Paonia
Where the North Fork of the Gunnison flows toward the newly appointed Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, marks the North Fork Valley and several small orchard towns like Paonia. Named (although misspelled) for the vast array of peonie flowers in the area, Paonia is today still a lush landscape, which produces an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Fishing, hiking, and river floating are all popular in this small, but mighty town. Cherries are the top crop here, and the town celebrates the incredibly tasty fruit for three days during the Paonia Cherry Days each July. A parade, barbecue, fireworks, and of course, cherries and cherry pies fill the streets.
On Main Street, serious journalists still crank out a nationally recognized and highly progressive environmental newspaper known as the High Country News. Unabashed, investigative journalism reigns above all, and the paper's supporters, including some Grateful Dead members, cherish it.
Two adjacent history museums, the Paonia Museum and the Bowie Schoolhouse Museum, offer a step back into the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Read old articles about fruit growing in the area. Explore the abandoned mines still scattered around town or cool off at the Paonia Reservoir.
For a good bite of Mexican or Italian, for that matter, head to either Fiesta Vallarta on Grand Avenue or the Flying Fork nearby on Third Street. The restored 1906 Bross Hotel is a good choice for distinctive lodging.
Hotchkiss
This is orchard and vineyard country. The rich basin area of the Grand Mesa, facilitated by high-tech irrigation has provided just the right kind of soil for growing succulent peaches, apples and grapes.
However, one of the town's biggest contributions to the state is donated in fish: The Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery is a major supplier of trout for Colorado (and New Mexico) reservoirs. You can tour the facility and learn about hatching and transporting trout. Fishing, hiking, and river floating are other popular pursuits in the area.
The Leroux Creek Inn will treat you right in Hotchkiss; an adobe home with just four guest rooms, this quaint property offers a deck with sweeping views, friendly owners, and grand breakfasts in an open kitchen. You can even borrow mountain bikes to explore on your own. You won't find many eating establishments in little Hotchkiss, but Zack's Trading Post will fill you up. Try the barbeque ribs at this happy, checkered-tablecloth establishment.
To delve into a history of the area, visit the Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Society Museum, where a collection of saddles, clothes, a chuck wagon, and more represent the lifestyle of the first settlers in the North Fork Valley of the Gunnison River.
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