Western Colorado

Fruitgrowers Trail

A Well-kept Secret

Colorado peaches are a well-kept secret-as lush and flavorful as their Georgia cousins, but less of a household name. Likewise, this part of Colorado makes few headlines, but is rich with things to do. This trail takes its name from Fruitgrowers Reservoir, the best place on the West Slope of Colorado to see waterbirds, from huge flocks of Sandhill Cranes to squadrons of shorebirds and flotillas of ducks. In turn, the reservoir takes its name from those who tend the orchards scattered across the adjacent valley floor. Where there’s no orchard, there may be sagebrush flats, or soaring canyon walls echoing with the calls of Chukars, or riverbottom cottonwood gallery forest, or spruce woods home to porcupines and American Three-toed Woodpeckers. This trail isn’t far off the beaten path, but you’d never know it by visiting-the secret remains well kept