24 Hours in Carbondale Colorado

Carbondale Arts

SPRING EDITION

CARBONDALE IS (OR AT LEAST WAS) THE ROARING FORK VALLEY’S BEST KEPT SECRET. SITTING BETWEEN ASPEN AND GLENWOOD SPRINGS, THE TOWN OF AROUND 6,000 IS SURROUNDED BY AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF NATURAL BEAUTY AND HAS A THRIVING ARTS COMMUNITY AND SOME GREAT PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK. WITH SO MANY AMAZING OFFERINGS IT’S HARD TO WHITTLE A TRIP DOWN TO JUST 24 HOURS, BUT WE’VE ROUNDED UP SOME OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES IN TOWN.

Erin Danneker at EyeDrop Design

7 AM | WAKE UP CALL

Start your day at the centrally-located Bonfire Coffee shop on Main Street. With a roasting facility in Glenwood Springs, coffee at Bonfire is roasted in small batches from beans that have been consciously and ethically sourced. Offering freshly-brewed coffee, including premium single-origin pour overs, as well as espresso-based drinks along with smoothies and food, Bonfire is the quintessential local coffee shop.

Silo

7:30 AM BREAKFAST

Ask any local in town for a breakfast recommendation and they’ll likely point you in the direction of Silo. A trendy, upscale eatery located on the fringes of the town’s creative zone, Silo offers up a straightforward all-day breakfast menu with traditional American fare - think French toast, granola and eggs (both chicken and duck any style). While we love the simplicity of their breakfast dishes, we hear lunch is also outstanding, with the Silo burger and the Cubano coming highly recommended.

9 AM | GET ACTIVE

Suitably fueled, it’s time to explore the beauty of the area. One of the best things about Carbondale is its proximity to a wealth of outdoor pursuits (like all places West of 105). During the spring months expect anything from cold and snowy to hot and dry days. Thanks to the indecisiveness of Mother Nature in Colorado, you can go from Nordic Skiing at Spring Gulch’s more than 13 miles of free, groomed trails (a local favorite) to paddle boarding or fishing in the Roaring Fork River. Late spring brings rafting and kayaking opportunities as snow melt fills the waterways. Mountain biking at Prince Creek and road cycling on the Rio Grande Trail are other top spring picks if the weather allows.

If you’re looking for a more sedate activity, driving a portion of the West Elk Loop Scenic Byway guarantees beautiful scenery. With the imposing Mount Sopris, which is just shy of being a thirteener, on your left, you will follow the Crystal River past Penny Hot Springs and the town of Redstone (which is worth a stop) before arriving at the turn off to Marble and the start of the ascent up McClure Pass. With just 24 hours, it is here that you might want to turn back to Carbondale. For something even more relaxing, call Avalanche Ranch to see if they are offering day passes to soak in their hot springs (read more about almost two dozen hot springs West of 105 here).

Rob McGovern

12 PM | REFUEL

Roaring Fork Beer Company was founded by husband and wife team Chase Engel and Aly Sanguily back in 2013. Since then, the brewery has expanded into a tap room and restaurant right on Main Street called Batch. The wellappointed space practically doubles as an art gallery with plenty of works by local artists, including Chad Stieg.

A handful of flagship beers include Flip IPA (named for the head chef at The Way Home), Freestone Extra Pale Ale and Hoppa Road, a double IPA or as it is rendered at Batch IIPA. Small batch brews change seasonally. One of our favorites was the Fat Pagan barley wine, a dangerously drinkable brew at 11 percent.

Not a beer fan? On top of a handful of non-alcoholic drinks, including locally-roasted nitro coffee and kombucha on tap, Batch also offers a selection of delicious hard seltzers. For spring, try the refreshing hibiscus rose.

If you’re not done exploring the area by lunch time, call Batch ahead of time and order your lunch to-go. Be sure to get a couple of crowlers (32 oz cans) when you pick it up (obviously being mindful of where you crack them open).

Powers Art Center

2 PM | GET CREATIVE

Being a certified creative district, it’s no surprise that Carbondale has a dizzying array of art-centric offerings and activities. Located just out of town is the Powers Art Center. Housed in an amazing building designed by architect Hiroshi Nanamori, the center will celebrate its fifth anniversary this summer. The art center is a memorial to the life of John G. Powers who, along with his wife, collected a broad array of contemporary art. One artist that they particularly admired was Jasper Johns, one of the most influential contemporary artists of the mid- twentieth century. The Powers Art Center showcases limited edition works on paper by Johns as well as exhibits of other artists prominent in the Powers art collection. Entry is free.

Back in town is the Studio for Arts + Works (SAW), a collaborative studio for mixed media artists. Artists come and go, but it’s worth popping in for a chance to buy from them directly. The Launchpad on South 4th Street is a community space for the arts. It is home to R2 Gallery and Artique gift shop as well as being the home of Carbondale Arts. There is also the Carbondale Clay Center and the studio workspaces in the barn at Cedar Ridge Ranch.

True Nature Healing Arts

To find your zen after a busy day, head to True Nature Healing Arts. Offering a range of yoga classes throughout the day, from stretch yoga to vinyasa, the amazing complex offers peaceful and invigorating spaces to train along with a luxury spa (Page 96) that offers Ayurvedic treatments, an organic cafe, a thoughtfully-curated boutique and a beautiful

garden. Owners Eaden and Deva have created a haven right in the heart of Carbondale where passersby are more than welcome to stop in and walk the reflexology path and labyrinth or just relax and take in the picturesque peace garden which should start blooming in April or May.

History buffs should consider a self-guided walking tour. Carbondalehistory.org offers a downloadable PDF that maps out a suggested route and gives information and history on the main sites in downtown Carbondale.

Photos (this page above): Powers Art Center; (this page below): True Nature Healing Arts(opposite page, clockwise from top): Erin Danneker at EyeDrop Design; Rob McGovern; Silo

5 PM | PRE-DINNER DRINKS

Carbondale Beer Works offers a selection of around ten house brews (depending on how busy they have been) along with a few guest taps. Family friendly with a full dining menu, the brewery offers plenty of nighttime fun and events from live music to bingo and trivia. When the weather warms up the patio is the place to be.

Lauren DeFilliop

6 PM | DINNER

One of the newest additions to Carbondale is The Way Home. This upscale eatery is located in a century-old house right downtown and offers modern decor and delicious drinking and dining options. There is a full service bar, but to help them cope with hectic summer rushes there are four casked cocktails on the menu, but feel free to order whatever you like from the experienced mixologists.

Chef Flip Wise serves up tasty dishes with as many locally and regionally-sourced ingredients as possible. The menu is small enough to not be overwhelming but large enough to offer a good choice. We recommend starting out with a plate of oysters. Delicious in their own right, the tiny dab of scotch bonnet puree works well with the briny liquid of the oyster. The burrata delicata salad is a delicious and delicate combination of burrata, chioggia beets and pistachios. For something heavier, a pasta dish should hit the spot. We got a sneak peek of a filled pasta dish with scallops that was topped with toasted breadcrumbs; it was a winning combination of textures and flavors. For entrées, the pork cut (a large pork chop with guajillo, forbidden rice and hominy) is rich and flavorful and almost enough for two, while the trout with cauliflower, pancetta and parsnip was equally good and a bit lighter. Both the trout and pork were sourced within state. An expansive patio will open during the warmer months practically doubling the seating capacity.

As of now, the restaurant is only offering dinner, but the owners are considering lunch and weekend brunch services in the future.

A more family-centered experience can be found at White House Pizza where a hefty menu includes a range of appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas, calzones and sandwiches. Peppino’s is another pizza joint that offers pizza by the slice in a more casual, grab-and-go setting.

Marble Distilling Co.

8 PM | POST-DINNER DRINKS

The sleek tasting room at Marble Distilling Co. features a range of handcrafted cocktails using spirits distilled right in the building. Be sure to try the Gingercello and the Moonlight EXpresso, a coffee liqueur that uses roasted Bonfire Coffee’s Guatemalan beans and Ugandan vanilla. And be sure to check their Facebook page to see if they have any special events; they are known to bring in a mechanical bull from time to time.

Carbondale Arts

9 PM | LIVE MUSIC

Steve’s Guitars is an intimate space that regularly offers live music. Guests are even welcome to bring their own drinks. Tickets go on sale the night of the event at the door with most acts beginning at 8:30 pm, however, doors open around an hour beforehand.

REST YOUR HEAD

Cedar Ridge Ranch

Cedar River Ranch, located about 15 miles from downtown Carbondale, is a true hidden gem. With stunning views of Mount Sopris, Pam and Randy Johnson, along with their daughter Merrill, have carved out quite a paradise for themselves and their lucky guests. Located in the middle of their working ranch, guests have the opportunity to get their hands dirty while unwinding and being in nature. Read more in our havens feature on page 88.

Lauren DeFillipo

If you are looking to stay right in the heart of Carbondale, the Distillery Inn, located above Marble Distilling Co., has five well-appointed rooms while The Way Home has the Sopris Room and Red Hill Room, two beautiful-restored but simply decorated guest rooms upstairs.

EVENTS

Green is the New Black Fashion Show March 14 to 16 An annual fashion extravaganza showcasing sustainable fashion.

5Point Adventure Film Festival April 25 to 28 Colorado’s leading adventure film event.

First Friday First Friday of the month from 5 pm to 9 pm Walk down Main Street and explore art offerings, delicious food and drink specials and mingle with the locals.

Dandelion Day May 11 A celebration of all things spring!

Bonedale Bike Week May 17 to May 23 A celebration of bikes and cyclists.

Thunder River Theater Co. Performances are held throughout the year, including a cabaret production in March, improv shows and an annual gala in May.