Small town Lyons offers big payoff for visitors

You have to zoom in pretty close on a map of Colorado before Lyons even shows up. The town, with a population that hovers around 2,000 people, isn’t exactly a tourist hot spot or an epicenter of, well, anything. But we know better.

We know that Lyons is worthy of a stop on our way to Rocky Mountain National Park, or as a destination on its own. We know that 97% of the 85 businesses are locally owned (the only ones that aren’t are two gas stations), making it one of the most unique towns in which to browse, eat and drink. We know that its setting at the edge of the Rockies, with its mix of forests, valleys and sandstone cliffs, is absolutely stunning. And we know that come summertime the music is roaring, with major festivals drawing bluegrass-loving crowds.

Here are five reasons to spend time in Lyons this summer:

The food is some of the best in the state

It may seem strange that one of the most delicious fine dining restaurants in Colo...