Lyons: The best place to live if you’re an outdoorsman

Lyons is a funky little town in a beautiful valley with an unending amount of beer, live music, art and, of course, outdoorsy offerings. Here, far from the traffic and infill of Boulder and the North Metro area, residents soak in the charm of small mountain-town life with hiking, mountain biking, road cycling, climbing, kayaking and tubing. Hall Ranch and Heil Valley Ranch, meccas for local hikers and mountain bikers, are right there, and Rabbit Mountain is just east of town, hosting five miles of trails through lovely grasslands and forested ridges. Back in town, residents hop in tubes to float down the St. Vrain River or paddle the Lyons Whitewater Park. If that’s not enough, Rocky Mountain National Park is 20 miles away. With housing options that range from hippie shacks to luxury lodges, there is really a spot here for all who crave the Colorado mountain lifestyle while having access to the benefits of the Front Range. And with Oskar Blues and Planet Bluegrass as your neighbors, you can’t go wrong.

{LOCAL STUFF]

Best place to bathe in outdoorsiness:
The Lyons Outdoor Games, each June
Kayaking, biking and a 5K.

Best music option:
Bluegrass
With RockyGrass as a local holiday and Oskar Blues offering weekly grass jams, this is your new soundtrack.

Best indoor activity:
Antiquing
Sure, antiquing may not have the allure of climbing or mountain biking. But how often do you find cool vintage jewelry in the
great outdoors?

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Population: About 2,000

Number of pinball games at Lyons Classic Pinball: 37

Population increase between 2000 and 2009: 21 percent

Perks: Bouldering at Button Rock; picnicking in the parks along the St. Vrain: flyfishing in the St. Vrain; beer and burgers at Oskar Blues; sunset at Planet Bluegrass.