Hey there! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven past Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park without ever stopping in. Isn’t it funny how somewhere can be right on your daily route for years, and still feel like a hidden gem? Well, turns out the park just celebrated its 100th birthday! So, let’s dive into a century of stories, walk the trail that winds through this special spot, and get ready for the 19th Annual Fore Sam’s Kids Golf Tournament.

Grab a coffee, and let’s dig in!

– Megan

Long before it was called Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park, this piece of the Big Thompson Canyon, just west of Loveland, was home to Louis Papa. He was the stepson of Mariano Medina, Loveland’s first permanent settler, and spent the late 1800s here, tending cattle and making a life in the wild Colorado landscape.

In 1913, Papa leased part of his land to the city for a hydroelectric project. But the real story starts a bit earlier, in 1911, when City Council member Charles Viestenz made it his mission to build a city-owned power plant, and free Loveland from relying on private utilities. Despite political pushback, lawsuits, and World War I material delays, Viestenz persevered. Under the supervision of city engineer Ray Smith, the Idylwilde hydroplant finally began operating in 1925, laying the groundwork for what would become City of Loveland Utilities.

Just a year later, the city bought all 400 acres from Papa, with the promise that he could live out his days on the land. If you visit the park now, you can see the restored footprint of Papa's original log cabin where volunteers uncovered its old flagstone doorstep.

As the years rolled on, the park turned into a community project. During the Great Depression, in 1932, local high school girls went door-to-door to raise money for a nature cabin that still functions as an environmental education center within the park to this day. Soon after, Civilian Conservation Corps crews arrived to build the rustic stone shelters and fireplaces that continue to give the park its character.

Life in the canyon has always required grit. The Big Thompson floods of 1976 and 2013 completely changed the landscape, and the city responded by restoring the river to a more natural, resilient state. In 2024, the Alexander Mountain Fire burned right up to the back door of the historic education cabin, leaving scorch marks on fallen trees. Thanks to the fire crews stationed at the park who successfully held the line, the old cabin was saved.

Even after all this, Viestenz-Smith is still what it has always been: a peaceful refuge where you can unplug and reconnect with nature, no matter how close to home you are.

If you make your way up the canyon, be sure to stop by the historic nature cabin. It’s a little local natural history museum, filled with hands-on exhibits, taxidermy of Colorado wildlife, and plenty of interesting objects you’re encouraged to pick up and explore. If there’s a green flag flying on the porch, that means a nature docent is inside, happy to answer questions and share stories about the local ecosystem. You can check when the cabin’s open or plan your visit at lovgov.org/ParksRecreation.

If you want to feel what a hundred years of history looks like, just take a walk through it. The park’s loop trail is less than a mile long, easy-going, and climbs only about 36 feet. You’ll cross the Big Thompson River twice on charming footbridges, and stroll past the remains of the old hydroelectric generators — the same ones Charles Viestenz worked so hard to bring to life a century ago.

If you’re up for a little more adventure, you can keep exploring. There’s a pedestrian trail that connects the park to the Round Mountain Trailhead across the highway. From there, you can link up with the Foothills Nature Trail, and climb up to a stone overlook shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930s. It’s a longer hike with more climbing, but the incredible views at the top make it worth every step. Learn about the trails before you head out. And while you’re at it, check out the Scavenger Hunt that the park has put together.

For nearly 30 years, Sam Chuenchit was a familiar face on the youth soccer fields of Northern Colorado. He was the kind of coach who showed up for every kid, whether or not their family could afford the uniform. That spirit of community is why the Northern Colorado Youth Sports Foundation puts on a tournament in his honor every year.

The 19th Annual Fore Sam’s Kids Golf Tournament kicks off Monday, July 27, at Pelican Lakes Golf Club in Windsor. Check-in begins bright and early at 7:00 AM, with the driving range open at 7:30 AM and a shotgun start at 8:00 AM. After a fun morning of golf, everyone gathers for lunch and awards at 1:30 PM. The course is a local favorite, thanks to the Cache la Poudre River running through the property and four man-made lakes that challenge golfers on ten different holes. Colorado AvidGolfer calls it one of the best public courses in the state, and Golf Digest gives it a solid four stars.

Every dollar raised helps Northern Colorado kids get involved in sports, attend camps, and receive financial support when they need it most. Even if you’re not swinging a club that day, you can still make a difference by donating online.

Every contribution keeps us out in the field, digging into local history, and showing up for the towns we cover. We're grateful for every bit of support. Thanks for being part of this.

— Megan & David

👉 MAKE A CONTRIBUTION

From Berthoud to the Wyoming state line, Fort Morgan to Estes, each week we pull together a list of the top events happening all over Northern Colorado.

If you’d like to add an event to upcoming NOCO Word issues, hit reply and let us know!

Culture Pop @ Downtown Greeley (Greeley) — Thu–Sun, times vary by day — Four days of art and music downtown: a keynote from Colorado's Poet Laureate Thursday, a concert with Rootbeer Richie Saturday, wrapping Sunday. 👉 Pop into downtown Greeley

47th Annual Arts Picnic @ Downtown Greeley (Greeley) — Sat–Sun, all day — Greeley's outdoor art fair hits its 47th year. 👉 Picnic among the paintings

BASANOCO @ Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Conference Center & Spa (Loveland) — Fri–Sat, dancing into the early hours Sunday — Two days of bachata and salsa classes with a dozen-plus instructors from Colorado and Chicago, Saturday night performances, and DJs flying in from Utah to keep the floor moving. $25-$77, VIP $111, weekend passes available. 👉 Dance until dawn

Weld County Fair Summer Nights Series @ Island Grove Regional Park, South Oval near The Pavilion (Greeley) — Wed 6–9pm, Thu 8–10pm, Fri 6–9pm — Three free nights added to this year's Fair: carnival games and prizes Wednesday, "Fair Flick Under the Stars" showing Ferdinand Thursday, and a Sounds of Summer concert from local band Front Range Revival Friday. Popcorn's free every night. 👉 Three nights, one midway

Oil Painting (all ages and ability levels) @ Greeley Creative Arts Center (Greeley) — 6:3 to 9:30pm — Final class of this weekly session. 👉 Get your hands dirty

Open Mic hosted by Michael Capshaw @ Downtown Loveland (Loveland) — 6:30–9:30pm 👉 Step up to the mic

Pickle Jar Glow Up @ Estes Valley Community Center (Estes Park) — 5:30 to 7:30pm 👉 Fix up your jar

Wednesday Night Concerts: Shakedown Street | Grateful Dead Tribute Night @ Foundry Plaza (Loveland) — 6:30–8:30pm — Part of the One Sweet Summer series. 👉 Catch the show downtown

Sober Poet Society: Monthly Writing Series @ The Love Shack – Craft Mocktails (Loveland) — 6–8pm 👉 Write it sober

Titonic (Lagoon Concert Series) @ CSU Lagoon (Fort Collins) — 6:30–8:30pm — Closes out the Lagoon's summer concert series with funk and soul. 👉 Close out the summer series

The Cash Box Kings @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 7–9pm 👉 Get your blues fix

Residency Concert w/ K8ie + Friends @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 6–8pm 👉 Catch the residency

Double Wide Burgers Food Truck @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 4–8pm 👉 Get your burger fix

Former Judge Jacqueline St. Joan in Conversation With Former Criminal Defense Attorney Jeanne Winer @ Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins) — 6–7pm 👉 Hear it from the bench

Horsetooth Tri Training Open Water Swim & SUP Series @ South Swim Beach (Fort Collins) — 5–7pm 👉 Get in the water

Acoustic Jam with Tommy Ventura @ The Tavern at Red Feather Lakes (Red Feather Lakes) — 6:30pm 👉 Bring your own six-string

Roots & Rhythm with The Friendly Reminders Trio @ Bath Garden Center & Nursery (Fort Collins) — 5–7:30pm 👉 Get rooted in some music

Hot Off the Grill: $10/Plate or $15 All-You-Care-to-Eat BBQ @ MeadKrieger – Old Norse Mead (Loveland) — 5–9pm 👉 Load up your plate

Loveland Summer Concerts: The Spicy Pickles featuring Hannah Rodriguez @ Loveland Municipal Building (Loveland) — 7–9:30pm 👉 Catch a summer show

Shut Up & Write @ Verboten Brewing (Loveland) — 7pm 👉 Actually finish that draft

Startups to Watch: Northern Colorado @ Forge Event Center (Loveland) — 4–6pm 👉 Meet the next big idea

July Free Admission Days @ Loveland Museum (Loveland) — 11am–7pm — Free entry all month. 👉 Walk through for free

Clark Street Station @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 6–8pm 👉 Catch the set

Yes Chef Food Truck @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 4–8pm 👉 Let the chef handle dinner

Thursday Night Live: D’Loveies @ Downtown Fort Morgan (Fort Morgan) — 5–8:30pm 👉 Head east for the night

Kim Congdon with Dulce Mac (Stand-Up Comedy) @ Moxi Theater (Greeley) — doors 7pm, show 8pm 👉 Get your laughs in

moondoggy with The Speeks (Around The Fire West Coast Tour) @ Fox Theatre (Fort Collins) — 8pm 👉 Catch the tour stop

Summer Concert Series: Crystal Visions and Stories in the Sky @ Boardwalk Community Park (Windsor) — 6:30–8:30pm 👉 Watch the sky light up

Krautburger Workshop @ Farm Fusion (Fort Collins) — 5–7pm 👉 Learn to fold a krautburger

Tricky Thursdays @ Little Man Ice Cream (Fort Collins) — 7:30–9:30pm — Free magic show. 👉 Watch some sleight of hand

Sip & Stretch w/ CorePower Yoga @ New Belgium Brewing Company (Fort Collins) — 5–7pm 👉 Stretch, then sip

Baron Vaughn @ The Comedy Fort (Fort Collins) — 7:30pm 👉 Get your laughs in

Great American Nowhere (live music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 6–8:30pm 👉 Catch the show

moondoggy with Limited Supply (Around The Fire West Coast Tour) @ Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins) — 8pm 👉 Catch the tour stop

Eric Beringer Live @ Mighty River Brewing (Windsor) — 6–9pm 👉 Catch the set

William Lee Martin: Seemed Smart at the Time Tour @ Rialto Theater (Loveland) — 7:30pm 👉 Get your laughs in

Friday Live Music: Laurie & Lorrie @ Snowy Peaks Winery (Estes Park) — 5–7pm 👉 Sip and listen up the hill

Dead Pen Drawing Club Group Exhibit Reception @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 6–9pm 👉 See where the pens landed

Defunkl @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 4:30–7pm 👉 Get funky early

Jurassicasters @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 8–10pm 👉 Catch the set

Flavious Waterman @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — 8–10pm — outside — 👉 Jam out outside

Movies in the Park: The Goonies @ Boardwalk Community Park (Windsor) — 8–10pm 👉 Never say die

TRIP WIRE (live music) @ The Sand Bar at Pelican Lakes (Windsor) — time unconfirmed. 👉 Music on the green

Jackson Cloud with ok I love you, Junglefowl, Argentym @ Fox Theatre (Fort Collins) — 8pm 👉 Catch the lineup

Tyler Halverson with Zandi Holup @ Moxi Theater (Greeley) — doors 7pm, show 8pm 👉 Catch the set

Family Camp Out @ Boardwalk Community Park (Windsor) — Fri 5pm–Sat 8am, overnight 👉 Camp out without leaving town

Free Entry to the Windsor Community Recreation Center @ Community Recreation Center (Windsor) — all day — Free access to the rec center for the day. 👉 Get in free today

Sounds of Centerra: That Eighties Band @ Chapungu Sculpture Park (Loveland) — 7–9pm 👉 Get your big hair on

Feline D&D @ NoCo Cat Cafe (Loveland) — 6pm 👉 Roll for initiative, with cats

Daniel Pouse Music @ Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) — 6–8pm 👉 Catch the set

Date Night Pottery @ Our Town Market (Loveland) — 6:30–8:30pm 👉 Throw some clay together

Studio Vino The Little Gatherer @ Studio Vino (Loveland) — 7–9pm 👉 Paint and sip

Love Shack Comedy @ The Love Shack – Craft Mocktails (Loveland) — 8pm 👉 Get your laughs in, sober

Greeley Farmers' Market @ Lincoln Park (Greeley) — 8am–12pm 👉 Shop the market

Farmers Market: Reminisce @ Boardwalk Community Park (Windsor) — 8am–12:30pm 👉 Shop the market

On-Water Entomology Class @ Poudre River with St. Peter's Fly Shop (Fort Collins) —Learn hatch timing, sampling, observation, and fly selection to boost success. — 8:30am -11am. 👉 Get your fish on

Live Music: Dale Cisek Band @ Mash Lab Brewing (Windsor) — 4–7pm 👉 Catch the set

CAiR Sober Open Mic Night @ The Love Shack – Craft Mocktails (Loveland) — 6:30–7:30pm 👉 Take the mic, sober

Signature Fly Fishing School @ St. Peter's Fly Shop (Fort Collins) — 4 hours of classroom instruction and 4 hours on the water, giving anglers the confidence to fish independently. — 9am-5pm. 👉 Catch a fish or two

Plastered Peter Pan @ Avogadro's Number (Fort Collins) — Theatre on tap. At the top of each performance, one actor’s name is drawn at random by our host, Tinkerbell, onstage…Their fate? Get absolutely shitfaced and play Peter Pan with drinking challenges during the show!— 7–9pm 👉 Never grow up, drink responsibly

Live Music with Really Good Zoo @ Gilded Goat Brewing – Old Town (Fort Collins) — 6–8pm 👉 Catch the set

Hoss and the Hangman (live music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 6–8:30pm 👉 Catch the set

The Smokin' Oaks @ Moxi Theater (Greeley) — doors 7pm, show 8pm 👉 Catch the set

Teenage Bottlerocket with The Drowns, Tightwire, Bury Mia (Ready to Roll Great Plains 2026) @ Fox Theatre (Fort Collins) — 8pm 👉 Catch the punk lineup

Beach Boy Al Jardine & The Pet Sounds Band @ The Gardens on Spring Creek (Fort Collins) — 6pm — A Celebration of the Music of Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys. 👉 Surf’s up

3x3: A Micro Art Festival (Exhibition, Reception & Silent Auction) @ Greeley Creative Arts Center area (Greeley) — 3 to 5pm 👉 Bid on something small

Larry and the PourBoys Live @ Mighty River Brewing (Windsor) — 6–9pm 👉 Catch the set

Latin Night @ Aggie Theatre (Fort Collins) — 9pm 👉 Dance the night away

Amanda Treiber + Company feat. NOCO Dance Intensive @ Lincoln Center (Fort Collins) — 7pm — New York City based ballet company Amanda Treiber + Company (AT+Co) makes their Colorado debut in a special collaboration with NOCO Dance Intensive. 👉 Get tickets

Gardening for Wildlife Class @ High Plains Environmental Center (Loveland) — 9–11am 👉 Garden for the critters

HPEC Volunteer Saturday Morning Garden Club @ High Plains Environmental Center (Loveland) — 9am–12pm 👉 Get your hands in the dirt

Savor the Tour: Wines & Bites of France @ Hub Café by Fresh Plate (Loveland) — 6–8pm — 👉 Sip, savor, repeat

18th Annual Hot Rods & Hawgs @ Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson (Loveland) — 7am–3pm 👉 Rev it up

Cars & Caffeine: Endless Edition @ Endless Garage (Loveland) — 9–11am 👉 Coffee and chrome

The Berthoud Market @ Berthoud Main Street (Berthoud) — 9am–1pm — Shop, connect, and enjoy the season. 👉 Shop Main Street

Milner-Schwarz Open House @ 710 S Railroad Ave (Loveland) — 10am–1pm 👉 Step inside the history

Biker Appreciation Day @ The Fort Motorcycle Company (Loveland) — 11am–3pm 👉 Show your ride some love

Manga Dreams by Anderson & Low @ Loveland Museum, Main Gallery (Loveland) — 10am–4pm 👉 See the exhibit

Kintsugi Workshop: The Art of Broken Pottery @ Loveland Museum (Loveland) — 12–3pm 👉 Mend it with gold

Studio Vino Summer Poppies @ Studio Vino (Loveland) — 1–3pm 👉 Paint and sip

Brian Brooks' Sundown Rising @ The Boot Grill (Loveland) — 8pm 👉 Catch the set

Sipping with Succulents @ High Hops Brewery (Windsor) — 10:30am 👉 Pot one, sip one

Introduction to Fly Fishing Class @ St. Peter's Fly Shop (Fort Collins) — 12:00pm-4:00pm 👉 Learn to cast

Fort Collins Foxes vs. Boulder 64's @ City Park Field (Fort Collins) — 4:05pm 👉 Cheer on the Foxes

YART Sale @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 11am–2pm 👉 Find a new treasure

Guided Wine Tasting @ Sweet Heart Winery & Event Center (Loveland) — 3–6pm 👉 Sip your way through

Meet Your Poets Laureate @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 4–5:30pm 👉 Meet the poets

Joe Kuckla (live music) @ City Star Brewing (Berthoud) — 5–7:30pm 👉 Catch the set

Colorado Wilderness Mural @ Wilderness Art Quarry (Loveland) — 11am–4pm 👉 See the mural take shape

NoCo Cars and Coffee @ On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina (Loveland) — 8–11am 👉 Coffee and chrome

Artist Markets at the Farmers Market @ 700 S Railroad Ave (Loveland) — 9am–1pm 👉 Shop local art

Hand Knitting: Chunky Shark Throw Pillow @ Our Town Market (Loveland) — 1:30–3:30pm 👉 Knit yourself a shark

Verboten's Acoustic Afternoons: LUKE @ Verboten Brewing (Loveland) — 3–5pm 👉 Catch the acoustic set

After Hours Networking @ The Love Shack (Loveland) — 5–7pm 👉 Make a connection

PBA Experience League @ Sweetheart Bowling (Loveland) — 7–8pm 👉 Hit the pins

Dead Pen Drawing Club @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 6–9pm — The standing Monday drawing meetup, separate from Friday's one-time exhibit reception. Bring your own sketchbook. 👉 Bring your own pen

Queer Writes @ Wolverine Farm Publick House (Fort Collins) — 6–8pm 👉 Write it out loud

F*@#'d Up Book Club @ Old Firehouse Books (Fort Collins) — 6–7pm — Monthly book club, the name's not a metaphor. 👉 Read something messy

Little Fairy Tales Storytime @ Grimm Brothers Brewing (Loveland) — 10am — Weekly storytime for the littles, held at the brewery. 👉 Bring the kids, skip the beer