Must-Visit Ice Cream Shops in the Colorado High Country
My husband loves ice cream. Quite frankly, he loves anything sweet, so during my HeidiTown travels we frequently stop at ice cream shops and candy stores. Thankfully, it’s easy to find the perfect cone in Colorado’s many mountain towns.
From the wilds of Grand Lake to riverside in Pagosa Springs, here are some of our favorite ice cream shops in Colorado.
The town of Grand Lake hugs the shores of Colorado’s largest and deepest natural lake, Grand Lake. The town also borders Rocky Mountain National Park, the fourth most visited national park in the country.
This community hosts a steady stream of summer visitors, so it’s not surprising that there’s more than one ice cream shop in town. But we always seem to end up at Miyauchi’s Snack Bar & Homemade Ice Cream.
Miyauchi’s lakeside location, across from Headwater Marina, makes it a handy place to stop after time spent on the water, whether it’s chillin’ on a pontoon boat, canoeing, kayaking, enjoying a SUP outing, or having some fast fun in a power boat.
After coming off the water, a waffle cone filled with creamy ice cream from Miyauchi’s makes the day complete. They offer more than just ice cream too, including an assortment of affordable diner-style food items that will keep you and the kids going until dinner time.
Courtesy of Visit Pagosa Springs
Life is good in Pagosa Springs. Things seem to move slower in this part of Colorado, and that’s why people love it. Brimming with hot springs, Pagosa Springs is a year-round paradise for people who love the water, but summertime means golf, hiking, floating the San Juan River, and much more.
Located on the banks of the San Juan River is the Malt Shoppe, and whether Ryan and I are staying in Pagosa Springs or just driving through, the bright yellow building always entices us to stop. Their soft serve ice cream always fills me with nostalgia for childhood.
This throwback establishment also serves diner-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
In the land of milk and honey, as I fondly refer to Delta County, there’s a little town with an ice cream parlor that’s reminiscent of days gone by. With buckets of colorful ice cream lined up behind the counter, there’s never a sad face at Ollie’s Ice Cream Shop in Paonia, Colorado.
A great way to explore the town is via bike. Rent one from Cirque Cyclery & Bike Shop in downtown and ride out to a farm or local winery.
Delta County is where the Rocky Mountains meet mesa country, and it’s filled with small family farms, wineries, flocks of sheep, and more. No visit is complete to the area without a visit to The Living Farm, just a mile outside of town, followed by an ice cream cone at Ollie’s.
