Stay + Play: Spring Harmony In Paonia
Photo courtesy of Kim Fuller
Colorado’s bountiful North Fork Valley is home to copious small towns with big hearts. A palpable harmony flows between the folks who love and nurture the land and the prosperous orchards, vineyards and ranches sprinkling the landscape.
Situated on a sprawling section of rich Western Slope soil is bucolic Paonia. A visit to this tiny town’s farm-to-table restaurants, wineries and community hubs is a special experience. Come discover the state’s largest concentration of organic and sustainable growers, be nourished and inspired, unplug and reset.
A Must-Visit: Zenzen Organics
12498 3790 Rd., Paonia
970.260.0552
Create your own full spectrum CBD tinctures at Zenzen Organics. It’s a North Fork Valley oasis, with Cindie Sorensen’s organic hemp creations worthy of an afternoon linger. Chat up Sorensen about healing potions, chocolates and salves to treat everything from stress and anxiety to sleep and inflammation. Choose from chai to Mai Thai and build, taste and swirl your way to inner harmony through custom, ingestible CBD oils. Zenzen has recently started offering glamping, campsites and bunkhouse stays along with two stages of live music for a full-on experiential destination.
Sip + Shop: Black Bridge Winery
15836 Black Bridge Rd., Paonia
970.527.6838
Follow the rural roads just outside of Paonia, cross the black bridge over the Gunnison River and stroll this legendary 80-acre farm market and winery. Part of the West Elks American Viticultural Area, Black Bridge Winery creates small-batch chardonnay, riesling, merlot and more. Visit the tasting room and wine cave and then peruse onsite Orchard Valley Farms and Market for fresh-picked fruits and veggies, locally raised beef and artisan goodies like top-selling, 18-year balsamic vinegars and infused olive oils. Build a sweet picnic of gourmet cheese, jerky, chutneys, local honey and pickles to take down by the river with a glass of pinot.
Eat from the Earth: Paonia Restaurant Hopping
Farm fresh, organic and free range come standard in Paonia. Get your fill of the area’s creative culinary prowess at these fabulous restaurants. Grab coffee and a serious farmhouse breakfast at Yolk River. Stop by The Bakery at Small Potatoes Farm for from-the-oven, German farmer’s bread, naan with garlic butter and the tastiest pumpkin scones. Enjoy a pineapple and chili ale or a juicy IPA at Paonia United Brewing Co., a small local brewery. Feeling famished? The Flying Fork Café takes pride in its Neapolitan-style pizza, locally sourced salads and veggie-loaded housemade pasta dishes. Don’t miss the famous pad Thai from the 1-2 Thai food truck and the cherry pie at Root and Vine Market.
Pick, Dance + Drink Cider: Big B’s Delicious Orchards
39126 CO-133, Hotchkiss
970.527.1110
Big B’s is a regional staple with its you-pick cherry and apple orchard and lively hard cider tasting room. This is a great place to stock up on local provisions, including some divine West Slope wine made from The Storm Cellar just down the road. Post up this spring (they’re open April through November) for an evening on the shaded patio. Swing out over lush fields on the rope swing, sample all the famed ciders, dig into some smoky barbecue and catch a live bluegrass band on the small stage. It’s a quintessential Colorado good time.
Meet the Locals: Old River Trading Post
15495 Black Bridge Rd., Paonia
970.527.4740
Rub elbows with area farmers, musicians and holistic community leaders at this wholesale natural foods market and gathering spot. Bring your own bags and jars and stock up on fruit, leather, grains, freshly plucked vegetables and rustic homemade breads. On Sundays, join the community mid-day meal (for a small donation fee) and feast on organic dishes sourced from nearby fields and ranches.
Originally published in the Spring 2022 of Spoke+Blossom.