The Colorado Grand Returns to Walden, CO

Now Entering 36 Years of Vintage Automobile Rally/Racing in the Rockies

This time of year, it’s likely to see cattle trucks, RVs, and hay trucks driving down the highways of Jackson County, but for one day in the fall you also might see a vintage Ferrari, Bugatti, or early model Bentley rumbling down the highway. The Colorado Grand vintage auto rally has been stopping in Walden for over thirty years! Not only does this antique car race bring out the best in pre-1960s automobiles, but it also gives back to rural communities like Walden, along the way.

36 Years of the Colorado Grand…and Counting!

The Colorado Grand has reached its 36th year, and many of these years have included North Park’s scenic highways into its route. Vintage car owners from all over the world participate in this 1000 mile tour throughout the mountains of Colorado. Starting and finishing in Vail, CO, the Colorado Grand has gone as far south as Crested Butte and as far north as crossing the Wyoming border into Saratoga and Encampment. Walden has always been lucky enough to be part of many of these races, where drivers stop for lunch or refreshments and allow locals to admire these fine pieces of machinery.

The “race” is more of a leisurely tour in which drivers go from town to town at the height of fall colors and beautiful autumn weather in Colorado. Some of these cars are literally one of a kind, and the price tags (if you can put such a thing on some of these vehicles) reach into the millions of dollars. Many of these automobiles are museum quality specimens, yet are outfitted and tuned up enough to handle the rigors of elevation gain and oftentimes rough roads of the Colorado mountains.

Bob Sutherland of Englewood started the rally back in 1989, inviting other vintage car enthusiasts to showcase a wide range of cars—none of which are made later than 1960 (with a few exceptions if the car is exotic enough). The majority of cars are European racers, touring cars, and luxury cars from a time when form and function were at the nexus of design perfection. 

Some of the cars that run the course are absolutely priceless.

What Route does the Colorado Grand Take?

The route changes every year, giving participants and spectators a lot of variety every time. This year, North Park was lucky enough to welcome the drivers for the afternoon of September 10, 2025 as the race followed a course throughout the central Rocky Mountains and Western Slope. The race always starts in Vail and ends in Vail, stopping at dozens of rural towns along the way. The entire course is about 1000 miles, which gives drivers a lot of ground to cover in just a few days. This year, the rally started on Sept 9 and ended Sept 14.

Check Out the Official Website to Learn More

The Colorado Grand Website is going to be the best resource to keep track of current information from year to year about this vintage car rally. Not only do the routes change, but each year brings a whole other catalog of vehicles that will be running the course. If you want to participate, the website gives detailed information on how to apply for an invitation for qualified vehicles, rules of the road, and course information. For the rest of us who just want to watch the cars roll into town, it’s still a great resource to keep up to date on upcoming events.

Giving Back to the Community

The Colorado Grand not only shows off these vehicles, but also raises money for local charities. Supporters such as Mercedes-Benz USA, Premier Financial, Sotheby’s, WeatherTech, and Blue Chip Fleet, and many others proudly sponsor the event. In Walden, you can see signs thanking the Colorado Grand for paying to repave some of our streets. Charitable contributions include providing scholarships to local high school graduates throughout the Western Slope to further their education. According to the Colorado Grand website, over $700,000 in charitable contributions are generated for rural communities—Annually.

• The Colorado Grand also donates to:
• Flight for Life
• CASA
• Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation
• Supporting rural medical facilities
• Check out a list of charities and how much they have raised here!

A Vital Contribution to Rural Culture

Anyone in rural Colorado knows just how vital funding healthcare, medicine, infrastructure, education, and first responders can be. The less populated counties of Colorado are often overlooked when it comes to funding, especially when compared with large urban centers along the Front Range. We are always appreciative of the help we get!

Not Your Run of the Mill Car Show

The stunning views and abundance of wildlife are part of the draw to North Park. Combine that with winding mountain roads, clean air, and hardly any traffic congestion, and this is a match made in heaven for vintage car “racing.” We sometimes take our scenery for granted, but seeing the Colorado Grand roll into town is always a treat.

Many of the cars that have participated over the years are automobiles most people would only ever see on a poster or maybe at an auction in one of the deeper back channels on extended cable. We have been lucky enough to be able to watch them roll into town, motors rumbling, and walk within just a few feet of multi-million dollar cars.

This isn’t your average car show with candy-apple paint jobs and polished Detroit steel. These vintage racers, touring sedans, and supercars of their time are curated, restored, and functional. From 1920s track racers to iconic Aston-Martins, one of a kind Ferrari’s, and other cars from the history of motorsports, racing, and luxury, it’s not a typical Saturday of looking at big-finned Chevys and Fords.

A North Park Tradition You Won’t Want to Miss

Walden, CO is a great venue to see the Colorado Grand. Not only can you see these cars at rest and chat with their owners on Main Street (or even the Jackson County Courthouse lawn), but you can see them arrive and even roaring down the highway. The cars might belong in museums, but they are hardly sitting around gathering dust. The rally gives drivers a chance to show off their rides, but also some good stretches of highway to open up the throttle and prove why so many of these cars were at one time the top of the line in automotive design. 

Visiting Walden during the Colorado Grand will give you a sense of scale with some of these machines, as well as an opportunity to photograph some of your favorites in the wild. This year over 100 cars stopped over in Walden during the two hours they were in town. Between 2pm and 4pm on a quiet Wednesday afternoon, vintage Jaguars were rolling into town at the time Austin-Healeys pulled away. It’s unlikely you would ever get a chance to see so many of these incredible cars in one place, much less hear their motors rumbling in the wild.

If you are a vintage car aficionado or just want an excuse to share the road with James Bond’s car, North Park is a great place to visit in the fall when the leaves are changing and the vintage European cars run wild on the scenic highways.

Special Thanks to the Colorado Grand

Thank you for once again visiting our community and supporting the people who live here. It’s always great to see your return! We hope to see you again next year!