Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak.   By now, I want to believe that most people know that Colorado isn’t short on hiking, camping, skiing or mountains.

Allow me to tell you something I have discovered most people either forget or don’t know about Colorado. That, my dear readers, is the history of our colorful state. More specifically, I will be sharing with you a very brief history about Grand County. With any luck, what you read will entice you into planning a small get-a-way to one of Colorado’s grandest counties.

At an elevation of 7,935 feet, you will find our first town of Granby, Colorado. The town was founded in 1905 and named after an attorney by the name of Granby Hillyer. Hillyer, according to history records, was the attorney who worked to lay out the town site. The site was created along the Denver, Northwestern and Pacific Railroads that were being built at the time, and of course because of the dry ground and great views. Views that include the continuously stocked with trout and kokanee salmon, Lake Granby. Once considered a sleepy town and one of Colorado’s best kept secrets, today it is becoming a popular destination for vacationers.

Our next stop is Grand Lake, just 15 miles North East of Granby and at 8,369 feet above sea level. It was established by pioneers in 1879 and incorporated, not that long ago, in 1944. The town was founded by the Grand Lake Town & Improvement Company as a mining-settlement. As mining slowly diminished and residential life changed, Grand Lake became another haven for tourism. It is now mostly known for the largest natural body of water in the state as well as one of the gateways into Rocky Mountain National Park.

Let’s travel a little lower in elevation to 7,313 feet and visit the town of Kremmling. The town originally began as a general merchandise store in 1881 by Kare Kremmling. However, it wasn’t until 14 years later that the name Kremmling was officially recognized. The town is close to three national forests, two rivers and one creek that are enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts, fishermen, rafters and kayakers. Only 367 feet higher than Kremmling, you can find one of my favorite spots, Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado. It is the county seat of Grand County. It was founded in 1860 and properly named for the hot spring in the area. It is said that in the past, Ute and Arapaho tribes used the hot springs as their way of healing. As do I.

Not too far from Kremmling and Hot Sulphur Springs, are the towns of Parshall, Tabernash and Fraser. All three between 7,500 and 8,500 feet in elevation. Parshall was established in 1907, during which a small store and the post office were also founded. Tabernash was named, by the chief engineer of the Denver & Salt Lake Railroad, after a member of the Ute Tribe who was killed by a white man named Big Frank, in 1905. Also, in 1905, in anticipation of the Moffat Tunnel, was the establishment of Frazier, named after an early Grand County Settler. It wasn’t until 1953 that the town was incorporated, and the name was changed from Frazier to Fraser.

The youngest, and one of the more popular towns in Grand County, Winter Park, sits at 9,121 feet above sea level. It wasn’t until 1923 that the town of Winter Park was first settled. In 1938 the U.S. Forest Service gave the city and county permission to develop land for outdoor sports due to a high volume of winter sports enthusiasts. It wasn’t until 1978 that the town became incorporated.

Brimming with exciting activities from hiking, camping, golfing, biking, boating, fishing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dog sledding, spas, dining, hunting, history and more, the towns in this county are truly surrounded by something grand, and the name says it all.

(Originally published in the November 8, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)