Colorado Getaways: Gunnison

Gunny’s on the Money

The Tree-Lined Gunnison River briefly forks as it passes just south of downtown Gunnison, giving Dos Rios Golf Club (dosriosgolf.net; 970-641-1482) its “two rivers” name. At 6,512 yards from the tips, the course doesn’t reward length as much as it does accuracy. Water factors into all but one of the holes  designed by John Cochran (who completed the first nine in 1964) and Dick Phelps (1980). Mature trees, tight fairways and prime conditioning help make for a wonderful test of golf. The club recently added a 1,100-square-foot patio to its Dos Grill.

MEMBERS OWN DOS RIOS Golf Club, but the club welcomes public play throughout the season. The club is currently selling ownership certificates for $650, with annual dues of roughly $1,200 for an individual, $1,500 for a family. Green fees are $75 for 18 holes with cart. Dos Rios has stay-and-play deals with local hotels, including the Water Wheel Inn (waterwheelinnatgunnison.com)

Rollin’ on the River

CATCH A BIG ONE: The Gunnison Valley is home to Colorado’s state-record brown, rainbow,
kokanee salmon and lake trout and offers some of the best river, stream and lake fishing in the state. The headwaters of the Taylor River regularly produce the valley’s largest trout, while the the Gunnison and East Rivers see the largest kokanee salmon run in the U.S. They start their spawning run in Colorado’s largest body of water—Blue Mesa Reservoir, just ten minutes west of Gunnison. Blue Mesa Fishing (bluemesafishing.com) is one of many area guides.

FloAT AND DINE: Located between Gunnison and Crested Butte in Almont, Three Rivers Resort (3riversresort.com) offers a scenic, seven-mile float down the Gunnison River to the popular Italian restaurant Garlic Mike’s (garlicmikes.com), which not only provides a fabulous meal but a voucher for up to $30 per adult and $10 per child under 10.    

SWEET VALLEY HIGH: Gunnison sits downhill from Crested Butte and the Monarch Ski Area, making it a great base from which to go biking, hiking, climbing, camping and four-wheeling. The nearby BLM land known as Hartman Rocks is popular. For kayaking, rafting or floating on the Gunnison River, contact Scenic River Tours (scenicrivertours.com).

SEE ALL COLORADO GETAWAYS:

Colorado Springs

Durango

Crested Butte

Gunnison

Montrose

Grand County

Steamboat Springs

Vail Valley & Beaver Creek

Aspen

Summit County

ALSO SEE:View all current Golf Deals and Stay & Play Packages

This article appears in the June 2016 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer.

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.