Craig: Culture, Water and Trails

Craig offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: a museum with artifacts from the working lives of cowboys and gunslingers, an annual rendezvous, and different opportunities on the water and on foot. If you’re looking for a hotel in Craig, start by asking which of these themes you want to shape your stay. This lets you plan your trip around specific destinations. Culture, events, and outdoor activities are separate options.

Museum and Annual Rendezvous

The Museum of Northwest Colorado displays artifacts from the working lives of cowboys and gunslingers and is located in the former Colorado State Armory Building in downtown Craig. This gives a visit a clear thematic and architectural connection: the collection focuses on the work described, while the location is identified as the former Colorado State Armory Building. If you’re looking for a cultural activity during your stay, the museum offers a clearly defined subject and a location in downtown Craig. The collection and the building provide two different points of interest, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one kind of attraction.

The Whittle the Wood Rendezvous takes place annually in Craig. The event can therefore provide a specific reason to choose your travel dates. If you want to plan your trip around it, check the dates for that year’s event before arranging your stay. This lets you pair your search for a hotel in Craig with your preferred event date, rather than assuming a specific date.

Reservoir and River Activities

Elkhead Reservoir State Park encompasses a 900-acre reservoir and offers boating. You can distinguish the park from the river routes by the type of water: the focus here is on a reservoir and boating, while the river options feature flatwater or whitewater routes. The acreage describes the size of the reservoir; boating adds a specific recreational activity. When planning, you can first decide which kind of water activity interests you.

Near Craig, a 39-mile flatwater trip follows the Little Yampa Canyon. Access is via the South Beach River Access Site on State Route 13 south of Craig. Both the trip’s length and a specifically named access point are relevant for planning. Also near Craig, Juniper Canyon offers a short whitewater stretch for rafting and kayaking. The two descriptions differ mainly in water conditions and stated length: the Little Yampa Canyon has a 39-mile flatwater trip, while Juniper Canyon has a short whitewater stretch for rafting and kayaking.

The Craig Reach section of the Yampa River has several boat access points in the Craig city area. This is another distinct approach to planning: for the Little Yampa Canyon, a flatwater trip with an access point south of Craig is described, while the Craig Reach focuses on several access points in the city area. When orienting yourself, pay attention to the names of the sections and access points so you can match the different water options to your plans.

Maps for Trails in Craig

A hiking map for the Craig City Trail System is available to download. Printed maps for this trail system and for the trails in Loudy-Simpson Park are available at the Moffat County Visitor Center, 775 Yampa Avenue, Craig. When preparing, you can choose between a downloadable hiking map and printed maps for two named areas. Before planning, check whether the map you want is currently available to download or at the Visitor Center. This way, you can find map information for the Craig City Trail System and the trails in Loudy-Simpson Park for the relevant area.

For an overview of the wider area: Moffat County.