Visit Crested Butte + Gunnison CO : Vacation Planning Guide

Visit Crested Butte and Gunnison

The best places to go and tips for planning a great trip

Whether it was the endless selection of mountain biking trails or the steep skiing that made you want to visit Crested Butte and Gunnison, we’ve got all the information you need to plan a successful trip to Colorado. Find places to go and things to do in the Gunnison Valley’s scenic public lands and easygoing mountain towns.

Trip Planning

Everything you need to know to visit Crested Butte and Gunnison

This trip planning guide will help you discover where to stay, what to do and how to get to Colorado for your epic visit to Crested Butte and Gunnison. The guide will help you:

Find things to do, especially outdoor sports
Discover the four distinct seasons of the Gunnison Valley
Learn how to get here
View live weather cams, including the snow stake
Browse lodging and hotel options
Find tasty restaurants
Check out the shopping scene
Plan a wedding or event

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Plan Your Trip

PLACES TO GO

Mountain towns

The Gunnison Valley is home to Colorado’s coolest mountain towns. There’s always something fun going on in colorful downtown Crested Butte, known as “Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town.” Find laid-back, college-town vibes in Gunnison, where mountain biking is a way of life. The tiny town of Almont lies at the mouth of Taylor Canyon, a hub of outdoor adventure. Mt. Crested Butte is home to the ski area. Don’t forget Pitkin, where summer and winter recreation combine with incredible railroad history.

Ski areas

Crested Butte Mountain Resort offers unparalleled downhill skiing, but did you know there are more places to ski in the Gunnison Valley? Gain a true wilderness experience on the groomed cross-country ski trails at Crested Butte Nordic. For a family-friendly ski experience, check out Cranor Hill in Gunnison.

Parks and outdoors

Gunnison County is home to two million acres of public lands! Take an ATV adventure in Taylor Park, ride rocky mountain bike trails at Hartman Rocks, or go hiking in Gunnison National Forest. The towering walls of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is about an hour’s drive from Gunnison.

Browse all places to go

Watch the video: Skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort

The steepest ski resort in the United States

Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is known for its double-black-diamond extreme terrain, but skiers of all abilities will find appropriate runs to explore here. Test yourself on some of the steepest in-bounds ski terrain in the U.S., or enjoy something more mellow on the resort’s 1,547 skiable acres. Crested Butte Mountain Resort is now on the Epic Pass. There are also many opportunities for backcountry skiing in the vast public lands surrounding Crested Butte and Gunnison. Learn more about everyone’s favorite winter sport in the Gunnison Valley on our skiing and snowboarding page.

Watch the video for a taste of what skiing Crested Butte is like!

Watch the video: Colorado mountain biking at its best

MTB trails from Gunnison to Crested Butte

Whether you’re a beginner rider or an expert, the Gunnison Valley has epic mountain bike trails for your visit. Ride flowy, high-elevation singletrack through wildflowers and aspen groves in Crested Butte. Check out lift-served bike park trails at the resort in Mt. Crested Butte. Explore spruce-tree lined descents on the east side of the Gunnison Valley. Head to Gunnison for technical desert mountain biking that will remind you of riding in Fruita and Moab. Peruse an interactive map and read guides to each of the Gunnison Valley’s trail zones on our mountain biking page.

Watch the video below to explore a few of the mountain bike trails in Crested Butte and Gunnison!