Golden Terrace South RV Resort

Golden, Colorado

Golden - Denver

Unusual. That word sums up Golden, Colorado. Sure, it's got the typical qualities one would expect from a high elevation, gorgeous mountain community. Hiking and backpacking, wildlife viewing, golfing, shopping, even paragliding - it's all here.

But there's so much about this small town 15 miles west of Denver that isn't anywhere else. In fact, a vacation adventure to Golden can be a trip through time, with a dash of the bizarre peppered in. It's a place where the great plains meet the Rocky Mountains - with some of the most magnificent scenery in the country, from rolling grasslands and craggy rock formations to natural foothills, rugged mountains and tumbling mountain streams.

This is where the West lives. That's what the welcome sign says. There's no denying that Golden is where some of the Old West survives. By his request, "Buffalo Bill" Cody was buried on Lookout Mountain in 1917, overlooking the Great Plains and the Rockies. Bill's life is also celebrated there in a museum that bears his name.

If it's time traveling you're after, the journey doesn't have to end there. After leaving Bill, go ahead and mingle with the bones of dinosaurs at a world-renown geological and paleontolgical outdoor museum housing more than 100 dinosaur tracks and loads of bones.

Golden's historic Old West tour continues with a walk downtown through the 12th Street Historic Residential District to the largest cobblestone building in the U.S. It was built in 1913 with 3,300 wagon loads of stream-worn boulders from Clear Creek and quartz from Golden Gate Canyon.

In addition to exploring regional 18th and 19th century history, get ready to give the imagination a special treat with a visit to peculiar and charming Tiny Town. Take an enchanting train ride powered by an authentic steam locomotive through the world's tiniest city, its 100 colorful kid-sized, detailed buildings just one-sixth the size of a typical town.

If it's shopping you're after, sample Western Style and Colorado wares from quaint shops nestled among historic Victorian buildings along Washington Avenue. For that special memento, choose anything from a hand-made teddy bear to a ten-gallon hat.

For the more intrepid explorer, consider that Golden is widely lauded as a great "jumping off" point for paragliding; first-time lessons are available from local guides. Golden Gate Canyon State Park, 15 miles north of town, is a hot spot for outdoor enthusiasts, especially mountain bikers. There's also a new, world-class kayaking park on Clear Creek, just a short walk from downtown.

After an exhilarating day of outdoor adventure, take a tour through Coors, the largest brewery in the nation. Coors "taps the Rockies" here, and fresh samples of the stuff is available on site. Before bidding farewell to Golden, make time to visit Lookout Mountain, which offers an exceptional scenic drive leaving right from town. Wind to the summit, where you can take in Lookout Mountain Nature Center, just one of the Jefferson County's natural wildlife and resource treasures. The breaktaking view captures the serenity and richness that has helped Golden, Colorado make history.