The bridges on Hwy. 50 between Gunnison and Montrose are now OPEN 24/7. Learn more here.

Gunnison Valley Infrastructure

The Gunnison Valley’s infrastructure doesn’t provide the same connectivity as that of a major city, but the region does excel in several areas. Gunnison and Crested Butte are bike friendly and decently walkable. Flights arrive to and depart from Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) everyday. Excellent public transit makes getting around the Gunnison Valley easy. Gunnison is located on U.S. Highway 50. The Gunnison Valley also has a surprising amount of amenities such as grocery stores, restaurants, parks and public spaces, and more! Keep reading to learn more about the Gunnison Valley’s infrastructure. 

a downtown street lined with trees with changed leaves

Where is the Gunnison Valley?

The Gunnison Valley is made up of Gunnison, Crested Butte, Almont, Mt. Crested and Pitkin. This valley is part of Gunnison County. Gunnison is located along U.S. Hwy 50. Crested Butte is 30 miles north of Gunnison down 135. The map below shows where Gunnison County is outlined in red. 

Transportation in the Gunnison Valley

Highways

The city of Gunnison lies on U.S. Highway 50, which connects to other major highways and cities. U.S. Highway 50 West connects to Montrose and Grand Junction, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Highway 50 East goes over Monarch Pass to get to Denver and Colorado Springs. Access to this major highway is a valuable amenity for business owners. State Highway 135 connects Gunnison and Crested Butte.

Road conditions sign on Highway 135 in Colorado

Gunnison Airport

Gunnison is home to Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC). This regional airport packs a big punch in terms of connectivity. Depending on the time of year, United Airlines, American Airlines and JSX fly to GUC. Nonstop flights to Denver, Texas and Chicago are available through GUC. Learn more about GUC below. 

Gunnison-Crested Butte airport
A terminal in an airport with big windows and tables and chairs

Public transport

Access to public transport within the Gunnison Valley is easy and free. The RTA offers free bus service in Gunnison. It also stops in Almont, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Get around Crested Butte on the Mountain Express Shuttle. These free bus services run every day. See schedules and route maps below. 

public transportation
A Mountain Express town shuttle bus in Crested Butte, Colorado drives through downtown Crested Butte in the snow.

Walking and biking

Gunnison and Crested Butte are small enough to be walkable and bike-friendly. Gunnison and Crested Butte have higher-than-average walk scores. A walk score measures how easy it is to commute or do errands on foot or with a bike. The size and infrastructure of Gunnison make it easy to accomplish errands and get around without a car. Gunnison’s walk score of 83 makes it a “very walkable” community. Gunnison’s bike score is 97. Crested Butte was rated the best bike town in the country in this article from Outside, which examined safety, bike infrastructure and culture in towns across the United States. Crested Butte’s walk score is 68 and its bike score is 90. 

bike friendly gunison

Internet and Telecommunications

Colorado is increasing broadband access to under-served rural areas. One example of this is a bill from 2018 committing to improve high-speed internet in such places. Learn more about Colorado’s plans to expand broadband access. The ICELab @ Western, a coworking space, has some of the valley’s fastest internet. Connection to this network is included with every ICELab membership level.

Broadband

Internet providers in the Gunnison Valley offer an array of packages for business and personal needs: DSL, cable, satellite, Fiber and more is available. 

Internet providers in the Gunnison Valley:

Spectrum
Visionary Broadband
Xream Internet 
Century Link
Clearnetworx
T-Mobile
Verizon
HughesNet
Starlink


Cellular Service

Location is essential for quality cell coverage. Connectivity differs depending on location and carrier. Cell coverage is strongest closer to population and tourism bases throughout the valley. Keep this in mind and make a plan other than relying on your cellphone in more remote areas. Verizon and AT&T have locations in Gunnison.

Shipping

Running a business in the mountains doesn’t mean you don’t have access to resources for shipping and manufacturing. Freight shipping options are available through FedEx, UPS, rail and RAC.

Shipping and freight options

Gunnison Trucking

601 S Boulevard St, Gunnison, CO 81230
(970) 209-1547

Gunnison Shipping

125 W Virgina Ave
(970) 641-4227

Gunnison Shipping offers these services:

  • Industrial equipment
  • Furniture
  • Electronics
  • Office equipment
  • Palletized items
  • Less-than-truck-load (LTL)
  • Domestic air cargo
  • Less-than-container-load (LCL)
  • Expedited freight
  • Deferred, economy freight
  • Household Goods
  • Sculptures
  • FedEx Authorized Ship Center
  • UPS Authorized Shipping Outlet

United States Postal Service

Gunnison
200 N Wisconsin St, Gunnison, CO 81230
(800) 275-8777

Almont
500 CR 742, Almont, CO 81210

RAC Transport

Regional terminals are available on the Western Slope through CCFS.

Railroad & Port

BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad operate in the Western Slope of Colorado. 

Manufacturing

Students at the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering work with businesses in the community to develop and refine their products. This program also partners with Blister Review to develop and test outdoor gear. The Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers an accelerator and grant program for advanced industries companies. Advanced industries companies can also apply for the Advanced Industry Investment Tax Credit.

Healthcare

Gunnison Valley Health (GVH) offers comprehensive health care to residents in the Gunnison Valley. The GVH hospital is a 24-bed, short-term acute care facility owned and operated by the County of Gunnison. The hospital is also a Level IV Trauma Center with 24/7 emergency care staff trained to provide care for standard medical and traumatic emergencies, as well as extreme emergencies such as cold weather injuries and high altitude injuries.GVH AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

  • iVantage Top 100 Critical Access Hospital
  • Top 25 Rural Hospital Nationwide per iVantage INDEX
  • Avatar Solutions “Best Overall Performer” for Patient Satisfaction
  • Recognized as Top Ranked Emergency Medical Services from the Colorado EMS of the Year Award
downtown crested butte elk avenue

Downtown Crested Butte and downtown Gunnison

Downtown Gunnison, Main Street, and downtown Crested Butte, Elk Avenue, are the hubs of each town. This is where most of the dining and shopping options are in each place. 

downtown gunnison spring

Third places in the Gunnison Valley

Third places in the Gunnison Valley include gyms, coffee shops, libraries, churches, the Gunnison Rec Center and public parks. These spaces are hubs of the community and common gathering spaces. Find information about free and low-cost activities in Gunnison and Crested Butte below. These guides have descriptions of the public parks, links to the library websites and other resources. 

Grocery options in the Gunnison Valley

Shop at locally owned markets and national food chains.

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