I Bought a Bar! continued from page 22 ure out if anybody in town drinks Jim Beam. (To date, we’ve sold maybe two shots of Jim Beam. You’d think that would mean a lot of Jack Daniel’s drinkers, but we haven’t moved much of the stuff. More for me, I guess.) Fundamentally, though, I’ve realized something that transcends all of this: Bars foster the sense of community that we all long for at some level, at a time when our society seems to need it more than ever. The Rocky Mountains demand hole-in- the-wall taverns in the exact same way that Paris wouldn’t be Paris without cafes. No matter where you end up, if there’s a TEN GREAT COLORADO ROAD TRIP BARS These watering holes are all worth a trip — and a round or two or three. Fortunately, they’re all close to places where you can hang your hat and rest your head after you’ve settled up. Little Bear Saloon 28075 CO-74, Evergreen littlebearsaloon.com With names carved into the bar and bras and dollar bills hanging from the ceiling, the Little Bear is exactly the kind of place where you’d expect to see a legendary live show — which is why everyone from Leon Russell to Count Basie have played here over the years. Enterprise Bar & Grill 3 North Glasgow Avenue, Rico thericobar.com It’s billed as the “sixth oldest bar in Colo- rado,” so when you drink at the ’Prise, you end up drinking in a whole lot of history, too. It’s an intimate locals’ joint that also welcomes bikers, hikers and everyone else exploring this veritable movie set of a tiny town just 27 miles from Telluride. Swing Station 3311 County Road 54G, Laporte swingstationlaporte.com It’s not unheard of to see horses tied up at the front of the Swing Station, a honky-tonk that offers several shows a week. If you’re musically inclined, consider coming for the open-mic night. Since the bar is just ten minutes from downtown Fort Collins, it couldn’t be easier to arrange accommoda- 24 WESTWORD BITES 2021 bar there, the place isn’t just a place on the way to somewhere else. It’s exactly where it needs to be. For however long you’re sitting and drinking and talking with the locals, it’s the center of the universe. Stop in sometime. You just might get a good story out of it. Skyler McKinley is a fourth-generation Col- oradan and owner of the Oak Creek Tavern (oakcreektavern.com), a neighborhood bar in the rural heart of the Yampa Valley. A former political staffer and the State of Colorado’s founding deputy pot czar, he now oversees AAA’s regional public affairs division. He lives in Denver, but drinks — and occasionally tends bar — in Oak Creek. tions and a safe ride — so stay late enough for the singing to get sloppy. The Fortune Club 300 Victor Avenue, Victor Who needs Deadwood when we have Vic- tor? Rebuilt after a fi re in 1899 with money from Adolph Coors, the Fortune Club is surrounded by more than sixty other Vic- torian structures. Many, like the Fortune, are former brothels. If you plan to stay out late, book a room across the street at the boutique Black Monarch Hotel. Woody Creek Tavern 2858 Upper River Road, Woody Creek woodycreektavern.com Filled with Polaroids of local ne’er-do- wells, there’s enough lore under the clas- sic tin ceiling to match the heavy pours. This place was a favorite haunt of Hunter S. Thompson, and his spirit lives on in eclectic decor that makes you forget you’re just fi f- teen minutes from Aspen’s tony downtown. The Trinidad Lounge 421 North Commercial Street, Trinidad dadlounge.com You’ve probably heard about Trinidad’s economic and cultural renaissance, and the ’Dad Lounge has played a big part in that. Reopened for the fi rst time in a decade under the steady hands of Curt Wallach and Suzanne Magnuson, veterans of Denver’s hi-dive, the ’Dad is comfortable, colorful, and regularly features world-class musi- cal acts. The Bucksnort Saloon & Family Restaurant 15921 South Elk Creek Road, Pine thebucksnortsaloon.com Nearly every surface in the Bucksnort is fes- tooned with dollar bills, save for its famous Antler Taps that serve — you guessed it — Antler Ale. It’s a drinker’s rite of passage to add your buck to the Bucksnort Saloon — if you can fi nd any space on the ceiling or walls. And that’s if you can fi nd the place at all: It’s hidden well off the beaten path in Sphinx Park, near Pine. Lulu’s Inn 33355 East Highway 36, Watkins lulusinn.com With high ceilings, plenty of neon, a huge dance fl oor and the chance to cook your own meal, Lulu’s is a classic drinkers’ bar. This roadhouse is good for both steak and suds, and it’s the perfect excuse to take a trip to an outpost at the outskirts of Colo- rado’s eastern plains. Gray’s Coors Tavern, Star Bar, Gus’ Tavern, Eilers Place Various locations in Pueblo You’ve got to love a bar with a beer in its name, and doubly so when it’s Gray’s Coors Tavern, the purported inventor of Pueblo’s world-famous chile-smothered Slopper — though the nearby Star Bar makes a pretty good claim, too. Try both. For more Steel City history, saddle up with a schooner and a Dutch lunch at Gus’ Tavern and the cold- est beers in town at Eilers Place. Kochevar’s Saloon & Gaming Hall 127 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte One cool thing we get to do as Coloradans is drink in, and drink at, the places patronized by legendary Westerners. Butch Cassidy is said to have left his revolver behind after a bad night at Kochevar’s, but you should have better luck. Located at the end of Crested Butte’s main drag, this bar has plenty of pub games to keep you busy on low-key nights, though there’s always a good chance you’ll run into a neighbor- hood party. COURTESY OF SKYLER MCKINLEY
