The Best Small Towns in The Rockies

The imposing Rockies offer a reassuring sight of stability, longevity, and Mother Nature's generosity. From springtime wildflowers to the waterfalls surrounding Ouray, the enchanting scenery disarms even the most seasoned travelers from around the world. The mountains welcome horseback riders, mountain bikers, and campers, while the towns within the shadowy expanses capitalize on the beauty and resources to offer recreation, hospitality, and relaxation.

Experience the entertainment scene along the Colorado River in Glenwood Springs or stargazing in Ketchum, a Dark Sky Community. These authentic mountain towns, like many others, symbolize freedom, unbridled optimism, and the individualism of a rugged mountain man. These seven Rockies towns are a cultural gold mine, literally, having been through booms and busts with legacy-speckled downtown areas in architecture and the unfailing charm of the Old West.

Blairmore, Alberta

Blairmore is steeped in peaky vistas, fresh mountain air, and unique history along the refreshing Crowsnest River banks. More than just the Pass' oldest settlement, thriving in lumber until 1907 and incorporated in 1911, Blairmore "switched tracks" to a Canadian Pacific Railway stop, just west of a cold sulfur spring. It soon became an economic hub from coal mining, like many other Canadian industrial towns of the 1930s. With working-class grievances, it elected the first Canadian Communist mayor in 1933, thus attaining the nickname “Little Moscow.” Visitors can hear more local stories from the past at Stone's Throw Cafe or The Pass Beer Co. From the popular Crowsnest Pass Golf Club to the scenic river for a chill picnic in nature, the atmospheric Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery hosts art exhibitions just down the road. Don't miss the historic sites like a gazebo, a bandstand, and a courthouse. In the winter, really chill out at Pass Powderkeg Ski Area just south, while Spry will gear up your adventure in every season.

Home to the Crowsnest Pass Bike Skills Park and charming businesses like the popular Gilded Haus Gift Boutique and adjacent Launstein Imagery Wildlife Art Gallery, visitors can browse after a morning stroll along the nearby Turtle Mountain Trail. Five minutes west, or 20 minutes of pedaling, Coleman is home to the Crowsnest Museum & Archives and the Miners' Path, a moderate hike to a pretty waterfall. Minutes east, Frank Slide in the eponymous little mining town displays one of Canada’s deadliest rockslides, which buried Frank back in 1903. Stop by the Interpretive Center for more insights, including coal mining and resource extraction in Alberta and Crowsnest Pass. South from there, consider the Bellevue Underground Mining Tour or explore the stunning Pass with different trails, like scaling the popular Turtle Mountain for a bird's-eye view of Frank Slide's origin. Nothing beats a springtime hike along the Window Pass to a dazzling mountain lake framed by wildflowers against the beautiful Rockies!