225px|thumb|right|[[Whiteley Peak along U.S. Highway 40 north of Kremmling]]

Grand County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,717. The county seat is Hot Sulphur Springs, and the largest community is Granby.

History

When Grand County was created on February 2, 1874, it was carved out of Summit County and contained land to the western and northern borders of the state, which is in present-day Moffat County and Routt County. It was named after Grand Lake and the Grand River, an old name for the upper Colorado River, which has its headwaters in the county. On January 29, 1877, Routt County was created and Grand County shrank down to its current western boundary. When valuable minerals were found in North Park, Grand County claimed the area as part of its county, a claim Larimer County also held. It took a decision by the Colorado Supreme Court in 1886 to declare North Park part of Larimer County, setting Grand County's northern boundary.

In 2004, Marvin John Heemeyer, a local businessman from Granby, used a modified bulldozer to destroy parts of the town of Granby. This was after Heemeyer's lawsuit against the town alleging the government ruined his business was dismissed. His attack ended when one of the bulldozer tracks became inoperable and he committed suicide.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

  • Larimer County - northeast
  • Gilpin County - east
  • Boulder County - east
  • Clear Creek County - southeast
  • Summit County - south
  • Eagle County - southwest
  • Jackson County - north
  • Routt County - west

Major highways

  • 20px U.S. Highway 34
  • 20px U.S. Highway 40
  • 20px State Highway 9
  • 20px State Highway 125
  • 20px State Highway 134

National protected areas

  • Arapaho National Forest
  • Arapaho National Recreation Area
  • Byers Peak Wilderness
  • Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
  • Indian Peaks Wilderness
  • Never Summer Wilderness
  • Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness
  • Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Routt National Forest
  • Sarvis Creek Wilderness
  • Vasquez Peak Wilderness

Bicycle routes

  • Great Parks Bicycle Route
  • TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route

Scenic byways

  • Colorado River Headwaters National Scenic Byway
  • Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway

Demographics