Travel Tumbnail: Clear Creek Historic Park in Downtown Golden

Outdoor museum a short stroll from Golden's quaint downtown

Close to Denver and closer to Boulder, Golden is an appealing destination with plenty to do and to see. I have taken visitors to the town's three guidebook-variety attractions: the free tour of the enormous Coors Brewery, Colorado Railroad Museum and Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave, which recently installed a new permanent exhibition.

Still, it has been a while since I spent any time in downtown Golden, which nurtures its small-town, Old West ambience -- street-spanning arch and all. Turns out that Golden has a total of eight museums. Over the years, I have been to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, the historic Astor House Museum,  the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum which means I have a lot more to explore in the future. This week, the local chapter of the Society of American Travel Writers held its holiday party at the Golden Hotel, and a handful of us arrived early to take a brief walking tour.

Clear Creek runs through the heart of Golden, and like many communities in Colorado, the town has reclaimed its banks. There are now parks, recration paths and a well thought-out vehicular and pedestrian bridge. Interpretive signs and seating make this a pedestrian-friendly bridge.

Volunteer and staff historians unlocked some of the pioneer buildings that have been relocated to Clear Creek History Park. This creekside park is open year-round, but in winter, the one-room schoolhouse and cabins are normally opened just for school groups -- or groups like ours. In summer, heritage vegetables are grown in a small kitchen garden, a beehive produces honey and chickens peck around in their little fneced-in yard.

Looking from a bridge across Clear Creek toward the west is Mt. Zion. It is emblazoned with a distinctive M, a mountain monogram for the Colorado School of Mines that's difficult to see on the snow-dusted hillside.

We walked back to the main street along the creekside path, passing bronze sculptures that dot the downtown and trees decorated with holiday lights that went on as the sun set but were beyond my camera's ability to capture.

Golden was Colorado's territorial capital, but with statehood, it was moved to Denver. Golden hasn't quite forgotten or forgiven. The Old Capitol Grill, the building where the territorial legislature met, is named in its honor. It was badly damaged in a fire a few years ago. It has been rebuilt and remains a warm, welcoming Cheers-style bar, but without the patina that once existed.

For information on all the attractions, shops, restaurants and more, stop at the GoldenVisitors Center, 1010 Washington Avenue (on the north side of Clear Creek).