Make North Park Your Happy Place

What Draws People to North Park?

If you don’t already know about one of Colorado’s best kept secrets, you might be surprised to find out who does. For those of us from North Park, we see it all the time. Just about anywhere, if someone asks where you are from and you mention Walden, CO, there’s a big chance they’ve heard of it. For being such an off the beaten path Colorado destination, maybe it’s not such a big secret after all. But what is the attraction to Walden and North Park? Mostly it’s the kind of place if you have to ask, we can’t really tell you.

North Park is not a run of the mill Colorado resort town. We don’t have any ski resorts, and we are somewhat lacking in the hot springs department too (though locals do tell of legends of a spot they all know). We don’t have a Casa Bonita or Garden of the Gods. We don’t boast the biggest ball of twine or the grave of Buffalo Bill either. So far, nobody has built Stonehenge out of old Cadillacs.

What North Park does have appeals to the kind of people who love what North Park does have, and chances are if someone has heard of North Park, they will tell you how much they love to visit.

The Best of Outdoor Recreation

With the Routt-Medicine Bow National Forest, Colorado State Forest State Park, Arapahoe National Wildlife Refuge, and hundreds of square miles of BLM land offering nearly unlimited outdoor recreation opportunities, you’ll see exactly what draws the outdoor enthusiast to this small mountain community. With only one incorporated town (Walden) and a handful of mountain villages, we are far from a metropolitan center--literally and figuratively. With fewer than 2000 people in Jackson County almost anytime during the year (except for Rodeo Weekend)

Camping in Jackson County

With so many open spaces in Colorado filling up due to urban sprawl, North Park still has the best camping in Colorado with remote locations, low fees (if any), and clean campsites far from busy highways and tourist trap towns. Check out this blog post to find out more about the best camping sites in Colorado. Whether you are a vanlifer, cruising America in your RV, or tent camping under the stars, your adventure begins here!

Backpacking Near Walden

The Continental Divide Trail and newly established Northern Colorado Trail both pass through Jackson County. With relatively quiet highways, large open stretches of public land, and plenty of water sources along the trails, North Park is a thru-hiker’s dream. Stop off in Walden to resupply on your journey at any number of our local businesses. Take the day off by camping in Hanson Park in the center of Walden, refill your water bottles, or get a shower at the local aquatic center.

Flip-floppers on the CDT can find easy access throughout the summer near Muddy Pass, whether they are NoBo’s or SoBo’s. The last gap in Colorado sits at just about the midway point of the CDT and the NoCO trail, making it a great place to leave off or resume your thru-hike.

World-Class Trout Fishing

North Park is home to two Gold Medal waters in Colorado: the North Platte River and Delaney Lakes. Many species of trout and sportfish are stocked in our high country lakes throughout the summer, with perhaps the most famous of them being Lake John, which is also the site of a few annual ice fishing tournaments in the wintertime.

Large lake trout, such as brown trout, rainbow trout, cutbows, and other monsters are hauled out of Lake John and Delaney Lakes all year long. If you want to find tiger muskie, or the best place to find mackinaw trout, and other large sportfish, head up to Big Creek Lake, or even Teal and Tiago lakes on the west side of Jackson County. Seasoned anglers know the best lake fishing in Colorado is in North Park.

Scoping out Your Hunting Spot in North Park

Archery and blackpowder season start in September, which means that hunters are already coming to North Park to scope out their favorite hunting spot. Jackson County is known for its moose, but also a plethora of other big game such as elk, deer (mule and white tail), pronghorn antelope, bear, and big horn sheep. Before the snow starts to fall, late summer is the best time of year to check out the area you have drawn for hunting season. North Park has been a hunter’s paradise for literally thousands of years, going all the way back to the Native Americans who used to hunt what they called the “Bull pen” for countless generations.

Getting familiar with the land will help you plan for a more successful hunt, from glassing to access and even loading and heading home with your animal. Rifle season starts in October and hunting season can be very busy in Jackson County. Be sure you know everything about hunting regulations and requirements, whether it’s this year or for next year’s hunt. Check out the Colorado Parks and Wildlife site for more information.

Stunning Scenery and Unforgettable Views

Professional photographers and hobby picture takers will find no end to the opportunities for some incredible shots in the area. Whether you take landscapes, nature photography, or are looking for that quintessential Colorado shoot location for weddings and engagements, you won’t find a better place to take photos than North park.

Just over the Never Summer Range, Jackson County is close to Rocky Mountain National Park, with the same terrain that you will find there. Alpine forests, pristine mountain lakes, and a long reputation as being the best place to see moose in Colorado, North Park will also give you plenty of chances to see some of the largest herds of elk in Colorado, pronghorns, and birds of prey. All with a backdrop of clear skies, mountains, and very few buildings to obscure the views.

On a roadtrip, you might find it hard to stay focused on the road, instead of losing yourself in these majestic views of the Park Range, Medicine Bow Range, and Never Summers. Check out this post on the Cache La Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway which follows HWY 14 from Fort Collins to Walden, CO over Cameron Pass. Even migratory birds take the time to stop in Walden and North Park on their long journeys to far away places. Sandhill cranes, bald eagles, several species of song birds, hummingbirds, and raptors can be seen flying and nesting in North Park throughout the year!

A Simpler Life

In North Park, things run on mountain time. Everything is a little bit slower, a little bit more laid back. Because everything is so far away and isolated, you tend to plan for long hours in the car for travel and necessities, but you also have to be flexible for the unexpected. You never know when a cattle drive down the highway or a sudden turn in the weather will become an unexpected delay. Sometimes you just want to pull over and watch a sunset for a little while, or chat with someone in town you haven’t seen in years. It’s not uncommon to see cars stopped in the middle of the street while the drivers catch up, or how a quick trip to the Post Office can turn into half an hour of visiting with old friends.

North Park is a great place to get away from it all. While everyone is glued to their phones and checking for texts or likes, the mountain passes coming into Jackson County give visitors an hour or two of downtown from being connected. There’s no doomscrolling, no viral tweets, and no notifications going off for miles and miles.

Whether it’s a camping trip, road trip, backpacking adventure, or casting a line out on a still lake, a trip to North Park is a great excuse to detox from social media. When someone tells you to go out and touch grass, this is the best place to find yourself.

Late Summer Road Trip

Late summer and fall are the best times to see Colorado wildlife. The cool weather, seasonal rainstorms, and beginning of the autumn rutting season bring out the big game just before everything gets quiet for winter. The deer, elk, and moose begin to compete for mates and the fine velvet on their antlers begins to drop off as they fight for dominance. It’s a spectacle of nature to watch the big bulls compete for mates in the crisp morning air.

Back to school road trips are a great way to see the wildlife at their most active. Start off your college road tripping years with a drive through North Park. We have plenty of camper van friendly campgrounds and RV sites, as well as tent camping spots. Walden is a great place to stop and stretch your legs, get a bite to eat, and maybe even have a frosty beverage at one of our local eateries.

Nightlife

If you stop off for the night, nightlife in Walden is lots of fun at spots like the Stockman Bar and Grill and the Riverock Inn, where you can get a shot and a brew, a steak, and get to know the locals. The Stockman has the game on the big screen TVs and some nights local DJs host karaoke! There’s horseshoes in the back and pool tables inside. The Stockman is celebrating 40 years of family ownership this year, serving bikers, travelers, cowboys, and everyone in between even longer than that!

Stars So Close You Can Almost Touch Them

Or go stargazing! Take a drive on a quiet county road and find a place to stop and just look up at the night sky. The Colorado State Forest State Park is currently seeking DarkSky certification, but the rest of North Park shares similar views, mostly because of the surrounding mountains and how we are shielded from light pollution of the Front Range. For those who have never seen a clear night sky, it’s almost too good to be real!