Along the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway lies the small, rural town of Rangely. Known for its community of caring citizens and stunning views of the Great West Region, this town is a must-stop for visitors looking to explore an authentic Colorado gem.

“We honestly have a town filled with caring citizens, clean air and amazing adventures, right out each resident’s backdoor,” shares Jeannie Caldwell, marketing coordinator for the Town of Rangely. Caldwell herself first moved to Rangely as a remote worker from Ohio before joining the Town of Rangely team.

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Rangely was recently ranked #23 in the U.S. for "Best Work from Home Cities in 2021.” Whether you’re looking to book a staycation or to change up your work-from-home scenery, the town’s 1GB of fiber-optic internet and plethora of high desert outdoor experiences make it an enticing invitation.

“After work I can easily be exploring or enjoying the great outdoors in a matter of minutes,” says Maryanne McCoy, a remote-working resident. “It’s all about lifestyle! There is no traffic or crowds to stop me. This is unlike most areas in Colorado. I would not change this great experience — a much simpler, happier way of life.”

McCoy moved to Rangely from the Front Range and frequently has visits from family who are impressed with her new lifestyle.

Once home to the Fremont Culture and Ute Tribes of the Douglas Creek Canyon, The Canyon Pintado National Historic District today includes hundreds of archaeological sites with pictographs and petroglyphs in honor of the region’s history. Check out the Rangely Outdoor Museum to further dive into the town’s archives.

Another point of interest is the The Rangely Automotive Museum, owned by Rangely native, Bud Streigel. Streigel has been collecting since a young age and this is his private collection. The museum has some very rare autos and motorcycles from the early 1900s.

Rangely is home to the only natural rock crawling park in Colorado

Surrounded by hundreds of miles of BLM property, Rangely is known as a personal playground for your tires. It’s no wonder many refer to Rangely as “The Tire Sports Getaway of Colorado.” Here you can ride your OHV, side by side, jeep, four-wheeler, mountain bike or bicycle anywhere in town except Main Street (and you can still cross Main Street with these vehicles).

To top it off, Rangely is also a college town. Home to Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC), the school is a tremendous asset to the community. CNCC provides numerous events including college athletics, rodeo and activities hosted by student groups and college organizations. High school students can take concurrent enrollment classes and college credit or even complete their associates degree while still in high school. They also have access to a wider range of subject matter through the concurrent enrollment classes.

Rangely residents can also take advantage of the CNCC’s tuition buy-down. Depending on the area of study, the buy-down covers most, if not all, tuition costs for local residents. That’s great considering CNCC was recently ranked #5 in the nation by Newsweek for “Community Colleges Whose Graduates Earn the Most Money.” The ranking is due in part to the many career focused degrees offered at the college with high earning potential such as Dental Hygiene, Aviation Flight and Aviation Maintenance.”

With 300 days of sunshine to enjoy, dark star-lit skies at night, hundreds of miles of trails and one of the only designated natural rock-crawling parks in Colorado, Spoke+Blossom is marking the scenic Town of Rangely with a big red dot this season.

Your Rangely Itinerary

This summer, you can swim, kayak or float in the White River meandering around Rangely. Or, four miles east lies Kenney Reservoir, a popular area for boating, water skiing and cliff diving. Keep an eye out for the occasional seaplane flying in and landing on Kenney, and at the end of the reservoir you’ll find wetlands filled with beaver, deer and many species of birds.

A summer holiday spent at Kenney will surely be memorable for the whole family, especially when extra entertainment and festivities are offered.

“Our Fourth of July fireworks are shot over Kenney Reservoir and are second to none,” shares Caldwell.“They echo loudly through the canyons. We have families come from all over the country to view our fireworks.”

Grab your fishing gear and head to the White River, Kenney Reservoir or Camper’s Park. Then spend the night at various campgrounds throughout town with your RV, self-contained or tent camping.

The TANK Center for Sonic Arts, located near the west entrance to town, is an acoustical marvel. It’s a sense-altering experience truly found nowhere else on earth. A never used, 60-feet tall, 30-feet across rusted steel water was discovered in Colorado by sound artist and sonic thinker Bruce Odland in 1976. A small group of musicians have been recording there ever since. Check out the TANK summer schedule at tanksounds.org.

Main Street is loaded with local eateries catering to varying appetites. Try Giovanni’s Italian Grill, El Agave Mexican Restaurant, Pippi’s Soup and Subz, Dottie’s, Main Street Cafe or California Wok, in addition to a few food trucks. Take your order to-go and picnic at Elks Park or Hefley Park.

One of the largest elk herds in the state is located around Rangely, making the town a hunting hotspot in the fall. To those looking for another sport, Cedar Ridges Golf Course, which is located on top of a mesa, offers a secluded getaway. Or give the Western Rio Blanco Recreation Center a visit and enjoy its impressive space.

Dinosaur National Monument is only 20 miles away, making the town a great place to stay while visiting this natural wonder.