Steamboat Pilot & Today

Craig boasts a rural town atmosphere filled with small shops with unique wares and hometown service, sites embroiled with old West history and recreational opportunities for all ages.

Activities and events abound to fill your days and your nights. And you won't want to miss a single one.

The following is a list of can't-miss opportunities while visiting Craig and Moffat County:

The Craig Wave Pool and Park: This unique amenity is a favorite of children and adults a like. Cool off in the six-lane, 25-meter lap pool with diving board and kid's slide and wade into the wave pool on 15-minute intervals when the swells start. Rent a raft or a tube to enjoy the ride. The pool is at 605 Washington St.

Historic Downtown Craig: Tired of the impersonal service and mass-produced products of big box department stores? Craig's historic downtown offers a variety of shops with wares you don't see anywhere else. Find that old antique or a great piece to add to your living room. Every store is within walking distance.

Yampa Valley Golf Course: Running adjacent to the mighty Yampa River, the course offers views of the surrounding mountains, bald eagle families, and, of course, terrific golf.

Golf tournaments are held throughout the summer and are generally open to anyone who wants to enter. Call the course at 824-3673 or the Craig Chamber of Commerce at 824-5689 for schedules. The course is open from sunrise to sundown.

Cedar Mountain: Located five miles north of Craig on County Road 7, Cedar Mountain is a quick, easy escape to a Northwest Colorado outdoor experience. The mountain, which rises about 1,000 feet above the Yampa Valley, contains 880 acres of Bureau of Land Management land.

A round-trip hike takes about an hour. One trail leads to the peak of the mountain, which provides a stunning view of Craig and the Yampa Valley. In addition to hiking, Cedar Mountain provides an array of outdoor opportunities, including mountain biking, horseback riding and wildlife viewing.

Sandrocks: A person can learn much about the original inhabitants of Northwest Colorado without setting foot out of Craig. The Sandrocks, which overlook the town, hold remnants of societies that existed before Christ cast the money lender out of the temple. Esoteric shapes are carved into the stone, archetypes of a dead culture. Little is know about what the rock art means or who etched it into the rock, but it is known that some carvings date back as far as 0 A.D.

Water sports: If you find the mountains, rivers or outdoors enticing, they are all accessible, and are vast in size and forms of entertainment offered. The Yampa River creeps its way through Moffat County. It is one of America's last un-dammed rivers, flowing unrestrained through Colorado and Utah. Though much of the river is bordered by private land, it is accessible at many points, including Loudy-Simpson Park, which boasts a trail that winds along the river front. Floating the river is a pastime of anglers and leisure-seekers alike. The slow-moving water is thick with trout, smallmouth bass and northern pike.

If river fishing has no appeal, head to Elkhead Reservoir, which like the river, is packed with fish. Motorized boats are allowed on Elkhead, which makes it a stronghold for local jet and water skiers.

Loudy-Simpson Park: The park is a hub for sports activity in Craig. Softball dominates in the summer with players using the four large fields. Hockey takes over for winter in the newly built ice arena. There are also nature trails, great spots for picnics and playground equipment for the kids. n