Colorado's 'Double Gateway To The Rockies' Pairs Small-Town Charm And Red Sandstone With Big Adventure

When it comes to mountain towns, there's hardly a better corner of the United States than Colorado, the Centennial State. This land bridges the gap between the flat plains that dominate the heart of the country and the soaring Rockies, ranks among the top three most mountainous states (only Alaska and California pip it to the post), and offers everything from the wildflower paradise of Crested Butte to the postcard-worthy adventure haven of Granby. Then, there's the place known as "The Double Gateway to the Rockies." Cue Lyons ...

The nickname stems from the fact that little Lyons sits where the highway splits in two. Follow U.S. Route 36 in a roughly northwest direction, and you'll soon come to Estes Park — where it's possible to pick up the highest continuous paved road in America through the Rocky Mountain National Park. Alternatively, head down Highway 7 to link up with the Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway, a 55-mile road that traverses the Continental Divide. Expect visions of aspen forests, snow-dusted summits, and ghostly gold towns aplenty.

So, the Rockies are always within touching distance of Lyons. But how do you get to Lyons in the first place? Easy. Denver International Airport is under an hour away in good traffic. If you can find a flight into the Northern Colorado Regional Airport, that's even closer — just 40 minutes away by car. What's more, the major Interstate 25 that links up Denver and Colorado Springs passes next to Lyons to the east, so road trips are very much an option for folks already traveling.

Before you pull on the hiking boots and ski gear, take some time to enjoy the small-town feels of Lyons itself. Often touted as a more local, lived-in alternative to the seasonal boom towns and winter resorts that pepper the Rockies, Lyons has nurtured a reputation as a bit of a hub for artists and creatives. You'll encounter everything from al fresco galleries to foot-stomping music venues.

On the arts side, there's the quirky heARTS of LYONS Outdoor Arts Collection — a whole array of thought-provoking statues and sculptures. Over 40 individual works pepper the town, ranging from a manmade recreation of an elk's jawbone to an oversized bear hiding in the bushes. The local Arts and Humanities Commission has put together a map to help you find the lot, but simply wandering around between the sandstone buildings and the fair-trade cafes of downtown means you can discover them at your own pace.

Music is also big in these parts, largely thanks to the efforts of local festival conveners Planet Bluegrass. They've run the RockyGrass shindig here for over half a century. It takes place on their own ranch beside the North St. Vrain River, drawing pickers and players like Del McCoury and The Infamous Stringdusters. Then there's the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival each August. That's got a 30-year pedigree, offering a more multi-genre get-together of artists.

They don't call Lyons the "Double Gateway to the Rockies" for nothing. Striking out to the peaks, canyons, and creeks is incredibly easy here. In fact, you don't even have to leave town. Just mosey over to Bohn Park, where it's possible to tube down the gurgling streams of St. Vrain Creek, or walk amid the butterfly-filled wildflower displays of the Rocky Mountain Botanic Gardens.

If the pull of the high peaks is just too strong to ignore, head out on either of the two highways that pierce into the Rockies from Lyons. Highway 36 is your ticket to the northern half of the fabled Rocky Mountain National Park, while Highway 7 is prime for accessing the highest summits in the region: 14,259-feet-high Longs Peak and 13,911-feet-high Mount Meeker. In fact, the famous Keyhole Route to the summit of Longs Peak starts just off the highway. But be warned: It's a highly technical and challenging path with scree slopes and regular snow coverage.

If you take Highway 36, your first port of call will be the resort town of Estes Park. It's ranked among the ultimate destinations to visit in Colorado according to Reddit, and it's easy to see why. The town is perched on the cusp of the Rocky Mountain National Park and boasts the gateway to some spectacular hiking. Specifically, it's got the 3.4-mile route to Gem Lake in its bowl of rocky summits, or the harder path to Fern Lake, to see inky waters and wildflowers below peaks that recall Switzerland's Matterhorn.