Out West, the cowboy life was—and still is—a year-round affair. A ranch never sleeps, not even in winter. Cattle need to be herded, fences checked, and horses fed, even when the snow swirls around your boots and the temperatures are so cold they frost your eyelashes. There’s a special magic about that time of year—something enchanting about the stark contrast between the white snow and the dark slash of a steam-powered train, between the pale blue sky and the dark shapes of cows huddled contentedly amid the drifting snow. If you want a real taste of the Old West, there’s no better time to make your pilgrimage than winter.
Colorado’s cowboy culture is older than the state itself. In the mid-1800s, cowboys from Texas began driving livestock into Western Colorado. By the late 1800s, well-established cattle-drive routes cut across the region as riders moved herds north through New Mexico to railroad hubs in Colorado and Montana. Along the way, cowboys left their mark, establishing camps and outposts, competing in rodeos, and shaping the culture of the young state. Even today, the cowboy way of life remains an indelible part of Colorado’s history, particularly during the winter months when Western celebrations and festivals abound.
Here are ten ways to experience it for yourself.
1. Night-Ski to a Backcountry Banquet
A meal in the mountains is part of the Western experience, but you don’t have to settle for hardtack and jerky. In the mountains beyond Crested Butte, one cozy restaurant offers trekkers a snowy adventure with a savory finish line: a five-course meal at the Magic Meadows Yurt. A backcountry hut nestled amid the Elk Mountains, the yurt is only accessible by ski or snowshoe. Despite the mile-long approach, tables regularly book out months in advance, and the yurt has become a sought-after venue among adventurers and foodies alike. The elaborate meals—cooked up by chef Tim Egelhoff—feature fresh produce, local game, and Colorado-sourced meat and vegetables. It’s all served up in a cheerful setting where diners mingle and warm themselves by a blazing wood stove, just as cowboys used to do on long drives 100 years ago.
2. Cheer on a Skijor Racer
Picture someone waterskiing. Now picture them doing it not behind a motorboat, but behind a horse galloping with reckless speed down a snowy street riddled with ramps, jumps, and obstacles. That, in a nutshell, is skijoring. One of Colorado’s most treasured (and most eccentric) winter traditions, skijoring is a contest of both horsemanship and skiing ability. Typically, both rider and skier dress in Western wear for added flair, then hurtle down a town’s main street, vying for glory and, in some cases, a cash prize. To experience the thrill for yourself, head to Estes Park, Colorado on January 25 and 26 for the inaugural Estes Park Skijor competition. Prioritize the Open competition to see the true professionals at work, then sample the food, beer, crafts, and art available throughout the festival weekend.
3. Discover the West’s Unsung Heroes
During the years of the “Wild West,” approximately one in four cowboys was Black. After the end of slavery in 1863, formerly enslaved people moved West in droves. Many of them became Buffalo Soldiers, rodeo kings, town marshalls, and cattle-driving aficionados—and yet few people know about the immense influence and deep history of America’s Black cowboys. That’s where the Black American West Museum comes in. Mosey into the past with a visit to the museum, a treasure trove of artifacts and photos carefully arranged in the former home of Dr. Justina Ford, Colorado’s first Black female physician. It’s open to visitors on Fridays and Saturdays.
4. Dine in a John Wayne-Inspired Saloon
Swing through the door of True Grit Café, and you might feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of a true spaghetti Western. You wouldn’t be too far off: for one thing, the café was named for True Grit, an Academy Award-winning classic that starred John Wayne and was filmed in Ridgway in 1968. For another, the restaurant is filled with movie memorabilia and even shares a wall with a building used in one of the film’s first scenes. Order a chicken-fried steak and bask in the aura of Hollywood history. Then, take a walking tour of the post office, old firehouse, and town park—all of which make cameos in the movie.
5. Ride a Train that Carried Cowboys
In Southwestern Colorado, 100-year-old steam-powered trains still whistle through the narrow canyons as if trapped in time. One, the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, traces the same route it’s traveled for more than 140 years. First established in 1882 to carry cowboys and miners through the jagged San Juan Mountains, the railroad now lets visitors follow the buckaroos’ footsteps. The Cascade Canyon Winter Train is one of the railroad’s most coveted rides. The five-plus-hour round-trip journey unspools nonstop views of snow-striped cliffs, flocked pines, and the ice floe-dappled waters of the Animas River.
6. Take a Sleigh Ride with a Western Twist
You could drive to dinner. Or, you could glide across newly fallen snow in an old-fashioned buckboard sleigh, tucked into warm blankets with snowflakes in your hair. That’s the treatment you’ll get with Two Below Zero, a Frisco-based sleigh ride outfitter that gives “going out to dinner” a whole new meaning. Book one of their evening rides, and mule teams will whisk you out into the snow-draped woods, where a heated tent and a three-course chuckwagon dinner await. Diners are plied with roast chicken, succulent steak, warm apple pie, and hot cocoa—along with live music featuring covers of American classics by Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
7. Immerse Yourself in Ranch Life
Colorado is dotted with dude ranches, many of which work hard to keep old frontier traditions alive. Case in point: The C Lazy U Ranch. A 105-year-old, family-owned operation, C Lazy U maintains a stamping herd of 180 horses. Part of its mission is to give visitors a taste of Western hospitality—and the opportunity to learn some serious skills. Over the course of a week-long visit, you’ll be paired with a horse matched to your riding ability. Hone your horsemanship, get expert instruction, and explore the mountains on snowy cross-country rides. Need a break from the saddle? Roam the ranch’s expansive grounds via snowshoe or cross-country ski, or rent ice skates and spend the afternoon sketching figure-eights on the pond. Wind down your day with a cup of hot cocoa, sharing stories with fellow riders by the fire.
8. Drop by the Rodeo
There’s only one time of year you can watch long-horned steers marching the roads of downtown Denver: During the annual National Western Stock Show in January. The show always begins with a parade—a procession of cattle, horseback riders, musicians, and wagons outside Denver’s historic Union Station—before launching into a two-week-long celebration of Western heritage. Bet on livestock competitions, watch barrel-racing and bull-riding, learn to swing dance, and bask in live fiddle tunes. It’s the best of the West, all under one roof.
9. Ride the Range via Snowmobile
Western explorers look a little different these days—and so do their steeds. But no matter what you’re riding, the spirit of wild adventure remains the same. To roam the open range at speed, book a snowmobile tour with a professional outfitter like White Mountain Snowmobile Tours near Leadville. Their shorter tours follow family-friendly routes through rolling meadows and open glades, while more thrill-heavy “performance tours” take riders up to the serrated ridgelines of the Continental Divide. There, you’ll be treated to spin-around views of the rugged Colorado wilderness and the 14,000-foot peaks that tickle the winter sky.
10. Dress the Part
You don’t just try on a pair of cowboy boots; you try on a lifestyle. Over time, traditional Western wear has become as much a statement about the spirit of adventure and independence as it has about fashion. It’s also astonishingly practical: A Stetson will keep your head warm in winter, and will deflect rain as well as snow. And a pair of good leather boots will keep the snow out of your socks even in deep powder. See for yourself at F.M. Light and Sons in Steamboat Springs. The Light family has run this nationally renowned outfitter for 120 years. In that time, they’ve kitted out five generations of real-life and would-be cowboys alike.
