About Crawford

Crawford is a small cowtown of 377 residents situated on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies, and is bordered by some stunning scenery.  Only several miles to the east of town rise the West Elk Mountains.  Thirteen miles southwest of town plunges the Black Canyon of the Gunnison – one of our nation’s most recent national parks.  To the northwest, Grand Mesa, the world’s largest flat top mountain, rises up to the sky; and to the west, stretch the ‘dobie’ deserts.

And that is just the setting of the town.  Crawford itself, surrounded by miles of cattle ranches, is a true Western cowtown – and an active one at that.  Dozens of times each year, cowboys – often on horseback – drive their herds of cattle through the main street of Town, to and from grazing lands up high in the mountains.  Cattle ranching is still a mainstay of the local economy, if not a particularly lucrative one.

Crawford, unlike some of its better known Colorado counterparts, does not live or die by the tourist trade – which makes it just that much more intriguing.  We have a couple of restaurants and a small handful of great gift shops, but the real attraction is the natural beauty evident all around, and the continuing connection to the lifestyle of days gone by.  Those who choose to live in this beautiful place are a unique breed – folks who value the quality of life above all else, and are willing to tap their creativity to make living here possible.  If you spend enough time getting acquainted with Crawford Country you will find that the people of this mountain valley are as remarkable as the setting.  You’ll see…