“Where the west is still wild,” read a roadside marker.
“No services for 120 miles,” another sign cautioned.
Theres a lot to offer here, a lot of open space.
One of the wild horses of Salt Wash Basin, a herd-management area in northwest Colorado.Credit:David Williams
Wilderness has long distinguished Moffat County, home today to two million acres of public land.
Both organizations are focused on the transition from coal.
But Moffats sustainable tourism bid trades on a wilderness few know.
From left: Josh and Maegan Veenstra of Good Vibes River Gear on the Yampa River; the Yampa River as it winds through Dinosaur National Monument.David Williams
Historically, Craig has lagged behind the rest of the West.
Coal changed Moffat Countys fortunes, and also revealed another source of wealth: fossils.
it’s possible for you to still be killed by a dinosaur here if a footprint breaks and falls.
The red-rock canyons of Dinosaur National Monument.David Williams
Were proof that tourism is sustainable, Knowles added.
Other businesses in downtown Craig have benefited from the museums popularity.
It bodes well for that transition to work-from-anywhere.
Yampa Valley Brewing Co.David Williams
Proceeds go to Wild Horse Warriors, which advocates for the health of the Sand Wash herd.
Management of the horses is controversial.
Without birth control, a herd can double in four years, Wright told me.
The lights come up in downtown Craig.David Williams
We flushed killdeer birds from their nests and watched mountain bluebirds pause on top of greasewood bushes.
Craig is the last spot before the wild begins.
This is the last great place to have fun.
From left: Fueling up at Prodigal Son’s Coffee House & Eatery; a charcuterie board at 518 Wine Bar.David Williams
The resulting Class II and III rapids send whitewater rafts pinballing off submerged boulders and plunging down spray-blasting swells.
Immersed in nature by day and sharing campsites and cooking duties by night, we became fast friends.
A rare rain shower produced countless pop-up waterfalls spilling over the cliffs.
From left: Craig artist Israel Holloway in his studio; a wild horse at Sand Wash Basin.David Williams
Where to Stay
The nearest high-end accommodation isGravity Haus Steamboat, a design-forward resort in Steamboat Springs.
Prodigal Sons Coffee House & Eatery: A Craig charmer.
Try the bacon and egg on a biscuit.
From left: The Museum of Northwest Colorado; the museum’s display of antique spurs.David Williams
Yampa Valley Brewing Co.: Northwest Colorados craft-beer mecca has taprooms in Craig, Hayden, and Steamboat Springs.
Rafting companies OARS and Dinosaur River Expeditions can organize single- or multi-day expeditions.
Good Vibes River Gear: Get fully equipped for rafting at this shop in downtown Craig.
The world’s largest watercolor, by Israel Holloway, at the Museum of Northwest Colorado.David Williams