Great literature is deeply rooted in place, and Colorado towns have been inspiring authors for decades. Ready to try a fiction-fueled vacay? Here’s how it works: Pick a title from the list below, read it solo or with your book club, then follow our travel notes to immerse yourself in a real-life literary setting. Thrillers aren’t exactly known for their literary prowess, and yet Denver-based writer Peter Heller – a poet and former journalist – manages to weave high-quality nature writing into his page-turners.
Most of Heller’s novels have Colorado connections, including “The Painter” and “The Dog Stars.” For an outdoorsy literary trip, try (Knopf), a national bestseller and action-packed mystery about a fishing guide who stirs up more than trout at an elite lodge outside Crested Butte. From Denver, take Interstate 70 to Glenwood Springs, then drop south to Crested Butte.
You’ll get a real sense of the area’s natural beauty while crossing Kebler Pass – “One of the most beautiful passes in the world,” Heller claims, urging readers to plan a summer trip so they can stop for a hike off the road (check for closures). Look for hidden fishing holes as you walk. Heller won’t provide specifics – “We never do,” he says – but there are choice places to cast a line.
Quaint group lodging is available at Elk Mountain Lodge, a historic building built for miners in 1919. For a lavish escape, there’s Eleven Scarp Ridge Lodge, from the Eleven Experience .
