Nederland, CO
Nederland is a town of about 7,000 people that is nestled in the mountains about 20 miles north of Boulder. The town has great shopping and several good places to eat. The reservoir on the edge of town along with the stream running through significantly adds to the outdoor charm that makes this town feel so special. Several hiking trails near the town make it a a great place to start or end a hike.
Where to shop
The alpaca store is open a few days of the week and sells a good range of reasonably priced alpaca socks, sweatshirts, and shirts. For outdoor items, there is a good store selling used items and a bike shop that also offers sells a few other items aside from bicycle gear. A very well stocked grocery store aptly called the Mountain Market is a great place to restock on food before heading back to camp at one of the numerous spaces in the forest land surrounding the town.
Where to stay
The Boulder Creek Lodge Hotel is right in the middle of town. If you are interested in camping, there are numerous spots with magnificent views of the mountains about five miles outside of town in the Araphoe State Forest which is also part of the Roosevelt National Forest. We spent three nights parked in a spot overlooking a cow pasture with rock outcroppings and wildflowers surrounding it. The mountains could be seen on the horizon. We spent another two nights further in a spot perched on the edge of the mountain that offered unobstructed views of the Front Range Mountains.
Where to eat
We ate breakfast twice at a place called the Mountain Peak Cafe. The service is excellent. The food choices were good and prices very reasonable. They have a good selection of breakfast sandwiches and egg dishes. Other places to eat include a barbecue brewpub and a saloon. The coffee shop built into two restored railcars and a caboose from the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads is also very good offering a selection of bagel sandwiches and coffee drinks. The charm of dining in a railcar that has been meticulously restored, including the original windows, makes this worth a visit. One of the cars is old circus car with interesting paintings depicting circus life.
Overall, Nederland is a town well worth a visit. It is a small little town that showcases some of the beautiful Colorado mountains.
