The Yampa River runs through the middle of Steamboat Springs, and Routt County has some of the best trout water in the West. Escape Chalet is a ten-minute walk from the river and its trails, with a heated garage for waders and rods and a mudroom for everything that comes back wet.
Stop in and ask what the river is actually doing this week. They run trips on public water and on a lot of private water you cannot reach without a guide.
ActivityFly Fishing the YampaSee it in the guide →A ten-minute walk from the chalet, which means no shuttle and no drive.
Or keep fishing. The Core Trail follows the same water if anyone wants a walk instead.
ActivityHike the Yampa Core TrailSee it in the guide →Seasonal New American on the Yampa, with a rooftop patio and a strong bar.
Eat & DrinkAurum Food and WineSee it in the guide →The access is the reason to book a guide here rather than fish it yourself. Float, hike, or spend the night.
ActivityFly Fishing the YampaSee it in the guide →Nearly all of the good water here is catch and release, so dinner is somebody else's fish. E3 Chophouse sits at 701 Yampa Street, a few doors down from Steamboat Flyfisher at 655, on the river and with outdoor seating. It is ranch-to-table in the literal sense - the LaRoche family raise the cattle and the chops are cut fresh daily - and it is the right walk at the end of a day on the water.
The chalet is close enough that an early start does not require staying somewhere worse.
A homey cafe and bakery on Lincoln Avenue. The cinnamon rolls are the reason to go.
Eat & DrinkWinona's RestaurantSee it in the guide →In that order.
Escape Chalet sits in the mountain district at the base of Mount Werner, a flat ten-minute walk from the gondola, with the free Green Line bus stopping 50 feet from the door.
Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 10, ten minutes' walk from the gondola. Two dogs stay free when you book direct, and the Pup Package is included.