Craig offers several distinct reasons to visit: culture in Downtown, an annual rendezvous, river and boating activities, and hiking maps. When choosing your destination, consider which of these interests matters most to you.
Culture in Downtown Craig
Downtown Craig is home to the Museum of Northwest Colorado, housed in the former Colorado State Armory Building. It displays collection items from the working lives of cowboys and gunslingers. The former Armory building and the collection’s subject matter provide two specific points of reference: the building’s former use and the working lives reflected in the collection. The Whittle the Wood Rendezvous takes place annually in Craig. The collection and the event offer different ways to plan: for the museum, the subject matter is key; for the Rendezvous, it’s the date of that year’s event. If you want to plan your trip around the event, check the date in advance.
Reservoir and River Activities
Elkhead Reservoir State Park includes a 900-acre reservoir, and boating is one of the park’s recreational activities. This makes the park a specific point of interest for travelers who want to include boating in their plans. The area around Craig offers two distinct river experiences: a 39-mile flatwater trip through Little Yampa Canyon and a short whitewater stretch in Juniper Canyon for rafting and kayaking.
The river experiences differ in water type and route characteristics. Little Yampa Canyon offers a flatwater trip covering 39 miles, while Juniper Canyon features a short whitewater stretch for rafting and kayaking. If you’re weighing both options, you can start by comparing the type of water and activity you prefer.
Boat Access Points and Trails
Access for the trip through Little Yampa Canyon is via South Beach River Access Site on State Route 13 south of Craig. The Craig Reach section of the Yampa River has several boat access points in the Craig city area. These refer to different locations: one named access point south of Craig and several launch points in the city area. When planning, it helps to match each access point to the appropriate river section.
A hiking map for the Craig City Trail System is available to download. Printed maps for the Trail System and the trails in Loudy-Simpson Park are available at the Moffat County Visitor Center, 775 Yampa Avenue, Craig. The formats cover different areas: the download covers the Trail System, while the printed maps also include the trails in Loudy-Simpson Park. So if you’re mainly looking for trails in the park, the printed maps provide a broader reference. Check the current availability of the download and maps at the Visitor Center before planning your trip.
If you’re looking for a hotel in Craig, a useful first step is to distinguish between Craig itself and attractions in the surrounding area: the museum, Rendezvous and several Yampa River access points are in the city; trips through Little Yampa and Juniper Canyon are in the surrounding area. This can help you decide whether Craig itself or one of the water activities should be the focus of your plans.
For the broader travel overview: Moffat County.
