Gunnison and Crested Butte Spring Guide
Experience the most underrated season in the Gunnison Valley—spring! In the south valley, spring brings vibrant beauty and prime conditions for outdoor sports. Fewer visitors fill the area, the weather warms up and lodging prices typically drop.
Mountain bikers, gravel bikers, and whitewater boaters will find spring especially exciting. Dive into events like bike and ski races, a literature festival and new trail openings. Read on to discover everything to do during a spring trip to the Gunnison Valley!
Spring in Gunnison
Spring brings dry trails, desert wildflowers and warmer weather to Gunnison. Mountain bikers can usually start hitting the trails at Hartman Rocks by April. Warm day time temperatures allow for a refreshing float on the river or a pleasant hike. Unlike Crested Butte, Gunnison businesses and restaurants stay open through the spring “shoulder season.”
Spring in Crested Butte
The weather in Crested Butte usually stays snowy and chilly in the spring, making it the perfect time for backcountry skiing. While many biking and hiking trails remain too snowy or muddy, you might catch a break—low-elevation, south-facing trails such as Lupine and Caves tend to dry out first.
After Crested Butte Mountain Resort closes for the season, many businesses temporarily close or offer limited hours before summer begins. Be sure to check online or call ahead to confirm which places stay open.
Spring events in Gunnison and Crested Butte
Ski in your best costume at Crested Butte’s closing weekend
Crested Butte Mountain Resort typically wraps up the season on the first weekend in April. The resort celebrates with a packed schedule of parties and events. Revelers enjoy live music, rock fun costumes, join in on giveaways and skim across the pond—classic highlights of closing weekend.
When: The first weekend of April
Where: Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Closing weekend
Ride in the Original Growler
This annual bike race has three courses plus a kid’s route. Choose from the Classic at 32 miles, the Pup at 20 miles and the Big Bad at 40 miles. Ride some of Gunnison’s most challenging and rugged singletrack at Hartman Rocks. Expect a mix of granite ridges, sagebrush-lined trails and classic cross-country terrain in this high desert area.
The Original Growler benefits Gunnison Trails, a local trail advocacy group that builds and maintains trails. Celebrate after the races with local beer and live music at IOOF Park in downtown Gunnison. Register by May 20 to secure your spot!
When: May 24-25, 2025
Where: Downtown Gunnison/Hartman Rocks
The Original Growler
Celebrate Literature in Crested Butte
The Mountain Words Literary festival is a four-day event with readings, workshops, kids activities, parties and panel discussions. The multi-genre festival includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry, journalism/long-form, nature writing, climate reporting and publishing. Some 2025 talk titles include “The Power of Poetry,” “Blue Plate: Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos” and “The State of Wildlife in the West.” Sharpen your writing skills in workshops about story maps, drafting novels and poetry. 2025 authors and presenters include Karen Russell, Ben Goldfarb, Elizabeth Gonzalez Jones, Rajiv Mohabir and Steven Dunn. Local author Shelley Read will lead a fiction workshop. Her novel, Go as a River, tells the story of a girl in the Gunnison Valley during the 1940s.
When: May 22-25, 2025
Where: Crested Butte, Colorado
Mountain Words Literary Festival
Ride Cottonwood Pass
The Gunnison Nordic Club hosts the Cottonwood Classic as its annual fundraiser. This road cycling ride takes advantage of the plowed Cottonwood Pass before it opens to vehicle traffic. The ride starts at the winter gate and goes to the summit of the pass. Take in stunning views of the Collegiate Peaks, the Sawatch Range and Taylor Park on the ride. Enjoy a fast and thrilling descent on the way down.
When: May 22, 2025
Where: Cottonwood Pass
Cottonwood Classic
Challenge yourself with the Oh Be Joyful Kayak Race
Expert whitewater kayakers can test their mettle at the Oh Be Joyful Kayak Race. Kayakers show off their skills as they race down some of Colorado’s gnarliest waterfalls and slides. The 2025 theme is Stay Joyous, so come ready to have a good time!
When: June 7, 2025
Where: Oh Be Joyful Campground, Crested Butte
Oh Be Joyful Kayak Race
Kick off summer with the first Alpenglow of the season
Alpenglow, one of Crested Butte’s most beloved traditions, returns this June. Head to Town Park next to the Center for the Arts every Monday in summer for this free weekly outdoor concert. Bring a picnic, buy a drink and enjoy music with stunning views of Crested Butte Mountain and Paradise Divide! The first Alpenglow of the season features local music from Floyd Bauler and Big Love Car Wash. Head to Crested Butte every Monday night from June 16 to August 11 for Alpenglow.
When: June 16, 2025
Where: Town Park
Alpenglow Kick-off
Ride all south valley trails after May 15
Gunnison County closes trails and areas every spring from March 15 to May 15 to protect the Gunnison Sage grouse. Closures include the northwest corner of Signal Peak and all roads and trails south of Powerline Road at Hartman Rocks. Once the seasonal closures end on May 15, dozens more miles of trails open up. Hop on your bike and hit the trails!
When: May 15, 2025
Where: Gunnison County
Spring trail information
Ski from Crested Butte to Aspen with the Grand Traverse Ski
This point-to-point backcountry ski race begins in Crested Butte and ends in Aspen. The Crested Butte to Aspen route is based on historic mail routes that connected the two towns in the 1880s. Participants climb more than 6,800’ over 40 miles to complete the race. For safety considerations, the race begins at midnight when avalanche hazard is lower. Compete in the Grand Traverse Mountain Run and Grand Traverse Mountain Bike to complete the triple crown.
When: Spring 2026
Where: Crested Butte, CO
The Grand Traverse Ski
Have a blast at the Beer Ski
This riotous relay event sends off the cross-country skiing season. Form a team, pick some costumes and bring your best shotgunning skills to win the Beer Ski, hosted by CB Nordic.
When: Spring 2026
Where: Crested Butte Nordic Center
The Beer Ski
Honor the past at the Memorial Day Parade
Remember those who gave their lives for our freedoms. The parade starts at the Old Town Hall in Crested Butte and proceeds down Elk Way to the Crested Butte Cemetery. A service will be held at the cemetery.
When: May 26, 2025; 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Where: Elk Avenue, Crested Butte
Memorial Day Parade
Celebrate your public lands
Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day at Beers, Bands and Barbed Wire Strands! Enjoy live music, food, camping and games at the festival. Colorado Backcountry Hunters and Anglers is hosting this event at the I Bar Ranch.
When: May 16-18, 2025
Where: I Bar Ranch
Beers, Bands and Barbed Wire Strands
Spring activities
Get ideas for things to do on a spring trip to the Gunnison Valley!
Whitewater raft on the Gunnison River
Spring brings snowmelt that fills the rivers to kick off boating season. Tackle the town run on the Gunnison River for a good spring route. This stretch starts from the boat ramp in Almont and runs about five miles to the Whitewater Park in Gunnison. Kayakers can head to Crested Butte to explore some of Colorado’s notorious steep creeks. These include Ruby Anthracite, Oh Be Joyful, Upper Daisy Creek and the North Fork of the Slate.
Hike in Curecanti National Recreation Area
Hikers can explore beautiful spring trails in Curecanti National Recreation Area. This recreation area surrounds Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado’s largest lake, and showcases a diverse environment. It is characterized by steep canyons, sagebrush-covered hills, riparian forests and volcanic rock layers. Trails include Dillon Pinnacles, Hermit’s Rest and Crystal Creek. The classic Curecanti Creek trail begins at the canyon rim and descends steeply to the creek in the canyon bottom.
Gravel bike in Pitkin
Ride over mountain passes and through railroad history on the roads around Pitkin. Pitkin sits between Gunnison and Monarch Pass, just north of Highway 50. This small community nestled in the Gunnison National Forest offers gravel bikers an expansive, scenic network of dirt and gravel roads to explore. Routes wind through alpine meadows, dense pine forests and old mining roads. One notable route, Cumberland Pass, connects Pitkin to the charming ghost town of Tincup.
Mountain bike at Hartman Rocks
Trails at Hartman Rocks are the first in the Gunnison Valley to open each spring. Head to Hartman’s for mild spring weather and tacky dirt in April, May and June. Great spring trails include Josie’s, Luge and Josho’s. Keep your eyes out for spring wildflowers while riding!
Riders should be aware that roads and trails south of Powerline Road are closed from March 15 to May 15 for Gunnison sage grouse protections. Stay off closed trails to protect this rare bird.
Backcountry ski in Crested Butte
Crested Butte Mountain Resort closes in early April, but snow continues to cover the mountains around Crested Butte through spring. Take advantage of the Gunnison’s Valley two million plus acres of public land to backcountry skiing. Be mindful of avalanche safety in the mountains. Please ensure you have the proper skills, knowledge and equipment before venturing into the backcountry.
Planning your trip
Our trip planning guide has everything you need to plan a trip to the Gunnison Valley. Get information about flights, book a place to stay and discover other travel resources.
Want to visit in summer, winter or fall? Check out each of our seasonal event and activity guides:
