Buena Vista, Colorado – Mountains, Hiking and Fishing
Buena Vista is pronounced “Byoona Vista” by people in Denver. (I’m not sure how the locals in Buena Vista pronounce it.) Every time I pronounce it how I think is should be pronounced, knowing what little I know about the Spanish language, I receive odd looks. A close translation of Buena Vista is “Good View” and it lives up to that name because it is located in a beautiful river valley surrounded by high mountains. There are also several hot springs in the area that are open to the public. We have not visited any of these so I do not know if they smell like sulphur.
Buena Vista, Colorado, is a town set along the Arkansas River and is surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks Mountain Range. Many of the peaks in this range are over 14,000 feet in elevation (called 14ers in Colorado) and many of them are publicly accessible for those interested in hiking and maybe even summiting these mountains. (There are 58 14ers in Colorado). Some of the more accessible 14,000+ ft. mountains in the Collegiate Range include Mounts Yale, Princeton, Harvard, and Columbia. The town has a nice trail system along the Arkansas River where river surfers can be observed as they attempt to surf the large rapids near town. It is even possible to rent the equipment and try this crazy sport yourself.
A few miles East of Buena Vista, Highway 285 crosses a small stream called Trout Creek. This is a spring-fed crystal-clear creek that is full of brown trout. We have enjoyed catching these fish up to 16 inches.
Traveling north of Buena Vista on Highway 24, a traveler will arrive at Twin Lakes. These lakes are known for large lake trout, but a boat is almost necessary to fish for them. We have fished some side ponds and beaver dams around these lakes and caught some nice brook trout.
The Buena Vista area is rich in outdoor opportunities. We plan to continue to explore this area and discover new places every summer. We hope to see you there sometime.
We love that whole area! Hayden Creek is amazing!