By Daliah Singer
Special to The Gazette

Mountain towns are best known for their trails, hot springs and ski hills, but for those in the know, they are just as beloved for their commitment to local businesses. Throughout Colorado’s high country, independent, community-focused bookstores have taken root, offering a spot to relax, escape to new worlds and connect with a sense of place. These are nine recommendations for bookworms.

Between the Covers, Telluride

Telluride’s “living room” has seen a number of owners during its half-century history, but the retailer has remained consistent in offering an inviting space. Between the Covers is, of course, stocked with a wide variety of books, but it’s equally known for its coffee counter (named after the owners’ dog) and sunny patio — an ideal landing spot to enjoy your latest read.

The Bookworm, Edwards

The Bookworm is more than a bookstore. The nearly 30-year-old shop gives at least 1% of its sales to worthy causes, including nonprofits and schools. Started in a retrofitted van, the space has moved and grown over the past three decades, expanding its book inventory and adding a café, but it has remained a reliable third place for locals and visitors.

Macdonald Book Shop, Estes Park

Welcome to the oldest bookstore in the state. Launched in 1928 in an even older two-story log cabin, this is a venue designed for lingering. There is a coffee shop in the back, a fireplace in the young adult section and seemingly endless shelves over which to pore. Community events include author talks, Monday story time and book versus movie nights.

Maria’s Bookshop, Durango

A standby on Main Avenue, Maria’s has been locally owned since 1984. The original brick walls and custom wood shelving hold thousands of books — with a focus on the southwest — and set the stage for a regular lineup of author events, book clubs and more. A Children’s Room inspires a love of reading from an early age.

Mountain Shire, Winter Park

This sunlit, second-story bookshop is small but beautifully appointed and impressively stocked with an array of books spanning the gamut of genres. Whether you ran out of reading material during your mountain vacation, need somewhere to wait out inclement weather or want to find a piece of Colorado to bring home with you, Mountain Shire has you covered.

Next Page Books, Frisco

Next Page has changed owners since Karen Berg opened the store in 2007, but the Main Street staple has held to the same ethos: a welcoming space where anyone can find a book to love. Literary Libations Bookstore Bar, which serves coffee, tea, beer, wine and a small menu of snacks, recently opened as another venue in which to gather and relax.

Off The Beaten Path, Steamboat Springs

Fueled by the locally roasted Seedhouse Coffee sold on-site, book lovers can easily while away an afternoon scanning the broad selection at this long-standing store mere steps off the town’s main drag. Community events, including a Poetry Nite, are popular, and kids will enjoy a robust section designed just for them (hidden hangout included).

Out West Books, Grand Junction

Marya Johnston’s family has a long history in western Colorado, so the owner of Out West brings a lot of knowledge to the Main Street shop’s impressive collection of tomes by, for and about the West, including Indigenous stories. The selection isn’t limited, though. Peruse the fabulous children’s section, find a local author to love or book it to your genre of choice.

Townie Books, Crested Butte

Crested Butte’s beloved third place squeezes a lot into a small venue. There are shelves upon shelves of recent releases, regional titles and children’s books; a sweet selection of gifts, such as toys and literature-themed shirts; and the attached Rumors Coffee and Tea House, where you can pair your chosen book with a cold brew.