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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 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, a major shipping artery. The Gunnison Valley also has amenities such as grocery stores, restaurants, parks and “third places.” Keep reading to learn more about the Gunnison Valley’s infrastructure. 

downtown infrastructure in Gunnison, Colorado

Where is the Gunnison Valley?

The Gunnison Valley is located on the Western Slope of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. This valley is part of Gunnison County and contains the towns of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Gunnison, the largest of the towns, lies on U.S. Highway 50 about halfway between Montrose and Salida. State Highway 135 runs north-south and connects Gunnison and Crested Butte. The map below shows Gunnison County outlined in red. 

Road infrastructure near Crested Butte, Colorado in summer.

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 continues to Salt Lake City, Utah. U.S. Highway 50 East climbs over Monarch Pass towards Denver and Colorado Springs. Access to this major highway is a valuable amenity for business owners and contributes to a reasonable cost of living for a mountain town. State Highway 135 also connects Gunnison and Crested Butte.

airport infrastructure gunnison valley, colorado

Gunnison Airport

Gunnison is home to Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC). This small airport, which is located in Gunnison, packs a big punch in terms of connectivity. Depending on the time of year, United Airlines, American Airlines and JSX offer service to GUC. Nonstop flights to Denver, Texas and Chicago are available. The infrastructure of an airport is a huge bonus for living in the Gunnison Valley. Learn more about GUC below. 

public transportation infrastructure in crested butte, co

Public transport

Access to public transport within the Gunnison Valley is easy and free. The RTA offers free bus service that travels between Gunnison, Almont, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. The Mountain Express Shuttle, sometimes referred to as the “town shuttle,” runs between Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. These free bus services run every day, rain or shine. See schedules and route maps below. 

a sign indicating the bike infrastructure of gunnison, colorado

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 indicates quality of life and 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. 

Internet and Telecommunications

Colorado is increasing infrastructure to bring 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 in Gunnison, offers 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
Xtream 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. 

Shipping

Freight shipping from Gunnison and Crested Butte is 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

Undergraduate students at the Paul M. Rady School of Computer Science and Engineering work with businesses in the community to develop and refine their material products. The Rady School also partners with Blister Review to develop and test outdoor gear.

Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) offers an accelerator and grant program for advanced industries companies. Advanced industries companies may also apply for the state 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 Gunnison County. 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. The hospital is also equipped to treat extreme emergencies such as cold weather injuries and high altitude injuries.

downtown crested butte elk avenue

Downtown Crested Butte and downtown Gunnison

Main Street in Gunnison and Elk Avenue in Crested Butte are the downtown cores. Most of the valley’s dining and shopping options are centered in these zones. Historic buildings line the streets. Both towns are certified Colorado Creative Districts, meaning they are hubs of art and culture.

downtown gunnison spring

Third places in the Gunnison Valley

Third places in the Gunnison Valley include gyms, public lands, coffee shops, libraries, churches, the Gunnison Rec Center and public parks. Gather here to find like-minded people in the community. Guides to Gunnison and Crested Butte’s parks and public spaces are linked below. 

Living in the Gunnison Valley

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