Eckert Colorado Attractions

The small town of Eckert Colorado has an interesting history and is part of the bigger community of Orchard City. Every year 20,000+ birds migrating from the San Luis Valley come to the reservoir for an overnight stay to rest, feed, and regroup before they continue the journey. The Sandhill Cranes always land in the Eckert area and so you can join the fun at Eckert Crane Days. Make sure and visit the majestic and spacious Grand Mesa – where camping, hunting, biking, hiking, nature walks and Colorado fishing are always popular. Also nearby Eckert is the spectacular Blue Mesa Reservoir, the Curecanti National Recreation Area and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Surface Creek Creamery

The historic Surface Creek Creamery plant built in the 1920′s was housed in a converted fruit packing house on the highway in Eckert. It served the public from 1930 until 1977. Those who brought in the cream from surrounding farms were paid by the percentage of butterfat in their cream and Challenge Butter was made here. The Challenge label marked products sold locally by the Eckert Creamery for over 40 years. Now the contents are housed in the Cedaredge Pioneer Town Museum – 315 Southwest 3rd Street, Cedaredge, CO.

For more information, visit: http://www.pioneertown.org/

Surface Creek Winery and Gallery

The renovated main ?oor of the historical stone IOOF building houses Surface Creek Winery and Surface Creek Art Gallery since 2002. Fine old maple ?oors were re?nished, a beautiful bar and cabinets installed. Double front doors from the former Surface Creek Bank in Cedaredge add a touch of style. Tables and chairs in the back portion of the room serve well for special events including a celebration when Sand Hill cranes return here each spring. The Surface Creek Winery is a local family owned business which begins at the vineyard and ends at your table. Stop by for a visit, and taste what Eckert can produce. The Art Gallery at Surface Creek Winery offers fine art in a beautiful setting within the historic old stone Eckert Oddfellows building.  You can taste the fine wines while you enjoy the paintings of premier water color artist, Dale Russell Smith, fine pottery by Western Colorado potters, carved gourds, metal sculptures, hand crafted jewelry and a variety of bird-watching items. Located at 12983 Hwy 65 Eckert, CO 81418

For more information, visit: http://www.surfacecreek.com/

Drost’s Chocolates

This “sweet shop” makes a wide variety of chocolate candy and sells it on site along with old fashioned ice cream treats. The setting is unique providing a free exhibit of items from a bygone era for families to visit and enjoy at their leisure. The building once housed a service station complete with a grease rack and two gas pumps in front when Charlie Holder bought it in the ’30s. When the highway was widened, the pumps had to go along with an angled section of the north east corner of the building, no longer useful as a service station. Other businesses have located there including Quest’s High Country Woodwork Shop. Located at 12991 Colorado 65, Eckert, CO – (970) 835-4100

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

No other canyon in North America combines the narrow opening, sheer walls, and startling depths offered by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This is truly a spectacular geologic adventure and well worth seeing! You can spend an entire day just wandering through the area to see all the aspects of this National Park. The rich colors of the river, the reservoirs and the rock will delight you, and photographers will be thrilled with all the landscapes to capture.  South Rim: 15 miles east of Montrose, via U.S. Highway 50 and CO Highway 347 – North Rim: 11 miles south of Crawford, via CO Highway 92 and North Rim Road (unpaved).

Grand Mesa National Forest

The nearby Grand Mesa National Forest holds over 300 lakes and is home to hundreds of species of wildlife. You can enjoy such activities as downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter, deer and elk hunting in the fall, and hiking, fishing, and camping in the summer. There are many trails for riding mountain bikes and ATV’s.

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