Local Attractions

Posted on by Dick Slackman Posted in Community

The Greenhorn Valley and the entire area offer plenty of activities for your entertainment, from hiking, camping and fishing to tourist attractions to live music.

local attractions Bishop CastleOne absolute must-see is Bishop Castle. This magnificent structure has been nearly 40 years in the making and just keeps on growing. Located just 15 miles north of Rye on Highway 165, it is easy to get to and the drive is beautiful.

If being outdoors is your bag, you’ve come to the right place. The Craftsman Lodge is just minutes away from the Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness area. This treasure features more than 23,000 acres of unspoiled beauty. With miles of trails and few people you are sure to find peace and solitude. If fishing is what you want, there are two lakes within just a short drive. Lake Beckwith in Colorado City is stocked with bass, trout and many other species of game fish. To the north of Rye, Lake Isabel offers some of the best fly fishing you will find anywhere. Just minutes away, you will find miles of ATV trails and trails to ride your horses (we have stables for your use).

Golf anyone? Hollydot Golf Course, all 27 holes, is just 15 minutes away in Colorado City. This course features challenging fairways, perfectly conditioned greens, beautiful views, and best of all, no tee times.

The Pike’s Peak region and Colorado Springs offers several different tourist attractions including the Cave of the Winds, Seven Falls and the inspiration for America the Beautiful, Pike’s Peak itself. And don’t forget about the Royal Gorge. It features the world’s highest suspension bridge and is just a little over an hour away.

Below is just a partial list of area attractions;
Local Attractions

Bishop Castle
Lake Beckwith – Google Search
Lake Isabel
Greenhorn Wilderness area
Greenhorn Trail
Bartlett Trail
Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway
Colorado Horseback Riding Adventure
Hollydot Golf Course

Restaurants

Bolt Burgers and Shakes – Fresh Fast Food – (719) 676-6297
Three Sister’s Tavern & Grill – Western ambience Bar & Grill – (719) 676-2276
High Octane BBQ – Bar & Grill – (719) 676-2440
The Round Table Sports Grill – Sports & Grill – (719) 676-3300
You Bee Hungry – Food Truck/ Breakfast and Lunch Mexican Theme – (719) 565-7440
Table Mountain Coffee Shop – Sunday 8:30 am – 10:30 am, Wednesday 7 am – 11 am – (719) 489-2087
Rye Cafe – Breakfast, sandwiches, pizza, soups, coffee bar, now serving dinner – (719) 489-2233
Viktorios Pizzeria and Bar – Italian and Mexican Food – (719) 676-4455

Regional Attractions

The Royal Gorge Bridge
The Broadmoor Seven Falls
Cave of the Winds
Pike’s Peak
Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings
Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Out and About at The Craftsman Lodge

Posted on by craftsman Posted in Community, Events

We just completed a visit to Bent’s Old Fort (NPS) & Koshare Indian Museum both in/near la Junta, about an hour and fifty minutes from the lodge, a bit of a trip, but in all honesty quite worth it as both sites are two hours from everything.

Bent’s Old Fort, operated by the National Park Service with costumed volunteers/employees, is quite the treat as it is as an authentic frontier fort as you are likely to see. A self or guided tour of the fort is quite rewarding as the fort is rebuilt to perfection, complete with adobe walls, period construction and all modern conveniences hidden from site. It is well worth the $3 admission and the trip to see this well executed tourist site.

The Koshare Indian Museum is not quite what one expects way out here on the plains. It is indeed a museum with an actual Hogan as its centerpiece as well as two floors of Indian art though all based on the Boy scouts efforts and active participation in Indian dances. It is a convenient stop on the way to/from Bent’s Old Fort.

Bent’s Fort & Hogan

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The Greenhorn Valley

Posted on by craftsman Posted in Community
History:

Cuerno Verde in Greenhorn ValleyLegend has it the Greenhorn Mountians and Greenhorn Valley get their names from Comanche Indian Chief Tabivo Naritgant. The Spanish gave him the nickname “Cuerno Verde”, which translates to “Green Horn” in English. When in battle, Cuerno Verde wore a head-dress with green tinted horns. Cuerno Verde, which translates to “Green Horn” in English, is the Spanish name given to Tabivo Naritgant because of the green tinted horns that he wore on his head-dress in battle. The English translation of the original Comanche name is “Dangerous Man”.[1] He inherited both his name and his distinctive head dress from his father, who was killed in combat against the Spanish at Ojo Caliente, in what is now New Mexico, in October 1768.

Spaniard Juan Bautista de Anza, then Governor of the area that is now New Mexico, hunted Cuerno Verde because of raid he made into Anza’s territories.

Comanche and Spanish forces met in a series of running battles between August 31 and September 3, 1779. Cuerno Verde died in one of those battles on September 3 somewhere between the present day cities of Pueblo, Colorado and Colorado City, Colorado, probably in a gully of the St. Charles River.

Although Anza called him a “cruel scourge” and made note in his diaries of atrocities attributed to him, many modern Comanches question the veracity of Anza’s statements and maintain that Tabivo Naritgant was only meeting the obligations of a responsible Comanche leader of the period.
Source: Wikipedia.org

Today:

The Greenhorn Valley consists of the communities of Rye and Colorado City, about 5,500 people. The town of Rye has been around since the late 1800’s. Development of Colorado City began in earnest in the late 1960’s.

The Greenhorn Valley sits at the foot of the majestic Greenhorn Mountain, which at 12,347 feet above sea level is the highest point of the Wet Mountain Range. The mountain is encompassed by the Greenhorn Wilderness Area. There are two main trails that access the mountain, the Bartlett Trail and the Greenhorn Trail. Both are just minutes away from the Craftsman Lodge. The Greenhorn Mountain can also be accessed by vehicle via the Ophir Creek Road. Total drive time is about 1 hour, and though a four-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary, a vehicle with good ground clearance is recommended if you want to drive all the way to the end of the road.

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Bear Country

Posted on by craftsman Posted in Community

Bear and Cubs in Bear CountryThe Craftsman Lodge lies in the heart of bear country. While the chances of meeting bears are relatively low, largely because of bears’ disinterest in most people, you must know how to avoid, recognize, and deal with bear encounters.
Bears are strong and agile wild animals that will defend themselves, their young, and their territory if they feel threatened. All bears are potentially dangerous; they are unpredictable and able to inflict serious injury. NEVER feed or approach a bear.

Tips for Safe Camping

  • Put away food and garbage, strong attractions to bears. Keep your campsite clean and never leave food, garbage, coolers, cooking equipment or utensils lying around.
  • Lock food in the trunk of your vehicle or hang it at least 12 feet off the ground between two trees.
  • Do not cook or eat in or near your tent or tent trailer.
  • The lingering odors of food invite bears. Clean utensils and put garbage in containers immediately after eating.
  • Do not get food odors on your clothing or sleeping bag. Sleep in different clothing than what you wear for cooking.
  • Use a flashlight at night. Many animals feed at night, and a flashlight may warn them away.
    • Tips for Safe Hiking
  • Bears feel threatened if surprised. Hike in a group and make loud noises. Whistle, talk, sing, or carry a noise maker (e.g. bells).Most bears will leave if they are aware of your presence. Stay in the open as much as possible. Keep children close at hand on trails.
  • Be especially alert when traveling into the wind. A bear may not get your scent and be warned of your presence. In dense bush and near rushing water, the animal likely won’t hear your noise-maker.
  • Stay away from dead animals and berry patches, important food sources for bears. You’ll often see crows and ravens circling over dead animals.
  • Watch for bear signs, tracks, fresh diggings, and droppings.
  • NEVER approach a bear, especially a bear cub. A protective mother is usually nearby and may attack if she thinks her cub is in danger.
    • Bear Confrontations
  • Make a wide detour or leave the area if you see a bear at a distance. If you cannot detour or retreat, wait until the bear moves from your path. Always leave the animal an escape route.
  • Do not run. Most bears can run as fast as a racehorse. A scream or sudden movement can trigger an attack.
  • Don’t throw anything at a bear; it may provoke an attack.
  • Watch the bear for aggressive behavior–snapping its jaws together, making a “whoofing” sound, or keeping its head down with ears laid back. Consider any bear that moves toward you aggressive. If the bear does not seem to be displaying aggressive behavior, talk softly in monotones and slowly back up. If a bear rears on its hind legs and waves its nose in the air, it is trying to identify you. Keep still and speak in low tones.
  • Keep calm. Assess the situation. There is no guaranteed life-saving method to cope with an aggressive bear, but calm behavior has proven the most successful. Sometimes bears will bluff their way out of a threatening situation by charging and veering away at the last second. Back away quietly; never run!
  • If a climbable tree is nearby and the bear shows aggressive behavior, speak softly and back slowly toward the tree. At the same time, slowly remove your pack and set it down to distract the bear.
  • Climb a tree as high as you can. Stay in the tree until you are sure the bear has left the area, then make your way quickly back to the trailhead. Black bears are agile climbers, so a tree may not offer an escape from them.
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