Affordable Colorado Mountain Getaways 3 Courses in 3 Days
GYPSUM
Gypsum Golf Course
Drive past Vail to play in the afternoon at this former Pete Dye-designed country club course. Now city-owned, it has a nice clubhouse, reasonable rates and availability. After playing, drive 28 miles to stay in Glenwood Springs.
GLENWOOD CANYON
ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER
As the Eagle River joins the Colorado River near Gypsum, new landscapes and affordable opportunities begin. The scenic Glenwood Canyon is the best reason to continue. Thousands come here to see the soaring cliffs and raft along the rushing river.
STAY IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS TWO NIGHTS
Stay at family owned Silver Spruce Inn
After the Glenwood Canyon is the historic river town with lots of activities and restaurants. Stay two nights in my favorite affordable motel, the modest Silver Spruce Inn. It is walking distance to downtown, both hot springs and the Glenwood Caverns gondola.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS
Iron Bridge Golf Club
The semi-private course outside of town on the road to Aspen and on the Roaring Fork does reasonable afternoon weekday rates to visitors.
CARBONDALE
River Valley Ranch
South of Glenwood Springs with the backdrop of Mt. Sopris is the semi-private course within in a planned community.
NEW CASTLE
Lakota Links
Located high above the Colorado River with fairways running up and down ravines is the semi-private Lakota Links. Designed by Jim Engh, the course was once Golf Digest's #5 New Course.
RIFLE
Rifle Creek Golf Course
The municipal golf course above town has a split personality. The original front nine has traditional parallel fairways. But the back nine is Golfer Hell. Drives go from elevated tees into rocky canyons, peaks and ravines with a towering sheer rock wall behind the final green.
PARACHUTE
Battlement Mesa Golf Course
Built as a recreation facility for a planned oil shale exploration community, the course sits high above the Colorado River. Now mostly a retirement community, it is affordable with three modern hotels at the entrance.
Good weekend hotel rates but parking is extra.
(THE NEXT TRAIL ON I-70 IS "GRAND JUNCTION")