catch the Riverside Live Free Concert Series at the 
Salida Rotary Amphitheater. Mochampipple, one of the best funk bands around, takes the stage Thursday night at 7pm. Free admission. Right on the Arkansas River. Do not miss it. 🎶

Squeeze every last drop out of summer, Salida style. 😌
📍 Salida, Colorado
💾 Save this and send it to whoever you are spending your last summer days with.

Fall is coming to Chaffee County and it is going to be stunning. 🍂🏔️
If you have been thinking about a fall trip to Buen...
08/24/2026

Fall is coming to Chaffee County and it is going to be stunning. 🍂🏔️

If you have been thinking about a fall trip to Buena Vista, Salida, or Poncha Springs, now is the PERFECT time to start planning… Golden aspen groves draped across the mountainsides. Crisp mornings that smell like pine and possibility. Dry trails, lighter crowds, and the kind of golden light that makes every photo look like it was taken by a professional. Fall in the Arkansas Valley is genuinely one of Colorado’s best kept seasonal secrets.

The historic streets of Salida look completely different when the leaves turn. The drives along the Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway become something out of a painting. And the Banana Belt keeps temperatures warmer and sunnier than almost anywhere else in the Rockies well into October, which means fall here lasts longer and hits harder than you would expect.

Book your stay today! 🍁 The best properties fill up fast once the colors peak and for good reason. 

This is Chaffee County at its most beautiful. 🍁
📍 Buena Vista, Salida and Poncha Springs, Colorado
🔗 Explore lodging options at colorfulcolorado.com/lodging
💾 Save this now and start planning your fall escape.

08/22/2026

Hometown Highlight: 50West Productions 🎬🏔️
Behind some of the most beautiful video content ever made about Chaffee County, there is one name that keeps showing up. Dave Curtis. And after 29 years in the industry, he is still one of the most creative and quietly essential storytellers in this entire valley.

Dave's career in video production started long before he planted roots in Salida. In the early days he worked as a director and camera operator in live concert production, capturing performances for artists including the Grateful Dead, Stevie Nicks, Wynonna Judd, Charlie Daniels, The Beach Boys, and The Black Crowes among others. He also had the rare opportunity to film with President Jimmy Carter twice, including a memorable trip documenting President Carter ice fishing at Taylor Reservoir. Over a career spanning nearly three decades, Dave has worked with personalities ranging from R. Lee Ermey to, in one of his more unusual assignments, spending several days in Cabo San Lucas filming a million-dollar fishing lure. He shares these stories not to impress but because they are genuinely some of the most memorable chapters of a long and varied career in production.

Since 1999 Dave has been producing tourism video throughout Colorado, with the last decade focused heavily right here in Chaffee County. His work has earned multiple awards from the Rocky Mountain Outdoor Writers Association, and several of the tourism videos he produced with Chaffee County have received awards from Colorado Governor Jared Polis. He also received recognition for a documentary project on the Yampa River.

Beyond active production, Dave dedicates significant time to restoring and re-color grading historic Colorado film footage, breathing new life into archival material from places like Aspen, Royal Gorge, Gunnison, Crested Butte, and Garden of the Gods so future generations can experience Colorado's rich visual history. He is actively searching for more historic Chaffee County footage to add to that archive and if you have any leads, he would love to hear from you.

50West Productions offers full production, post production, drone video and photography, and real estate video services right here in Salida. If your business has a story worth telling, Dave is the person to call. 🎥

Find Dave on Facebook: www.facebook.com/50WestProductions/
🔗 50westproductions.com
📸

💾 Save this and share it with anyone in the valley who needs professional video production work done right

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