Wander to Walsenburg | Southern Colorado mountain town

(WALSENBURG, CO.) — There’s something special about southern Colorado.

Maybe it’s the 10 degree drop from Colorado Springs or Denver, the slowness of life, or the beauty of the outdoors. Maybe it’s all of the above?

Whatever it is, there’s a magnetic connection deep down in the spirit of southern Colorado, and it keeps my family and I coming back. And I’d argue we aren’t alone.

One of the southern Colorado mountain towns is Walsenburg. There’s a vintage downtown with a few new businesses breathing some life into the city, surrounded by flat lands providing a decent view of the Spanish Peaks. Walsenburg is also home to the oldest state park in Colorado, Lathrop State Park!

The vastness of the Spanish Peaks always becomes obvious to me while driving down I-25 South when you start to see them and your GPS says you’re still an hour away. It makes the drive a lot easier when you’ve got something to look forward to. In this case, you literally have something right in front of you, almost cheering you on to just get here already.

Let’s dive right in to where you can eat, stay and play while wandering to Walsenburg!

Where to eat!

The Stokehouse: Connected to the Walsenburg Mercantile, let me introduce you to The Stokehouse! This modern restaurant and bar’s menu is filled with options for food lovers of all kinds! Steaks, salads, seafood, burgers, tacos… you name it! They’ve got it.

And if you’ve got kids like me, you’ll love the play area connected to the dining area which has plenty of toys and games kids can play with while waiting to be seated, or if they get bored during the meal. The food was top notch. I was told to order the T-bone steak, and how was I supposed to turn that down? It was fantastic.

So were the fried calamari and nachos we got.

My wife got a salad she really enjoyed along with soup. The one thing I did bring up with the management is the service was not the fastest, and the order was missing a few things. I have to give the benefit of the doubt that the restaurant is a bit newer, and there wasn’t a be a ton of staff for the amount of orders there were. I would definitely go back and they were very gracious with my feedback, so I wish them the best!

Second St. Bar & Grill: If you would’ve told me anywhere that the local golf course was one of the best places to grab a bite of food, I would’ve been a bit skeptical. But hear me out.

When you’re driving through Lathrop State Park, you’ll find the Walsenburg Golf Course, a beautiful course with the majestic Spanish Peaks golf clapping for you when you sink that birdie putt. At the top of it all, you’ll find the Second St. Bar & Grill. It’s not a very boastful building, but it stands on business and the staff works harder than most other places I’ve seen.

There was one bartender/server handling all the tables, and he was serving like a pro. Taking orders. Boom! Bringing out drinks. Bam! Order’s ready. Kapow! Need a refill. Kachow! Okay, you get the point. I mean, give that man a raise! And not only was the food really good, but the variety of food was awesome!

It was recommended to us by our friends at The Inn at Pennington Place, which I’ll get to here shortly.

Places to stay!

The Inn at Pennington Place: I tell you what. If you’re looking for someplace new to travel, then look no further. Seriously, the Inn at Pennington Place is one of my newest all-time favorite places we’ve stayed. Located in a private community, Pennington Place stands on its own and is a beautiful property. The inn itself is magical, featuring three stories of different spacious, themed suites that cater to different people’s wants. You want a romantic getaway? There’s a room for that. Want a rustic, quiet night? There’s a room for that. Small family looking for some time away? You betcha, there’s a room for that, too. The grounds of the property sing a magical song, enchanting every step with something new to see, feel and experience.

There’s a mini chapel located at the southern end of the garden, with the Spanish Peaks perfectly positioned behind it. Yes, it was done purposely by an architect with quite the eye for design. So if you’re looking to elope or have a very small wedding away from all the hustle and bustle of daily life, here’s your place!

They even have a pickleball court!

Play with the Spanish Peaks at your back (or in front of you, depending on the player).

The asphalt court is high quality, and they’ve constructed a pickleball-themed shed right outside the court you can sit, drink some water and get some shade.

The suites have so much room, it was such a breath of fresh air. With a toddler, we’re packing extra bags on our trips so sometimes rooms can get a bit… tight. The extra space here was a nice reprieve from all that, and the lush, comfortable king size bed was the cherry on top. Each suite comes with a full bathroom and shower, filled with shampoo, conditioner, lotions, body wash, towels of all sizes. There was also a small kitchen available to make coffee, keep waters cool in the fridge, etc. Donna Pennington Birkmann and Rich Birkmann do a fantastic job keeping this place fantastic, and are amazing hosts. Their dedication to detail makes the Inn at Pennington Place a must-visit.

There’s even an underground wine cellar with a dining room right outside, perfect for dinner parties, murder mysteries, the list goes on!

Where to play!

Lathrop State Park: As mentioned earlier, Lathrop State Park is the oldest state park in Colorado. With beautiful Lake Martin offering a stunning view, you can’t miss the Spanish Peaks from wherever you stand. Mule deer, rabbits, coyotes and bobcats roam the park, along with birds and fish, according to the Colorado Virtual Library.

Martin Lake offers plenty of water-based activities like swimming, fishing, jet skiing, water skiing and tubing.

Horseshoe Lake offers a quieter spot for visitors, where you can canoe, fish and bird watch. We did not get much time in Lathrop other than driving through, so this is on my list of to-dos when we return to Walsenburg.

Walsenburg Golf Course: If you’re a golf enthusiast, or just want to play a pretty course with some great views, Walsenburg Golf Course is the place for you.

You already heard about the food, so combine that with some fantastic golf, and you’ve got an amazing afternoon ahead of you.

All in all, Spanish Peaks Country is a beautiful place for anyone to visit. It has everything you can ask for. Beautiful views, friendly people, delicious eats, and the wonderful outdoors. The air seems crisper, life seems slower, and it lets you breathe a sigh of relief that you’re getting away from the everyday world. Until next time, which I hope is very soon.