Evergreen

Tucked in the mountains west of the state capital, Evergreen provides a warm respite from Denver's big-city bustle. Alpine meadows, cool forests and brilliant wildflowers create a natural backdrop for this thriving community.

This town was formerly a Ute and Arapaho hunting ground until white settlers homesteaded here around 1860. Its ranches and farms fed Denver's burgeoning population and its forests supplied the city with lumber. However, Evergreen's beauty has been its most lasting resource. Celebrities such as Greta Garbo and Teddy Roosevelt escaped to the lush resorts here, leaving behind colorful tales and mementos.

Today, Evergreen boasts an eclectic community and a rich cultural existence — local theater, arts, music and fine dining. For recreation, jog up to Evergreen Lake. This pristine jewel offers boating, paddleboarding and picnicking in the summer, ice-skating in the winter and fishing year-round. Drive up nearby Mount Blue Sky (14,624 feet) or watch as the Maxwell Falls cascade 76 feet into a rocky canyon. Camping, hiking, fishing and more are offered through Jefferson County Open Space. The visitor center has trail maps to help hikers and mountain bikers get started in the right direction.

Downtown Evergreen offers its own temptations: the scenic Evergreen Golf Course, attractive galleries, shops, eateries, museums and nightspots all located along Bear Creek, the site of the Annual Dam Ducky Derby held each August. The Hiwan Homestead Museum was built in 1893, then called Camp Neosho, as the summer camp and residence of one of Colorado's first woman doctors, Josepha Williams Douglas. Guided tours show off the wonders of the architecture in a stunning mountain setting.

Whether you like to relax in an armchair opposite a roaring fire or prefer a breathless climb through nearby hills, Evergreen has it all.