The Town of Hayden is a Home Rule Municipality in Routt County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,634 at the 2000 census. The town sits along U.S. Highway 40 in the Yampa River Valley between Craig and Steamboat Springs. Hayden is located near the Yampa Valley Regional Airport, which has seasonal passenger jet airline service during the winter ski season nonstop to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul and New York Newark, with year-round passenger air service to Denver. The airport's close proximity to Hayden is reflected by its three letter identifying code: HDN. Hayden is one of the smallest communities in the U.S.