There is just SO MUCH to do in Colorado. Some friends of mine came in town to visit, and we wanted to do a little day trip and a hike, and so we decided to go over to Evergreen, Colorado, which is only about 30 minutes from Denver, but yet feels like an entirely different place!
We started off the day with the Lower Maxwell Falls hike. Street parking was super easy to find, and the trail is very clearly marked, which was great. The hike is about 4.5 miles, and it took us almost exactly 2 hours for the out and back. The trail is great – it’s the perfect mix of hills and flat terrain, with wooded areas, and areas with some great views. We had a blast, and saw SO MANY deer along the way, which was awesome.
After the hike, we drove over to the “downtown” Evergreen area and parked to walk around. It’s a 2 block little strip with restaurants, bars and shops, and you really feel like you’re in a quaint mountain town.
Our first stop was Little Bear Saloon for some post hike beers and live music. This place is such a vibe. TBH, at first glance, it does sort of look like it could fall down at any moment, but thats part of the charm. They had a fantastic country singer on stage, and the bar has two stories of seating to enjoy.
We started by heading upstairs and and sitting outside on the patio. It was such a gorgeous day, and it was raining just a smidge on and off which was nice after how much we had been sweating on the hike.
After a few beers, we decided on Bait Shack Tavern for a seafood lunch. They also had a cute outdoor patio with live music, and we were able to enjoy some beers and a fantastic atmosphere.
We really wanted to be able to make a stop at Creekside Cellars, which is a local winery that also had a ton of outdoor seating and wine tastings, but unfortunately they were fully booked up for the day with reservations. It’s on our list to head back and spend more time exploring the area – this time with Harper in tow!
What other restaurants/bars should we check out on our next visit? Any other small towns within a day’s drive of Denver that we should add to our list? Let me know in the comments!
