Colorado is famed for its cowboy culture; Mexican and Spanish vaqueros brought their ranching traditions here in the 19th century, and at the heart of the scene was Denver, whose railroad connections made the city a major cowtown hub. Today, the city’s Stetson-wearing heritage lives on in everything from its fashion to its food, offering a vibrant, immersive experience for anyone keen to get stuck into its culture and history. Here are the best ways to experience a slice of the Mile High City’s Old West side.
Giddy up for the rodeos
Nothing showcases Denver’s cowboy culture like the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo. Held across 16 days in January at the National Western Complex, this extravaganza has been a tradition since 1906, with equestrian shows, Mexican rodeos, cowboy-themed food and Colorado’s biggest agricultural trade show drawing more than 600,000 spectators to the city. The event kicks off with a vibrant parade through downtown Denver featuring live bands, Old West wagons and country gear aplenty. Music erupts from nearby venues throughout the show, while restaurants put on special cowboy-inspired menus. Expect a buzzing festival vibe as you step into this fascinating world.
Experience the thunder of the National Western Stock Show and rodeo
Credit: National Western Stock Show
Catch live Western music
It’s not only during the rodeo that you’ll find Western performers taking to the stages; Denver’s slew of honky tonks and concert venues play host to live music year-round. Don’t miss Grizzly Rose where you can catch famous country acts or take part in line-dancing classes.
The Mission Ballroom, Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom and Bluebird Theatre each host their own flurry of gigs spanning country to rock, and Globe Hall is known for its barbecue and live music nights. Head to Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox for country and other genres, or stop by the cowboy-themed bar Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row to sip a craft beer or whiskey with a live country band for entertainment.
Whether you’re hitting the dancefloor at Grizzly Rose or catching a gig at Globe Hall, Denver’s soundtrack is legendary
Credit: Julianne Photography
Tuck into cowboy-inspired cuisine
If you’d rather taste your way around Denver’s Old West scene, myriad saloons and steakhouses honour the region’s heritage. Buckhorn Exchange is the oldest restaurant in the city, opened in 1893 by Henry H Zietz, one of Buffalo Bill’s scouts. Today, this storied spot serves steak, Rocky Mountain oysters, buffalo, elk and other wild game between dark-wood furnishings and walls adorned with memorabilia.
Atmospheric in a different way is acclaimed restaurant The Fort, half an hour’s drive from downtown. Set among the desert rocks, it’s designed to replicate an 1830s adobe fur-trade fort with various cowboy-themed creations. Try the peanut butter-stuffed jalapeños escabeche or tuck into “cowboy empanadas” (fajitas filled with black beans, rice and peppers).
From the architecture to the authentic cowboy empanadas, every detail at The Fort tells a story
Credit: Tru Blu Images
Delve into Old West history
If you’ve had your fill of cowboy-themed entertainment and food, head to one of the city’s museums to dig a little deeper. The History Colorado Center is an excellent place to start with its interactive exhibits, while the American Museum of Western Art showcases frontier-inspired works from the early 19th century to the present day.
See the Wild West through a different lens at the American Museum of Western Art
The Black American West Museum & Heritage Center offers an intriguing snapshot of the role African-Americans played in the expansion of Colorado and the West, with artefacts and exhibits celebrating a legacy often not depicted in Hollywood Westerns. Just outside the city, Four Mile Historic Park offers immersive, family-friendly guided tours tracing Colorado’s frontier history on the site of a former wayside inn. The Buffalo Bill Grave and Museum, at the top of Lookout Mountain, provides a peek into the life of this infamous Wild West figure.
Take home a souvenir
If you want to look the part – and bring home a cowboy hat or two – Denver is big on Western wear shops. Rockmount Ranch Wear, in the trendy LoDo neighbourhood, should be first on your list. Late CEO and real-life cowboy Jack A Weil invented the Western snapbutton shirt here in 1946. Today, the shop sits in the old manufacturing building and offers checked shirts, boots, hats and denim aplenty, alongside an interesting museum. Elsewhere, Mile High Western Wear serves handcrafted boots, hats and accessories, Rancher Hat Bar offers custom-made cowboy hats in every colour, and Tecovas stocks a wide range of boots and other apparel.
From the original red-brick walls to the vintage sewing machines, Rockmount Ranch Wear is half-boutique, half-museum
Credit: Courtesy of Rockmount
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