Things to Do in Crested Butte, Colorado
The best things to do in Crested Butte, Colorado, are hiking the wildflower meadows in July, riding Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s lift-served bike trails and driving Kebler Pass when the aspens turn. Crested Butte is a town of 1,639 people in Gunnison County, sitting at 8,885 feet in the Slate River Valley.
It was incorporated in 1880 as a coal and supply town and shrank when the mines closed. It revived after a ski area opened on Crested Butte Mountain in the 1960s. In 1977, mayor W Mitchell led the fight that stopped a molybdenum mine on Mount Emmons, the peak locals call the Red Lady.
Wildflower hikes and the Wildflower Festival
The state legislature named Crested Butte the Wildflower Capital of Colorado in 1990. Columbine, lupine, larkspur and mule’s ears bloom here from June through August. Locals started the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival in 1986. It now runs about 10 days each July, with more than 150 hikes and workshops on painting, photography and botany.
★ Good to know The festival usually starts in the second week of July, and popular hikes fill up, so register early.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
The resort sits in the separate town of Mt. Crested Butte, about four miles north, and a free bus connects it to town. In winter it’s known for steep terrain. In summer its bike park has 27 trails and more than 30 miles of singletrack served by the Red Lady Express lift.
★ Good to know The bike park is open daily from early June through Labor Day and weekends only in September. Hikers can ride the Silver Queen Express and hike two miles to the 12,162-foot summit.
Kebler Pass
Gunnison County Road 12 runs about 30 miles west from Crested Butte to Paonia over 10,007-foot Kebler Pass. It passes through Colorado’s largest aspen grove, a single root system with thousands of trunks. The road starts paved and turns to well-graded dirt that regular cars can handle when it’s dry.
★ Good to know Peak color usually lands in the last week of September or the first days of October. The road closes in winter, typically November through May.
Elk Avenue
Crested Butte’s main street is lined with historic buildings, most dating to the late 1800s coal-mining years. Today they hold restaurants, galleries and shops. The town calls itself “Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town,” and Elk Avenue is where you see why.
★ Good to know Parking is free along Elk Avenue, and the free Mountain Express bus stops nearby.
Crested Butte Museum
The Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum sits in the old Tony’s Conoco at 4th and Elk, 331 Elk Avenue. Exhibits cover mining, skiing and mountain biking in the Gunnison Valley. Admission is by donation.
★ Good to know The museum runs guided walking tours of Elk Avenue and its alleys that last about 90 minutes, so book ahead.
Crested Butte Nordic
This nonprofit grooms 55 km of trails for classic skiing, skate skiing and snowshoeing, with three trailheads in downtown Crested Butte. It also teaches lessons and runs tours. The Magic Meadows Yurt serves backcountry dinners and Sunday brunch.
★ Good to know A trail pass is required on most trails; pick one up at the Nordic Center.
Center for the Arts
The Center for the Arts at 606 Sixth Street is the town’s nonprofit home for concerts, lectures, visual art and culinary events. It also runs the Kinder Padon Gallery.
★ Good to know Check the Center’s calendar before your trip, since shows change with the season.
Also in town
The Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber runs a visitor center at 601 Elk Avenue, and Gothic Road heads north to the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory’s summer field station at the old mining town of Gothic.
When is the best time to see wildflowers in Crested Butte?
Blooms run from June through August, and July is the peak. The Crested Butte Wildflower Festival is held each July, usually starting in the second week.
Is Kebler Pass open in winter?
No. Kebler Pass Road closes in winter, typically November through May. In summer and fall, standard cars can drive it in dry weather.
Is Crested Butte Mountain Resort in the town of Crested Butte?
No. It’s in Mt. Crested Butte, a separate town about four miles north. A free bus runs between the two.
What other small towns are near Crested Butte?
Kebler Pass leads west to Paonia in the North Fork Valley, and Salida and Buena Vista are in the Arkansas Valley to the east. See Paonia, Salida and our small towns in Colorado.
Where to find them
- Wildflower hikes and the Wildflower Festival Website Directions
- Crested Butte Mountain Resort Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225 Website Directions
- Kebler Pass Gunnison County Road 12, Crested Butte, CO 81224 Website Directions
- Elk Avenue Elk Ave., Crested Butte, CO 81224 Website Directions
- Crested Butte Museum 331 Elk Ave., Crested Butte, CO 81224 Website Directions
- Crested Butte Nordic Website Directions
- Center for the Arts 606 Sixth St., Crested Butte, CO 81224 Website Directions
Plan your trip: for events and current visitor info in Crested Butte, see Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce →
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Where to stay in Crested Butte
Keep exploring
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Salida, COAbout 58 miles as the crow fliesA river town with rafting, hot springs and a historic arts downtown.Things to do in Salida →Also nearby: Breckenridge · Ouray · Silverton