Town of the Week

Walden, Colorado
October 21, 2000

Head over to Walden, Colorado; just listen in.

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From shimmering sand dunes to grand glacial peaks and mountain gorges, this Colorado community has it all. 300 inches of snow or more fall here, making this scenic north central part of Colorado a deep powder wilderness. The town of Walden is found north of Rocky Mountain National Park, within North Park and Jackson County, a glacial basin which forms the headwaters of the North Platte River. So don't be surprised if you see a moose on the road ahead of you. To the south of Walden, is the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, which provides waterfowl with a suitable place to nest and rear their young.

Named for Mark Walden, postmaster of the settlement of sage hen springs, 14 miles east, the town is still a ranching community. As the Jackson County seat, Walden is the only incorporated town in the county, but also offers one of the finest museums in Colorado. It's located next door to the courthouse, the tallest structure in town, built of native sandstone in 1913.

In 1990, in conjunction with Walden's 100th Birthday, North Park furnished the holiday tree for the nation's capitol. The 75-foot tree was decorated with ornaments made by school children in Colorado. After the holidays, the tree was shipped back to Walden, where scouts made benches from the lumber which were placed at the courthouse and on Main Street. It's known as the moose watching capitol of the country, home of the high school Wildcats and Lady Wildcats, and it's our town of the week, Walden, Colorado.