Nederland: Discover a Quaint Small-Town Above 8,000 Feet

Based on our life in Ned during the Summer of 2021 🙂

Nederland – or “Ned” – is an awesome mountain town located on the outskirts of Boulder County. 20-30 minutes from Downtown Boulder, Ned offers residents & visitors a taste of small-town life with proximity to a growing city. The closest ski resort is Eldora, and weekends are often crowded with locals from Boulder & Denver camping, hiking, and enjoying the countryside.

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The Town of Nederland has a main street where you can find a selection of eateries & shops. Like other small towns, this place has a lot of charm with just about one of everything. We were lucky enough to find lodging, but Nederland also makes for a nice daytrip if you’re driving up from Boulder – which is a beautiful drive with many stops and photo opps!

Outdoor Activities

Nederland serves as somewhat of a gateway to outdoor recreation, with proximity to the Indian Peaks Wilderness, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Roosevelt National Forest. Here are some sites not too far from town!

Mud Lake

Located just 10 minutes from Downtown Nederland, Mud Lake’s outdoor preserve has numerous trails and a beautiful view of this body of water! Whether you are looking for a short nature walk, or a longer hike, you can enjoy the day in nature.

Magnolia

Magnolia Drive is a neighborhood that spans from the top of the town to the middle of Boulder Canyon. The nature reserve area features camping, hiking, and biking trails.

Boulder Canyon

Connecting Nederland to Boulder down below is Boulder Canyon. On the winding canyon road, there are accesses to Boulder Creek and Boulder Falls. This is where we would do our ice baths! There are also a number of trails for hiking in the canyon. The amazing scenery makes the drive to town its own adventure!

Food & Beverage

I love the CBD Coffee here + their breakfast quiches! One of two morning coffee shops in town, they have a local selection of tea and amazing pastries made daily – like their huge cinammon roll, and quiches! Beat the line by getting there during opening hour.

Crosscut Pizzeria

Located on the corner, this lively establishment features great pizza and beer. Of the two pizza places in town, this one features a thinner crust in a restaurant atmosphere.

Ubon Thai

We love this great Asian restaurant that serves dishes with enough to have leftovers to take home (or to save after eating takeout). They also have a really great lunch special and the view of the hillside from their dining room is beautiful!

Tres Gringos

This is the Mexican restaurant in town! If you know me, you know I love a chimichanga! So we had to have dinner here at least a few times…

The Covered Wagon

Mahalo, Jose, for a wonderful time! This low-key saloon serves really great comfort food. I love the fish n chips 🙂 They have both indoor seating, as well as an outdoor patio.

Ned’s

Assuming the town’s nickname, this diner is a great place for breakfast or burgers! They have an outdoor patio and a nice collection of trippy local art.

Busey Brews Smokehouse & Brewery

For BBQ and a view of the creek, Busey has a great backyard for hanging out! They brew everything in-house and feature a variety of beverages.

Drink wine made in Nederland from locally-grown Colorado grapes! This winery was the first in Boulder County and is a solo show.

Grocery

Mountain People’s Co-Op

This is one of my favorite health food stores ever! During our time in Ned, we basically relied on this establishment for our sustenance! They have soups made daily, as well as a variety of other ready-to-eat options! They often use local ingredients, including Magnolia beef. In the mornings, they have warm coffee and breakfast burritos for a quick grab & go, too!

Shopping

The Shop

I love this boutique, which features new & vintage clothing and jewelry. Thank you to my husband for buying me this really sweet dress, along with others!

The Rustic Moose

A number of shops in the area sell jewelry, but my favorite selection is at The Rustic Moose. Located on 1st Street, they have a large selection of jewelry featuring different styles and stones.

Stained Glass by O’Neil Rocky Mountain Art

This stained glass studio features amazing mountain-inspired pieces. You can also take stained glass classes here and learn how to create your own designs and masterpieces! I enjoyed seeing the work of the artist and her students.

Things I have yet to do here…

• Mining Museum
• Thrift Shop
• Mountain Biking

Even though we spent five weeks in Nederland, I missed some things on my to-do list (or saved them for next time!). I look forward to going back 🙂

I hope this was helpful & please let me know how you liked this guide! See more in Colorado.