The Essential Guide to Colorado’s Front Range Dispensaries

While Denver, the largest and most populated city in Colorado, is home to most of the state’s cannabis dispensaries, the rest of the Front Range region is a remarkable haven for cannabis enthusiasts in its own right. The Front Range Urban Corridor, which runs all the way from Cheyenne, Wyoming, south 200 miles to Pueblo, Colorado, sits at the easternmost edge of the Rocky Mountain range. In addition to stunning mountain views and charming cities to explore, Colorado’s Front Range boasts an impressive array of top-grade dispensaries.

Our guide to Colorado dispensaries in the Front Range Urban Corridor covers everything you need to know before your first trip to a dispensary in Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins, Pueblo, or anywhere in between. We’ve also included our top must-visit dispensary picks in each city.

In-Depth Colorado Dispensary Guides

For a closer, in-depth look at Denver’s local dispensary scene, or a complete overview of dispensaries throughout Colorado, check out our other local dispensary guides. regarding the dispensary scene throughout the entire state, and cannabis retailers throughout the entire state of Colorado, check out our other Colorado dispensary guides. For even more history and interesting cannabis dispensary information, don’t miss our complete guide to dispensaries in the US.

• The Best Cannabis Dispensaries in Colorado
  • The Best Cannabis Dispensaries in Denver

Pioneering in a New Industry – The First Front Range Dispensaries

Most of Colorado’s Front Range cities were quick to allow medical and then recreational cannabis dispensaries to open as soon as each was legalized. Many of Colorado’s Front Range dispensaries helped make history on January 1, 2014, with the nation’s first-ever sales of recreational marijuana. However, even now, several cities and most small towns throughout the Front Range region still disallow the operation of dispensaries within their borders, including Loveland, Colorado City, Golden, and Morrison – home to the famed Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater – forcing these cities’ residents and visitors to travel a bit farther for their cannabis.

Colorado Springs, the state’s second-most populated city, is home to an impressive 100+ medical cannabis dispensaries.

Which Front Range Cities Have the Most Dispensaries?

Colorado’s Front Range is home to hundreds of recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries, with most located in or just outside of the region’s largest cities. Colorado Springs, the state’s second-most populated city, is home to an impressive 100+ medical cannabis dispensaries. The smaller city of Boulder hosts over 60 medical and recreational dispensaries combined, one of the highest per capita concentrations in the entire country (12.1 dispensaries for every 50,000 residents). Meanwhile, the still smaller city of Pueblo’s 50 dispensaries come out to an even higher concentration (16.6 per 50,000 residents).

The Best Front Range Dispensaries

Out of the hundreds of medical and recreational dispensaries throughout Colorado’s Front Range, here are our must-visit dispensary picks in each major Front Range city.

The Best Dispensaries in Boulder

Native Roots

Native Roots is one of Colorado’s top cannabis retail chains, with recreational as well as medical marijuana locations throughout the state, including two dispensaries in Boulder. Native Roots’ Boulder recreational dispensary is conveniently located on the lower level of the Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall. The Dandelion, their charming downtown medical dispensary, is on Walnut Street, close to the University of Colorado. Both locations offer a cheerful, friendly atmosphere and attentive, knowledgeable budtenders. Native Roots offers an amazing selection of flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles, concentrates, tinctures, and more, and stays actively involved in community projects, and furthering cannabis education among Colorado residents, law enforcement officials, and policymakers. Native Roots also has dispensaries in Colorado Springs, Trinidad, and Denver.

Karing Kind

Karing Kind was the first recreational dispensary in Boulder and this locally-owned, environmentally-conscious dispensary continues to stand out as one of the city’s best. Alongside an impressive selection of flower, edibles, tinctures, and more from the state’s highest quality brands, Karing Kind also carries its own flower (grown in-house) in a rotating selection of classic and unique strains, as well as its own line of pure, potent concentrates. With award-winning customer service and a cozy, relaxed atmosphere, Karing Kind always makes cannabis shopping feel easy and fun. Pre-order service is available for a faster experience, and a Loyalty Rewards program awards buyers points toward future discounts. This dispensary only accepts cash payments but has an ATM on site. Karing Kind is located in North Boulder, just off of US 36, and is easily accessible from Lyons or Longmont.

The Republic

The Republic is not only one of the best recreational dispensaries in Boulder, but it is also one of the most beautiful dispensary locations in the entire state! Situated on one of Boulder County’s only cannabis farms, with 25 acres of open space and stunning views of the Rocky Mountains, The Republic’s location is so lovely, that its patio has become a favorite spot for weddings, parties, and other events. Inside, this dispensary is staffed by friendly, helpful budtenders and offers an excellent and low-priced selection of Colorado’s best brands of flower, concentrates, edibles, vapes, and more – including The Republic’s own farm-grown and produced lines of flower, vape carts, and pre-rolls. Pre-order service is available for an even faster cannabis run, and The Republic dispensary is easy to get to, on Baseline Road between East Boulder and Lafayette.

The Best Dispensaries in Colorado Springs

LivWell

LivWell is a dispensary chain with a commitment to quality, ethics, and education. Carrying an excellent selection of products from top cannabis brands, as well as their own 40+ strains of Michigan-grown flower and infused edibles – plus a full glass shop – LivWell is truly a one-stop shop for all things cannabis. LivWell dispensaries are always staffed by friendly, knowledgeable budtenders who can help new consumers find their best cannabis product match – or you may pre-order for pickup up to 24 hours in advance. LivWell operates two Colorado Springs medical dispensaries, one on Murray Blvd, near The Citadel Mall, and one on Nevada Ave, close to the University of Colorado. LivWell also operates numerous recreational and medical dispensaries throughout the rest of the Front Range.

Altitude Organic Medicine

Altitude Organic Medicine is a local dispensary chain passionate about growing (and selling) the highest-grade organic cannabis possible, as well as select edibles, concentrates, and more from other excellent brands. All of Altitude Organic Medicine’s stores have a bright and cheerful atmosphere and a staff of friendly, knowledgable budtenders who truly deliver 5-star service. Since opening its first store over a decade ago, Altitude Organic has expanded to serve several areas of the state, with four medical dispensary locations spread out throughout Colorado Springs – each located in a unique, revitalized storefront with a connection to the city’s history. The northernmost location is on Academy Blvd, with others located on Nevada Ave (close to the University of Colorado), East Platte Ave, and a SoDo location on the Tejon “strip.” Pre-order services are available for an even quicker shopping experience.

The Best Dispensaries in Fort Collins

The Green Solution

The Green Solution is an award-winning, family-owned Colorado dispensary chain, always offering personalized concierge-level service and an impressive selection of flower, edibles, vapes, tinctures, concentrates, and more – including its own NectarBee line of edibles and concentrates, and selection of top-shelf bud. The Green Lifestyle Rewards Program allows repeat shoppers to rack up points on each purchase toward future discounts. The Green Solution’s Fort Collins dispensary is located on College Drive, close to Old Town and the University of Colorado, and stays open late – until 11:45 p.m. daily – with pre-order services available. The Green Solution’s other Front Range dispensaries are in Pueblo, Trinidad, and Denver.

The Best Dispensaries in Pueblo

Sticky Icky’s

Sticky Icky’s is a true standout in Pueblo’s cannabis scene. This recreational dispensary has a hip, modern feel, a staff of incredibly helpful budtenders, and a carefully curated selection of flower, tinctures, concentrates, vaporizers, edibles, and more – sourced only from top-shelf brands, including Harmony Extracts, AiroPro, and CannaPunch. In addition to a welcoming atmosphere and impressive product selection, Sticky Icky’s also offers the guaranteed lowest prices in the area, plus daily specials to help buyers save even more. Sticky Icky’s is conveniently located on State Highway 96, close to the Pueblo Reservoir.

The Best Dispensaries in Trinidad

Freedom Road

Freedom Road is a combination medical and recreational dispensary committed to honoring the individual needs and desires of each cannabis consumer, with a knowledgeable, friendly staff always happy to offer guidance. Freedom Road’s carefully curated, competitively-priced product selection includes flower, pre-rolls, concentrates, edibles, concentrates, and topicals from some of Colorado’s very best brands – including their own top-tier Freedom Road Gardens brand of premium, pesticide-free cannabis, grown and harvested right there on-site. Freedom Road also offers an excellent selection of glass pieces and other accessories. Their two Trinidad dispensary locations are each easily accessible from I-25 – one on Main Street, plus a Brickyard store located on Freedom Road. Pre-order service is available at both stores, including a drive-thru pickup window at the Brickyard location.

Front Range Dispensary Guides by City

Unlike Denver, where you can hardly turn a corner without bumping into a dispensary, you may have to drive a bit farther and look a bit harder to find the right dispensary for your needs throughout the rest of the Front Range. Here’s our city-by-city breakdown of the cannabis dispensary scene in each major Front Range city.

Colorado Springs Dispensaries

Colorado Springs, the second most populated city in the state, is home to a considerable number of medical cannabis dispensaries but stubbornly continues to forbid recreational cannabis sales within its city limits. Despite repeated ballot initiatives attempting to legalize recreational cannabis dispensaries in Colorado Springs, residents of this city continue to vote this idea down. However, residents of and visitors to Colorado Springs can find recreational cannabis a short drive away in nearby Manitou Springs.

Boulder Dispensaries

Boulder was a hotspot for cannabis enthusiasts long before weed use was even legal in the state. Boulder has a storied history as a hippie haven in the 1960s, attracting the likes of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, and the city has kept its reputation as a welcoming community for cannabis fans. Naturally, Boulder embraced cannabis legalization right away, and today this picturesque college town has one of the highest concentrations of cannabis dispensaries (a mix of medical and recreational) per capita in the entire US.

You may have to drive a bit farther and look a bit harder to find the right dispensary for your needs throughout much of the Front Range.

Fort Collins Dispensaries

There are currently over 30 medical and recreational dispensaries in Fort Collins, though the cannabis industry initially got off to a rough start in this northern Colorado city. Once medical marijuana was legalized in the state, several medical marijuana dispensaries opened in Fort Collins, only to be shut down in 2012, after the city’s residents voted to impose a ban on dispensaries. However, later that same year, the state passed Amendment 64, legalizing the sale of recreational cannabis. Following this change, Fort Collins’s residents elected to allow cannabis sales within their city limits after all. Both recreational and medical dispensaries in Fort Collins have been consistently in operation since 2014.

Pueblo Dispensaries

Over the last decade, the small southern Front Range city of Pueblo has attracted an enormous influx of out-of-state transplants, due in large part to the city’s lower cost of living (compared to other metro areas in the state), expansive social services, and the hope of finding work in the legal marijuana industry. There are currently over 50 medical and recreational dispensaries in Pueblo and Pueblo West, with the legal cannabis industry continuing to bolster and grow the economy of this one-time steelworking city.

Trinidad Dispensaries

The small southern Colorado city of Trinidad technically sits just south of the Front Range Urban Corridor, but it has made a name for itself in recent years as a destination for cannabis aficionados. The opening of over 25 medical and recreational dispensaries in Trinidad has completely revitalized this once-sleepy and nearly empty city 13 miles north of the New Mexico border. Cannabis tourism continues to attract visitors from neighboring New Mexico and Texas to this small foothill city, and the industry has created an attractive job market for residents of the area. The selection of Trinidad dispensaries includes medical and recreational locations.

The opening of over 25 medical and recreational dispensaries in Trinidad has completely revitalized this once-sleepy and nearly empty city 13 miles north of the New Mexico border.

What to Know Before Visiting a Front Range Dispensary

Review these must-know facts before making your first visit to any of the recreational or medical dispensaries in Boulder, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, or anywhere else on the Front Range.

• • Age Limits and ID – Only individuals 21 and older (or 18+ with a medical marijuana card) are permitted to enter Colorado dispensaries. Minor children are not permitted to accompany adults inside. Proof of age must be provided in the form of a government-issued photo ID. ID must be presented before entry as well as at the point of sale.
  • Hours of Operation – Dispensaries in Colorado are only permitted to operate between the hours of 8 a.m. – 12 a.m. Unfortunately, most cities have placed additional restrictions on operating hours, and very few are actually open that late outside of the Denver metro area. In Colorado Springs, the latest some dispensaries stay open is 9 p.m., while Boulder, Pueblo, and Trinidad dispensaries are open until 9:45 p.m. Most Fort Collins dispensaries close by 10 p.m., but one, The Green Solution, stays open until 11:45 p.m.

Colorado law places strict limits on how much cannabis any individual can purchase in a single day.

• Daily Purchase Limits –Colorado law places strict limits on how much cannabis any individual can purchase in a single day. At dispensaries in Boulder, Fort Collins, and the rest of the Front Range, recreational cannabis buyers are limited to 1 oz of cannabis flower, 8 grams of concentrate, or edibles containing up to 800 total mg of THC. Medical marijuana patients are allowed to purchase a bit more at one time – up to 2 ounces of flower, 8 grams of concentrate (2 grams of concentrate for patients under age 21), 8,000 mg of vapeable THC, or edibles up to 20,000 mg of THC.
• Pick-Up and Delivery – Most dispensaries in Colorado Springs, Boulder, Pueblo, Fort Collins, and Trinidad make cannabis shopping even more convenient with the option to either pre-order cannabis for same-day pickup in-store. Some Front Range dispensaries also provide delivery services, bringing weed directly to your front door.

Author: John White
John is the founder and CEO of CNBS and is in charge of our brand relations, website management, media and press inquiries, industry overviews, B2B guides, and more. Passionate about educating on its benefits – John has been using cannabis to relief and manage his chronic pain for almost 12 years, working as an external consultant in the private cannabis sector for more than five years, and growing cannabis for personal use for almost eight years.
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