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Colorado State Parks

Local Trip Planner

Welcome to North Park!

North Park is the nickname for the 1,650 square mile county of Jackson. Jackson county is full of rolling hills, mountains, lakes, wildlife, and is only a short drive to Steamboat Springs, Fort Collins, and Laramie, WY.

At 8000 feet, Walden is the only municipality in the county with a population of around 600. There are many attractions and places to dine and stay in Walden. It is known as the moose viewing capital of Colorado with over 600 moose to see. Supers is a full-line grocery store just one mile north of Walden on HW 125. Family Dollar is located at the corner of Main Street and Fourth Street.

Whether you are just passing through or staying a few days, there is something for everyone in Walden, CO, Jackson County!

Call (970) 723-4344 for information about our town, or check out this informative website, Jackson County Website and the Visit North Park website.

Where to Stay

Camping and Cabins:

State Forest State Park: (970) 723-8366 56750 HW 14 and JCR 41, Walden. Basic, electric, and dispersed camp sites. Limited sites available in the winter. Six cabins available year round.

Red Feather Guides & Outfitter: (970) 723-4204 HW 14, Gould. Cabins with showers, hot tub, sauna, horseback riding. Red Feather Guides & Outfitter

The Cabins Gift Shop: (970) 723-3750 55862 HW 14, Gould. Rustic cabins, general store, gift shops.

Powderhorn Cabins: (970) 723-4359 JCR 21, Gould. Modern and rustic cabins, showers, laundry, trailer space. Powderhorn Cabins

Old Homestead: (970) 723-4582 JCR 21, Rand. Log cabins, RV hookups, tents, restroom, shower house.

Granite Corner RV Park: (970) 723-4628 Walden. RV hookups, pull-thru units, close to town.

Lake John Resort: (970) 723-3226 2251 JCR 7A, Walden. RV sites with full hookup, store, bar and grill. Four family-sized cabin units with kitchenettes. Lake John Resort

Woods Landing: (307) 745-9638 At HWs 10 and 230, Woods Landing WY. RV sites with electric, water hookups, modern and rustic cabins also. Woods Landing

22 West: (970) 217-5372 6119 JCR 22, Walden. Tents, RV hookups, some electric hookups, A-frame cabins.

Mansker Station Cabins: (970) 723-4243 35151 State Highway 14, Walden. Four cabins with a pizza restaurant on the premises. Mansker Station Cabins

Hotels and Motels:

Antlers Inn and Majestic Suites: (970) 723-8690 460 Main Street, Walden. Fireplace, patio deck, trophy parlor. Antlers Inn

North Park Inn and Suites: (970) 723-4271 625 Main Street, Walden. Fridge, microwave, coffee, hot tub, wifi, ice, laundry, TV. North Park Inn and Suites

Chedsey Motel: (970) 723-8201 537 Main Street, Walden. Fridge, microwave, continental breakfast, hot tub, wifi, TV. Three apartments with kitchens for short-term rental. Chedsey Motel

Roundup Motel: (970) 723-4680 365 Main Street, Walden. Also five RV sites with hookups.

Westside Motel: (970) 723-8589 445 LaFever, Walden. Kitchen, TV, fridge, microwave.

Guest Ranch/Homes:

Buffalo Creek Ranch: (970) 723-4045 2320 JCR 28A, Rand. Lodge ranch vacation packages, guided fishing, hunting, and horses. Buffalo Creek Ranch

Sportsman’s Retreat: (970) 723-4215 596 McKinley, Walden. Fully equipped home, nightly rental, sleeps six.

Whistling Elk Outdoors Ranch: (970) 723-3284 4164 JCR 27, Rand. RV sites with full hookups, tents, guest shower, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, XC-skiing. Whistling Elk

Woods Landing River Guest House: (307) 745-9638 At HWs 10 and 230, Woods Landing WY. Fully equipped home, sleeps six to eight, two night minimum. Woods Landing

​Where to Dine

River Rock Cafe: (970) 723-4670 460 Main Street, Walden. Dine in or take out, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sandwiches, steak, chicken, ribs, shrimp, and salad. Also includes a full bar. River Rock Cafe

All Smoked Up BBQ: (970) 218-4626 508 Main Street, Walden. Dine in or take out, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Call for hours.

The 10th Frame: (970) 723-8616 688 Main Street, Walden. Dine in or take out, lunch and dinner. Sandwiches, burgers, and snacks. Open bowling, video games, and pool table.

Mansker Station Pizza: (970) 723-4243 35151 State Highway 14, Walden. Dine in or take out, lunch and dinner. Pizza, sandwiches, and salad. Also includes a full bar. Mansker Station

Four Winds Pizza and Subs: (970) 723-8668 Dine in or take out, lunch and dinner. Pizza, subs, wings, salad, and ice cream.

Rand Yacht Club: (303) 909-2719 10180 CO-125, Rand.

Stockman Bar: (970) 723-8449 441 Main St, Walden

N.P. Gathering Grounds: (970) 723-3399 150 Main St, Walden.

Holy Grounds Coffee: (719) 580-0136 209 Main Street Suite 1, Walden.

Outfitters

Red Feather Guides and Outfitters Inc. November-June: PO Box 935, Gypsum, CO 81637 - (970) 524-5054 June - November: PO Box 16, Walden, CO 80480 - (970) 723-4204 Horseback riding, overnight pack trips, and summer drop camps, hunting, bring your own horse, and riding seminars. Visit Red Feather Outfitters for more information.

Medicine Bow Outfitters: (970) 631-2812 or (970) 443-0517 P.O. Box 101, Lucerne, CO 80646 Wilderness drop camp hunts, base camp guided hunts, fully guided and extreme trophy hunts, and youth hunting. Moose, deer, elk, and grouse. Visit Medicine Bow Outfitters for more information.

North Park Anglers: (970) 723-4215 524 Main St., Walden, CO 80480 Shop and outfitter who guides fishing trips to gold medal trout rivers and streams throughout the area. Provides equipment, flies, and experienced guides. Visit North Park Anglers for more information.

Backcountry Education

Colorado Mountain School Take a course on Avalanche safety or backcountry skiing. Colorado Mountain School also offers a guide service. Visit Colorado Mountain School for more information.

5 Things To Do A Short Drive Away

Michigan Ditch

Hiking, biking, horseback riding, skiing, snowshoeing

30 miles east from Walden down HW 14. Six miles one way starting at Cameron Pass and ending at Lake Agnes, provides spectacular views and access to the American Lakes trail and Rocky Mountain National Park, via Thunder Pass.

Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge

Wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing, hunting

7.5 miles south from Walden down HW 125. During April and May waterfowl start migrating back to the refuge to have their young. 7,000 ducklings are produced each year. Attracts upland nesting species including mallards and pintails, marsh and shore birds including sandpipers, yellowlegs, and grebes. Sage grouse, golden eagles, pronghorn, and beaver also make home to the refuge. The refuge is a favorite wintering place for around 500 head of elk.

Bicycling the Medicine Bow Rail-Trail

Biking, wildlife viewing

22 miles north of Walden down 125 to 127, turn west onto Pelton Creek Road. Two lane bike path on a hard-packed trail in the forest away from traffic and all motorized vehicles. It is on an abandoned railroad corridor. Trail is 22 miles from Pelton Creek trailhead to Dry Park trailhead in Albany, Wyoming. Six trailheads along the path with toilets, information kiosks, and picnic benches.

Indian Bathtubs

Hiking, wildlife viewing

48.8 miles from Walden down 125 to Wyo. 230. There are granite outcrops just outside Riverside, Wyoming, where deep holes collect snowmelt and rainwater. The Tribes of the Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne are said to use these formations as bathing holes. While you are out, visit the Grand Encampment Museum. 17 structures related to tie hacks, pioneering, US Forest Service, transportation, and mining.

Jelm Observatory

Telescope use, constellation viewing, wildlife viewing 37 miles north of Walden down 125 towards Laramie, WY, right onto 10 South. 2.3 meter telescope located at the Wyoming Infrared Observatory. Used from middle school students to scientists doing research for NASA. Tours are by reservations only (307) 766-6150.

Directions from Walden

To Steamboat Springs (1hr. & 10mins.): Turn right onto CO-125 S/CO-14 W for one mile. Turn right onto CO-14 W for 33 miles. Turn right onto US-40 W for 25 miles.

To Fort Collins (2hrs. & 12mins.): Turn right on to CO-14 E for 88 miles. Turn right onto US-287 for 10 miles.

To Laramie WY (1hr. & 10mins.): Take CO-125 N for 13 miles. Continue straight onto CO-127 N towards Laramie for 9 miles. This turns into WYO-230, take for 43 miles.

​​​For more information about the area, please visit these websites: