(Photo: Sleeping Giant is the backdrop for a hayfield west of Steamboat Springs. Photo by Noah Wetzel.)

Featured in the Steamboat Springs Visitors' Guide Summer 2024. 

Steamboat Springs, CO - In springtime, new life abounds in the fields surrounding Steamboat Springs. By midsummer, waist-high grasses ripple like waves in the wind of rural Routt County fields. And in fall, golden harvests are fodder for photographers, both amateur and pro. 

No summer trip to Northwest Colorado would be complete without spending a day in its rural environs. The easiest way to experience this idyllic landscape is by car. Drive south or west from Steamboat and find yourself immersed in agricultural land almost immediately. 

Bicycling the gravel roads and two-lane highways is another favorite option, although weekend traffic can be intense on Colorado 131 and County Road 129. Steamboat bike shops can provide suggestions for favorite routes. 

Horseback rides provide the quintessential cowboy experience, and several local companies offer daily tours. Some even offer the chance to participate in cattle drives. 

For the most part, Routt County ranches are family-owned and operated. Their land may look inviting, but trespassing is not only illegal, it can also be dangerous. Bulls and great Pyrenees sheep dogs, for instance, are not all that friendly. Before you cross a fence line, make certain you have permission. 

Farm equipment is notoriously slow-moving. If you see a tractor, combine or other implement moving on the road, stay back until it is safe to pass. 

Cowboys also move livestock via the roadways, and sometimes an animal ventures out on its own. In any case, livestock has the right-of-way. Stop and take a few pictures from a safe distance while you wait for the road to clear. 

Embrace the spirit of this special place.