Tasting Excellent Local Beer in Ridgeway, Colorado

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This is the last of the three articles I wrote for the website Trazzler which is no longer. It's not a ride or hike, just a stop we made on a rest day between climbing 14ers. Photos are from a trip in 2009 For most, the town of Ridgeway is where your turn to go to Telluride or go straight to Ouray. Just off the main road, there’s the Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery. I had pints of the Stout and the IPA, and tasters of the rest. The stout and IPA were excellent. The Irish Red Ale was better than average. The Blonde Ale and Best Bitter were ok, but I wouldn’t get a pint of them. The food selection is simple, four different Paninis with chips, about $7 each. They also have free popcorn to go with the beer. The pints were $3.75 ($4.25 for the IPA) and tasters are about a dollar. They also had mini etch-a-sketches on all the tables. It's a small place, with only 5 tables and small bar, but has a great pub atmosphere. The Colorado Boy Brewery Ridgeway Has Some Nice Views of the
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Crags Crest National Scenic Trail (August 2009)

In western Colorado near Grand Junction there's a big chunk of land rising above the desert. Grand Mesa National Forest rises several thousand feet about the Grand Valley and is covered with pine forests, alpine lakes and trails. The forest has the Crags Crest National Scenic Trail, which is a 10 mile loop, by alpine lakes, through meadows and across a rocky ridge. It goes over a ridge call Crags Crest, the highest point in the Grand Mesa National Forest. I hiked it counter-clockwise starting from the Eggelston Lake trailhead on the east side, going up a steep climb to the ridge first. Before the ridge I passed by a couple of alpine lakes.

Once on the ridge there were drop-offs on both sides, but the trail was wide and easy to hike.

While on the ridge, you can see the many lakes that cover the mesa. There are few tree along most of the the ridge, so the views are great. After coming down the ridge, the trail heads back, through pine forests and meadows.

In August there are lots of wild flowers and a few butterflies.

The lower part of the loop is open to bikes, so you can drop off your bike at the west trailhead (it's on the main road through the national forest) and bike back once your down from the ridge. If you have two cars and are short on time, you can leave one at the west trailhead and skip the lower section.

Extra Info:
There are numerous campsites on the mesa, but they can be cool even in August. On the way to the trailhead you have to go by the visitor center, where you can pick up a map of the trail and check the weather.

The town of Cedaredge is on the just south of the forest and is the closest town of any significant size. For a good meal with out spending a lot you can stop at the Olde Bakery Cafe. There's also a winery and cidery near the town where you can get some free sample and take home some liquid souvenirs.
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cc said…
Those are some really impressive pictures! Makes me want to go visit that trail. I would love if you would add those pics to the official Colorado Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/visitcolorado
February 3, 2010 at 1:17 PM
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