Destination Leadville, Colorado

Got a couple of days off and want to get away from it all? Such was the case for me when I found a perfect place to go and enjoy some great outdoor activities, as well as some great food and local flavor. This place... Leadville, Colorado. North Americas highest established municipality, this small town is nestled in the Rocky Mountains at an altitude of 10,430 feet above sea level.

There are many ways to experience the area and the people of Leadville, not to mention the stories and history of the town. I was only up there for a couple of days, so I wasn't able to do everything I wanted to, but I was able to enjoy some outdoor activities and some spectacular food. Let us begin with what ended up being one of the things I enjoyed the most... a breakfast horseback ride.

A company called Mega Mountain Magic offers many different types and lengths of horseback rides, including the morning "breakfast ride" that I went on. The breakfast ride, which is an hour long and leaves at 8:30 in the morning, serves up an outdoor meal of biscuits and gravy or hotcakes; and their dinner ride (also an hour) makes a stop for an old fashioned wienie roast. For these rides, you must make reservations in advance and have a minimum of 4 people. Any members of your group under 5 years of age will be required to ride in the covered wagon with an adult. If you don't want to make plans in advance, but end up deciding you do want to take a little ride, they also offer 1 hour and 2 1/2 hour rides. The hour rides leave on the hour from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm and the 2 1/2 hour rides leave at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. All the rides allow you to experience the stunning beauty of the area first hand, including spectacular views of Colorado's highest peak, Mount Elbert; and its largest mountain, Mount Massive.

If you want to see the beauty of the area, but horses aren't your thing, there are also many 4-wheel drive/jeep trails in the area. Some of the most popular in the area include East Tennessee Road, No Name Gulch, and Mount Zion Trail. If you don't have a 4-wheel drive, no worries! There are a couple of places in town that you can rent a jeep as well as get maps of all the jeep trails of the area. Just ask any of the store clerks or locals and they'll be happy to help you find a good deal.

If you're up there during ski season, just north of town on Hwy. 24 is Ski Cooper. Now a somewhat small, very personable ski resort, this is where the famous 10th mountain division once trained. Needless to say, there are some fun and very challenging slopes here.

Now lets get to one of my favorites, the food! Everywhere I go I'm always looking for something good to eat. Whether its a hardy dinner or a delectable treat, I love to eat! Finding delicious food in Leadville was hardly a challenge. Even though the first place I went left much to be desired (I will not name the place, they may have just been having a bad day and I wouldn't want to hurt there reputation), every other place I went for food or drinks was great.

My favorite place to enjoy a great meal would be Zichitellas. I never would of imagined that I would find some of the BEST home-cooked Italian I've ever eaten in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. All of the food at Zichitellas is made from family recipes, and no matter what you order you can't go wrong. They also have an extensive wine list, and the atmosphere can't be beat. As far as service goes, what can I say, the art of good service is still alive and kicking here, some of the best I've had. Well worth stopping in, even if just for a glass of "vino", but I definitely recommend the cuisine.

As far as sweet treats go, you have to stop into Hundleys gift shop for their homemade fudge. Made with real butter and cream, it cannot be beat!! The fudge in Leadville is so good, I've built up a "fudge-y friends" network here in Denver that requires any of us who visit Leadville to bring back fudge for the others (you can order it on line, but it's always nice having someone bring back a fresh little package). Not only does Hundleys have the best fudge on the planet, it is sold for a VERY reasonable price with a quarter pound of the confection costing only $3.25, however, if you're like me, you should probably go ahead and pick up a pound for just $13.00. And, although they do carry your traditional chocolate without or with a variety of nuts, they also carry some uniquely tantalizing flavors such as Banana Nut and a rich and creamy butter pecan, just to name a couple. If you aren't into fudge, (WHAT! Are you crazy?!), still stop in and check out some of their unique gifts and other homemade candies.

So next time you have a couple of days off and want to spend some quality time having fun with your friends or family, Leadville is the perfect destination. A small town with big fun and something for everyone.