Marble is a hidden gem that combines natural beauty, historic charm, and the thrill of outdoor activities. The town’s name came from the mine in the surrounding mountains which produces the whitest marble in the world and is famous for providing the marble used in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. After only a single visit, it became our favorite place to visit… in fact, we chose to get married on the top of one of the mountains surrounding the town. We loved it so much that we used the topography surrounding Marble for the labels on our coffee bags. There is even a dot hidden on each label which is the location where we said our vows! More to come on this later...
To kick off sharing our EXPLORations with all of you, we decided to return to Marble with friends and family this past weekend. After fueling up with some Trailhead coffee, we began our journey to Marble through towering mountain ranges and along the clear water of the Crystal River. Our first stop was the iconic Crystal Mill. This historic wooden powerhouse, perched precariously above the Crystal River, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Colorado. We were amazed by the power of the water passing below the mill this time of year from the snow melt on the high peaks.
We then decided to wander among the ruins of the old mill at the historic Marble Mill Site Park. The kids were excited to be in a place destroyed by an avalanche! Despite the mill being closed, the quarry is still in operation, so we went to see the source of the world’s most beautiful white marble.
By this time everyone was hungry and no visit to Marble is complete without grabbing a meal at the only restaurant in town, Slow Groovin' BBQ. They have their roots in Ohio where Al is from and serve some of the most amazing BBQ and brews to refuel the whole family.
After a good meal, everyone was tired and it was time to head home. Despite having visited Marble many times before, we saw our favorite places in a new way and discovered new places we will explore in the future.