Life + Culture

High Culture Meets High Country

Refined Cultural Festivals in the High Country For Summer Exploring Article by HRCL Staff Summers in the Colorado high country are hard to beat. Add great food, wine, entertainment, art, and the natural beauty of the mountains; there is no better place to escape from the dog days of the metro area. We've rounded up several options where high culture meets high country, some you may need to wait until next summer to enjoy. But keep them on your radar for 2026. Crested Butte Wildflower Festival...

Sports + Recreation

Adventure is Out There

How I Found Myself Again—and Helped Others Do the Same Article and Photography by Kaylene Macias It started the day I became a mom, 10 years ago. Night after night, nightmares about my worst fear, watching my infant daughter slip away in front of me. I couldn’t save her. I just stood there helpless, as it happened again and again. I’d wake up gasping, only to fall asleep and right back into the nightmare. I never told my doctor about it. I didn’t think anyone could fix it. The second sign...

Sports + Recreation

Our Wild Place

Backcountry Wilderness Area: A Place Where Childhood Still Feels Wild Article by Lindsey R. McKissick Think back to summer as a kid. You might remember the well-worn path to the creek behind your house, the fort built out of scrap wood and imagination, or the familiar call to “be home when the streetlights come on.” But for most kids today, that kind of unguided outdoor freedom is rare: more nostalgic dream than neighborhood norm. In Highlands Ranch, however, there’s a place where childhood...

Home + Design

Colorado's Outdoor Elements

Four Elements Landscape and Outdoor Living Creates Award-Winning Spaces Article by Julie Hoglund | Photography by Abby Watkins, John Van Fifteen-year-old John Van pushed his lawnmower across a client’s lush, verdant lawn. The smell of freshly cut grass permeated the air as he meticulously cut it to his father’s standards. He never anticipated that the rest of his career would be about taming Colorado terrain and designing award-winning landscapes with Four Elements, founded by his father in...

Food + Beverage

What's Your Flavor?

Take This Cocktail Quiz to Find Your Flavor Article by Mitchell Nestor | Photography by Jay Piper What's yer poison pard'ner? Local distiller Branch & Barrel serves up this tasty quiz to help narrow down your drink of choice.   How do you like your Whiskey? Neat or Nothing With a big Ice Cube In a Soda I don’t like Whiskey!   What is your favorite way to relax? Listening to vinyl Reading a book Spending time outside Dancing   Where is...

Auto + Marine

Driver's Notebook

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Article by Sonja Nix | Photography by David Dillon Car Guy: “someone who looks at life with the car as their lens,” according to Autoweek. You can find them in their driveway, hand-washing their cars, and wearing clothing with car motifs or brands. Inevitably, most conversations with a car guy lead back to cars. But what about the car gals? We asked Michelle Meade, co-founder of Lone Tree Cars and Coffee, what it is like to be a part of a male-dominated hobby. ...

Food + Beverage

Steakhouse Roundup

Treat Dad to What He Really Wants For Father's Day Article by HRCL Staff The ultimate Father's Day meal: a sizzling hot steak, loads of sides, a glass of red wine on a white tablecloth. Check out this list of locally owned and operated steakhouses. Shanahan's Beyond its Broncos connection, Managing Partner and Owner Mark Steron is now a Colorado Restaurant Hall of Fame Inductee. 5085 S. Syracuse St. Denver   shanahanssteakhouse.com Manning's Steaks and Spirits Longtime...

Fitness

Greatness Through Grit

Life Lessons from the Golf Course Article by Kevin Collins | Photography by Provided Golf is more than just a game — it’s one of life’s most outstanding teachers. In a world full of quick fixes and instant gratification, it’s easy to get lost in Instagram tips that promise the perfect swing or business gurus claiming to have the one secret to overnight success. But the truth is, whether you’re building a great golf game or a world-class Club, there are no shortcuts. Every round I’ve played and...

Life + Culture

2025 Highlands Ranch City Lifestyle's Men of Influence

Contributing to Our Community One Tooth, Home, Pest, Spirit, and Wellness Checkup At a Time Article by Sonja Nix | Photography by David Dillon Jason Robinson Owner and CEO JARFit, Optimum Edge Wellness, and Prodigy Performance Greens Lead Servant at Metamorphosis Church Tell our readers a little about yourself.   Born in California, my parents moved here in 1979 to plant a church. I graduated from Highlands Ranch High in 1996 and then attended Adams State University on an athletic...

Event Planning + Services

Follow the Bride

Capturing Luxury Weddings via Social Media Article by Kristen Gonzales | Photography by Provided by Follow the Bride When Brooke Wilson and Lexie Heil were bridesmaids at each other’s weddings, they realized the pressure of filming content for social media while attending to bridesmaids' duties was too much to juggle. “That’s when we realized–there needed to be a dedicated vendor for this,” explains Brooke and Lexie. “And so, Follow the Bride was born.” The former Highland Ranch Valor...