Located in central Colorado in the Upper Arkansas River Valley, Salida has more than a dozen 14,000-foot tall mountain peaks, surpassing all other Colorado regions. It is an outdoors paradise with year-round activities—at non-resort prices—that includes an almost complete A-to-Z adventure list: archery, biking, camping, climbing, fishing, four-wheeling, golfing, hiking, hunting, kayaking, picnicking, rock hounding, skateboarding, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and a world-class zipline tour.

Salida is not limited to typical Colorado mountain adventures. Visitors can take a leisurely stroll along tree-lined streets and into the downtown area where century-old red brick buildings offer café fare to fine dining and art galleries display whimsical art pieces to upscale aesthetics. Our town of about 5500 residents was included in the guidebook America’s 100 Best Small Art Towns.

Those who want to roam beyond the several block downtown area can pound the paths of the area’s extensive bike & trail system or follow the winding Arkansas River. A short drive out of town takes you to ghost towns, mining camps, and reminders of Salida’s railroad transport past.

The region has surprisingly mild periods of weather since harsh storms arriving from the west are tempered by the mountain ranges along the Continental Divide. This phenomenon has given rise to the tag the “Banana Belt.” Fierce beauty, a mild climate, and a region steeped in folklore and outdoor adventures await you. With all this to offer, it is no surprise that Salida has become a favorite place to retire as well as recreate. U.S. News and World Report Magazine called it “one of the top ten affordable retirement communities in the US.”

Come to Salida, the little town with lots to offer that is the “Gem of the Rockies.”