Once in a great while, you travel somewhere that instantly changes your life. And you can feel that change from the moment you set foot in that place. Marble, Colorado, along with Crystal Mill, is one of those places for us. From the moment we entered that small mountain town in the wilds of Colorado, we knew we would never be the same. We fell in love with the mountains, the culture, and everything about it.
Marble, Colorado, is a small mountain town that sits on the edge of the Maroon Bells/Snowmass and Ragged Wilderness areas. Its beauty is unmatched, and its history is filled with stories of unsung heroes and creepy characters.
There are so many reasons to visit Marble, but let me just start with a few of our favorites…
5 Reasons to Visit Beautiful Marble, Colorado
1. Marble is home to the Yule Marble Quarry. You can even take a piece of marble home with you. I have a piece that sits on my desk so I'm reminded of my favorite place every single day of my life. And an interesting fact… Stone from Yule Marble Quarry was used for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.
2. Marble is beautiful and peaceful and full of outdoor adventures. We camped all around the area for almost an entire week; there are plenty of nearby opportunities for dispersed camping. A part of the Maroon Bells/Snowmass and Ragged Wilderness areas, you can just imagine how beautiful Marble really is. The mountains are unbelievably beautiful. The town is a peaceful spot to settle down for a nice relaxing vacation. They even have a lodge overlooking a gorgeous mountain lake. You'll find all sorts of activities, including fishing, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, and more.
3. Crystal Mill, Lead King Basin, and Devils Punch Bowl. Take a Jeep tour to Crystal Mill or drive to Crystal Mill on a one lane 4WD road yourself, and explore the area. Crystal Mill and the semi ghost town of Crystal City will forever remain one of my favorite spots in all of Colorado. A guided Jeep tour will not only let you enjoy the scenery, but you'll hear stories all along the way with bits and pieces of the area's history. And once you get to Crystal City, you have the opportunity to meet a local author who is full of even more knowledge and stories about the area.Back roads lead to beautiful destinations, and in this case, breathtaking destinations.
4. The people are amazing. In all of our travels, we've never met more friendly and helpful people. Our first night there, a local invited us to camp out in his front yard. Granted, he may have been a bit tipsy; but that friendly, helpful nature seemed to be the Marble way. Not uppity in any sense of the word, the town had some of the most down-to-earth friendliest people we've ever met. And they had plenty of stories to share and tell.
5. The best BBQ you'll ever eat. We ate in town, more than once, at Slow Groovin' BBQ. From their Hillbilly Nachos to their homemade pie, Slow Groovin' was an amazing place to eat. In fact, our kids have begged to go back just for the bbq.
Are You Ready to Visit Marble?
I'm ready for summer and so ready for a trip back to Marble… Have you ever been?
We roamed through Marble a few times in early – mid 70’s with full size Blazers and on one occasion a 3/4 ton Chevy pickup. A group of guys from Iowa that tried to not take the pavement unless we had to. The road from Marble was one of he toughest and best one on our many travels through the years on our annual camping trips to Colorado. Great area of Colorado. I was back in Marble a few years ago with the car and my 2 children so they could say they’d been to Marble. Maybe a few more people? Still nice.
Kelvin, thanks so much for sharing. Yes, I love Marble. It’s such a beautiful area… So beautiful it almost doesn’t seem real. I have to pinch myself when we’re there.