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SCHOOLS
Grand County is located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains
immediately west of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is
approximately 85 miles from Denver and in the middle of a
spectacular recreation area. The East Grand School District serves
six rural communities covering an area of 712 square miles. These
communities are: Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur Springs,
Tabernash, and Winter Park.
The District is one of the few in the state that is on a successful
4-day school week, with classes meeting Tuesday through Friday. The
calendar has 144 student/teacher contact days and exceeds the
contact requirements set by the Colorado Department of Education.
The school year generally begins the week prior to Labor Day and
ends the last week of May/first week of June. During the winter,
Monday is "ski day" and any student with an East Grand School
District ID can ski for free, alpine or nordic.
Parents have a variety of opportunities to become involved in their
children's education. Avenues for involvement include Parent-Teacher
Associations/parent Advisory Committees, District Accountability
Committee, High School Booster Club, High School Podium Parents,
volunteer time in classrooms, attendance at school programs,
musicals, and sports activities.
Elementary School
Grand Lake Elementary
301 Marina Drive - PO Box 572
Grand Lake, CO 80447
970 627-3466
While the district does have an open enrollment policy, elementary
age children (grades K through 5) generally go to Grand Lake
Elementary (GLE). The building is located at 301 Marina and serves
about 100 students. GLE's boundaries go to the houses south of
Circle H on Highway 34 (near the Granby dam).
GLE has a hot lunch program. School bus transportation is provided for
students in the morning and afternoon. Parents pick up their
kindergartners at 10:45 a.m. since there is no bus transportation at
that time. Students who live in town or at Columbine Lake are not
eligible for transportation. The bus picks up on Highway 34 only, so
parents are responsible for getting their children to the highway.
Middle School
East Grand Middle School
197 West Diamond Avenue - PO Box 2210
Granby, CO 80446
970 887-3382
All District middle school students (grades 6 through 8) attend East
Grand Middle School located in Granby. Enrollment averages 325
students. Beyond the basic core content classes, East Grand Middle
School offers accelerated classes to meet the needs of high
achieving students. Students can choose elective courses, including
leadership, art, music, and technology. Interscholastic activities,
including all major sports, involve grades 7 and 8 competing in the
Gore-Yampa League (Northwest Colorado).
East Grand Middle School students can bring their own lunch or
purchase a hot lunch at the school. Transportation is provided to
all six district communities, with pick up on all major highways.
High School
Middle Park High School
795 N. 2nd Avenue PO Box 130
Granby, CO 80446
970 887-2104
All District high school students (grades 9 through 12) attend
Middle Park High School located in Granby. Enrollment averages 375
students. MPHS provides courses to meet the needs of students
seeking college preparatory instruction, as well as those seeking
entry skills into the world of work. Students must demonstrate
mathematics and language arts skills prior to graduation. Honors,
accelerated and independent study courses are available for students
with exceptional abilities and self-discipline. A wide variety of
electives are offered, as are extracurricular activities, including
interscholastic competition in the Denver Metro League (AA).
MPHS students may bring their lunch or take advantage of an ala
carte program. Transportation is provided to all six district
communities with pickup points on the main highways. In all, 43% of
the district students are transported.
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OUTDOOR RECREATION
Snowmobiling & Skiing
Snowmobiling
Grand Lake is the "Official Snowmobile capital of Colorado"
according to Snow West magazine, with more than 300 miles of groomed
and ungroomed trails. It's also one of the few places where you can
snowmobile right into town.
Cross-country Skiing
The Green Mountain Trail makes a nice one-way tour in the national
park if you have two cars. Leave one car at the Tonahutu Creek/North
Inlet Trailhead and drive the other back to the Green Mountain
Trailhead. Starting at the Green Mountain Trail, 3 miles north of
Grand Lake on US Highway 34, the trail goes uphill for 2 miles then
turns right on the Tonahutu Creek trail. From there it's a pleasant
4-mile downhill run to your second car.
In the winter, the Grand Lake Golf Course is magically transformed
into the
Grand Lake
Touring Center.
It boasts 25 kilometers of groomed ski trails, as well as connecting
trails to Soda Springs Ranch and other trails. To reach the course,
turn left on County Road 48 a quarter-mile north of town and drive
for one mile.
Two additional areas are YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Center,
(303) 887-2152, which offers a variety of other activities, and
Devil's Thumb Ranch, 726-8231, which offers more than 100 kilometers
of nice rolling terrain as well as more challenging tracks. In
addition to being able to rent equipment at all of the areas listed
above, one can rent at Never Summer Mountain Products, 627-3642.
Downhill Skiing
Winter Park Ski Resort is forty miles from Grand Lake and offers
some of the state's best skiing. For central reservations, call
726-5514 or (800) 453-2525. SolVista Resort is smaller and quieter
and only fifteen miles from Grand Lake. It is geared more towards
families and is a great place for beginning and intermediate skiers.
They can be reached at (303) 629-1020, (970) 887-3384, or (800)
448-9458.
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Fishing
Whether you like "flat water" or stream fishing there is plenty of
angling action in the area. Lake fishing enthusiasts can choose from
Grand Lake, Lake Granby, Shadow Mountain Reservoir, and Monarch
Lake. The Colorado River and Willow Creek are among the many streams
in the area that offer good fishing. Colorado fishing licenses are
required for anglers 15 years of age and above.
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Golf & Tennis
Grand Lake Golf Course, 627-8008, lies at 8,420 feet above sea
level, select your club accordingly. If your ball goes astray,
chances are you will not find it, so don't be distracted by the
gorgeous scenery. It can be chilly, and afternoon showers are common
so bring your rain gear.
Pole Creek Golf Course, 726-8847, located just off Highway 40
between Tabernash and Granby, is another award-winning public
course. Approximately half of the course is laid out in the meadows
along Pole Creek, the other half is in the trees above, making this
18-hole, par 72 layout uniquely challenging.
Public tennis courts are located at Grand Lake Golf course (small
fee) and in town (free).
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Hiking
& Backpacking
Backcountry travelers are urged to visit the local forest service
office or the National Park for maps and information about local
trails. The Sulphur Ranger District Office, (970) 887-4100,
will provide maps and information on trails in the national forest.
While you are there, plan on picking up an excellent recreation
guide published by Grand County.
Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park
Maps and information on trails in the National Park can be obtained
at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center, 627-3471. Just a few miles into
the park are several trailheads, including Green Mountain, Onahu
Creek, Timber Lake, and the Colorado River Trail. The Green Mountain
and Onahu Creek trails are short day hikes of a mile or so to an
intersection with Tonahutu Creek Trail, which takes the experienced
backpacker farther into the remote reaches of the park. The latter
two are more challenging, with the Timber Lake trail being the more
difficult of the two.
Two trails which leave from the town of Grand Lake and venture into
the park are the aforementioned Tonahutu Creek/North Inlet Loop and
the shorter, easier East Inlet Trail. The latter is perfect for day
hikes which can vary from an easy 3/4 mile walk to beautiful Adams
Falls to a 5.25 mile hike to Lake Verna. The Tonahutu Creek/North
Inlet Loop is a 27-mile, three day loop for experienced backpackers
only.
Trails in Indian Peaks Wilderness Area
The trailheads for three excellent trails into the wilderness area
can be found at Monarch Lake. The first is the Arapaho Pass Trail
which follows Arapaho Creek for 10 miles to the top of the pass at
11,900 feet. Another is the Buchanan Creek Trail, which is a more
difficult hike along Buchanan and Cascade creeks to Crater Lake. A
third, and longer, alternative is the Pawnee Pass Trail, which goes
east instead of south to Crater Lake. It is a difficult 3-mile climb
to the top of the 12,541-foot pass. To reach Monarch Lake take
US Highway 34 south to County Road 6, turn left and go 10 miles to
Monarch Lake.
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Water Sports
Water sports are the bread-and-butter of the Arapaho National
Recreation Area, and watersport rental shops are everywhere. Bumper
boats (like bumper cars) are also available to rent.
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Horseback Riding
Sombrero Stables, 627-3514, offers everything from pony rides for
kids to steak-fry rides for adults to pack trips into the Park for
several days. Prices vary for rides with meals. Call for
reservations.
Winding River Resort Village, 627-3215, also offers guided rides.
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Camping
Sites in Rocky Mountain National Park
Timber Creek Campground is the only campground near the west
entrance to the park. It is 7 miles from the entrance to the park on
U.S. Highway 34. A permit is required for camping anywhere in the
park. They are available on a first-come basis or they can be
obtained in advance in writing. They are available at the West Unit
Office at the western entrance to the park.
Sites in Arapaho National Recreation Area
The Recreation Area boasts 350 campsites in four different
campgrounds. Green Ridge Campground can be found by going 3 miles
south on U.S. Highway 34 to County Road 66 and turning left for 1
mile. It is on the shore of Shadow Mountain Lake and has 80
campsites. Stillwater Campground is 6 miles south of town just off
U.S. 34 on the shores of Lake Granby. The Arapaho Bay Campground can
be found by going one mile past the Stillwater Campground and
turning left for ten miles on County Road 66. It is on the shores of
Lake Granby and has 77 sites. Finally, the Willow Creek Campground
can be found three miles west (right) on U.S. 40 from the junction
with U.S. 34. This campground is on the Willow Creek Reservoir and
has 35 sites.
For more information, contact the Sulphur Ranger
District Office at (970) 887-4100.
Sites in Arapaho National Forest
To reach Sawmill Gulch Campground go 3 miles northwest of Granby on
U.S. 40, turn right on Colorado 125 for ten miles. This campground
has 5 sites. Denver Creek
Campground is 2 miles farther, has 25 sites, and charges no fee.
The Winding River Resort Village, 627-3215, is a privately owned
combination of a campground, bed and breakfast, and recreation park.
It has more than 160 campsites adjacent to Rocky Mountain National
Park with hot showers, RV hookups, a store and laundry. If you get
tired of roughing it, check out the luxurious bed and breakfast
rooms. Continental breakfast is included for all. A huge list of
activities is offered including hayrides and a Frisbee golf course.
The resort can be found by driving a mile north of town on U.S. 34
and turning left across from the National Park Visitors' Center and
following the signs for 1.5 miles.
Sites in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area
Permits are required for overnight camping in the wilderness area
and are available at the Sulphur Ranger District Office, 62429 U.S.
Highway 40, Granby 80446. They can be obtained in advance by writing
to this address. Call (970) 887-4100 for more information. Advance reservations are required
for Crater, Jasper, Diamond, and Caribou lakes.
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INDOOR RECREATION
Movies -
Theater
There are no movie theaters in Grand Lake. Cinema buffs will need to
travel to Granby or Winter Park for their celluloid fix, but Grand
Lake features live stage productions throughout the summer and fall.
These are presented by the
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater
and take place at the Grand Lake Community House in town.
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Concerts
Concerts in the Pines are held four times a year in February, March,
September and October in the Grand Lake Community House.
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Library
The Juniper Library is located on Pitkin St. in town. The phone
number is 627-8353.
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Museum
The Kauffman House museum is located at the end of Pitkin St.
(towards the lake) and is open daily 11-5pm Memorial Day to Labor
Day.
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Area Info