Ward

I've only been to Ward once, but it was enough for me. When I think of quaint little mountain towns, Ward does not come to mind. In fact, I rather dislike it. When you begin to drive through town the mountains look like they do in many other areas of the state, pretty and green. But once you're closer into the heart of Ward things take a strange turn. There are dogs roaming about and there are numerous cars scattered about. Some look like they work and like the driver just disappeared, while others look as if they have rusted into place over the decades. There is an inconsistency about Ward that leaves me wanting to leave.

Although the cost of living is really good for the mountains, it comes at too high a price for the likes of me.

Ward is a "Home Rule Municipality" up at 9,450 feet in the high country of Boulder County. Tucked up near Peak to Peak HW 72 between Nederland and Estes Park-Ward has about 150 wild folks that call it home.

There are bikes, shacks, old trucks, fireworks, cabins, chainsaws and art and dogs, dogs, dogs in Ward.

Ward was established as a gold mining town back in 1860. The town of Gold Hill is a neighbor to Ward just a bit to the northish. Ward is near the top of Left Hand Canyon a canyon and road that heads west out of downtown Boulder. Silver was just as big as gold in Ward's boom history.

Ward's population is interesting and has fluctuated from the gold boom to where in WWII the population dropped to only 4 people. Then the hippies of the 1960's and so on grew the population quickly to 100plus. There is a restaurant, little store and a coffee shop "downtown". It is a funky little republic of its own and famous for being its "own country".