Twin Lakes

Twin Lakes, Colorado, not to be confused with the Twin Lakes subdivision of Gunbarrel or Twin Lakes up in the mountains, is a busy section of town just northwest of Denver. This traditionally Hispanic area of town has been around for a long time as have some of the businesses here. There are many single family homes tucked in behind the major streets. Most of these are smaller and most date back to the early 1950s, although you can find some newer ones. Due to the economy, there are many foreclosed homes in this neighborhood and you can find some really good deals for just over the $100,000 range.

Although this neighborhood is located in a good spot for getting to many locations since it's by two major highways, along with that convenience comes traffic, and a lot of it. The area where the Boulder Turnpike meets I-25 is notorious for being busy with backed up on and off ramps during rush hour. It's a congested mess during peak travel times and is best to avoid if at all possible. The other major road that goes through the subdivision is Pecos, and since there are many businesses along this road, as well as it being a major thoroughfare through the neighborhood, it is also busy throughout the day.

One really good thing about this neighborhood is some of the restaurants. If you want traditional Mexican fare, you'll find it here. There are also other restaurants that have been here for ages, such as Yorkshire Fish & Chips, a neighborhood staple for over 40 years. I can remember going there as a young child and stumbled on it again just several years ago. This isn't the kind of place you take your family for a nice sit down meal, it's more of a pick up type of place, although there is seating if you like. Overall, they do fish good and it's a good replica of what you'd find in England.

The Twin Lakes neighborhood in Gunbarrel is about a 10 minute drive from Boulder and Longmont. There are a lot of apartment complexes as well as neighborhoods with good sized yards. It is a perfect place for students or a couple who want to live near Boulder but really can't afford it there.

I like Twin Lakes because it is quiet and the two lakes that it gets its name from have great walking and biking trails that wrap around the water and in and out of the neighborhood. There is a group of trees on the south side of the lakes where a group of owls live and people bring their big cameras and telescopes to see them regularly. Asher brewery is also close to the lakes where you can walk and get a local microbrew. As of the fall 2012, Avery brewery is starting construction of a new and bigger brewery just west of the lakes.

Considering how many apartments and people really are in the Twin Lakes area the traffic is light, people are pleasant and the neighborhood is surprisingly quiet. There are a lot of joggers, kids and pets but the yards are spread out nicely so it doesn't feel as packed as it could.