Free Things to Do in Crested Butte

Free things to do in Crested Butte

Parks, libraries and free events

Looking for fun, free things to do in Crested Butte on your trip? You probably already know about outdoor activities like hiking and biking, so this guide focuses on Crested Butte’s wide array of parks, libraries, and other town amenities. Have a picnic in a park, listen to story hour at the library or play pickleball at one of the town’s picturesque courts. These no-cost activities allow you and your group to enjoy Crested Butte on a budget.

Summer no-cost activities in Crested Butte

Get outside with free things to do in Crested Butte. Have lunch in a park, or let the kids burn some energy on a playground. Let your pups run around at off-leash dog parks. Bring your pickleball paddles and play at one of the scenic courts in Crested Butte.

Four hot air balloons flying over crested butte mountain

Crested Butte Parks

Totem Pole Park

Address: 227 Maroon Ave, Crested Butte
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Enjoy picnic tables, flower gardens and access to Coal Creek at Totem Pole Park. Its close proximity to downtown Crested Butte makes it a great park to relax when staying in Crested Butte.

Rainbow Park

Address: 300 8^th Street, Crested Butte
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

Rainbow Park has a soccer field, pavilion, playground, picnic tables, a pond and a climbing boulder. Rainbow Pond reflects Crested Butte Mountain and creates a scenic view. The pavilion can be rented for birthdays, reunions, barbecues and other special events.

Three Ladies Park

Address: 31 Butte Avenue, Crested Butte
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

This park is dedicated to three women who passed away from an explosion in Crested Butte in 1990. Take in a beautiful view of the Slate River Valley from the park. Your kids can play on the playground and have snacks in the picnic shelter.

Town Park

Address: Between 6^th Street and 7^th Street from Elk Avenue to Belleview Avenue
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: No

This is Crested Butte’s biggest park. Town Park has multiple sports fields, a pavilion, a playground, horseshoe pits, tennis courts and the Center for the Arts outdoor stage. The park is a town hub over the summer with youth sports, pick-up sports games and other events.

Yelenick Pavilion and Playground

Address: 603 7^th Street, Crested Butte
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: No

Yelenick Pavilion and Playground is part of Town Park. The play structure is shaped like a pirate ship. The pavilion has picnic tables, charcoal grills, field space, swings and a hammocking area. Dogs, bikes, skateboards and scooters are not allowed in the park and playground. Use of the pavilion does not require a reservation.

Town Ranch

Address: 920 9^th Street, Crested Butte
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

East of the Crested Butte Community School lies Town Ranch. This park consists of protected open space and ranch land. Crested Butte Nordic Center grooms a free, dog-friendly cross-country ski track here in the winter. The property also functions as an event center for weddings, reunions and other gatherings. Get reservation information here.

Entrance Park

Address: Between 6^th and 7^th Streets at Red Lady Avenue
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Entrance Park welcomes visitors to Crested Butte. A metal sculpture of a knight and dragon stands behind the “Welcome to Crested Butte” sign. Learn more about the knight and dragon and the artist who made it.

Jerry’s Gym

Address: 507 Maroon Ave.
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: No

Jerry’s Gym is Crested Butte’s community center. This space is equipped with toys, balls, mats and gymnastics equipment. The community center also has a fitness room, a community room and indoor pickleball courts. Check the Jerry’s Gym schedule online for pick-up pickleball, basketball and more.

Big Mine Skatepark

Address: 620 ½ 2^nd St.
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: No

Big Mine Skatepark first opened in 1997. Its vertical bowl made it one of the first of its kind. The skatepark was expanded and redesigned in 2023 by Evergreen Skateparks. The 15,600-acre skatepark has a flow park and street course with half pipes, quarter pipes, rails and ledges. Art and signage promote mental health awareness and provide resources.

Henderson Park

Address: 229 Whiterock Avenue, Crested Butte
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

Sit on a bench in the shade while your kids play on the playground equipment at Henderson Park. The playground is best suited for children ages two to five. Kids can swing, go down a small slide and play on the spring riders.

Tommy V. Ball Field

Address: 910 9^th Street, Crested Butte
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Tommy V. Field, located behind Crested Butte Community School, features a full-sized baseball field complete with dugouts, restrooms and a water fountain. It serves as the town’s only regulation baseball field. Tommy V. Field hosts youth baseball, pickup games, and adult softball games.

Rotary Park

Address: 802 Whiterock Avenue, Crested Butte
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

This cozy park offers shaded areas, a small pond, and benches for relaxation.

a metal dragon covered in snow in crested butte

Mt. Crested Butte Parks

Ted Scheske Park

Address: 911 Gothic Road, Mt. Crested Butte
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: No

Ted Scheske Park in Mt. Crested Butte contains several public amenities, all with a stunning backdrop of meadows and mountains. The Mountain Wedding Garden is a small event venue with a big view. It is available for rent from the town of Mt. Crested Butte. The four pickleball courts and one tennis court are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Crested Butte South Park

Red Mountain Park

Address: Teocalli Road, Crested Butte South
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

Red Mountain Park is centrally located in Crested Butte South. This park has gathering space, a playground, swings, tennis courts, an ice rink and skating pond, a pump track, sports fields, and a community garden. This 12-acre park is perfect for playing fetch with your dog, hosting a party or letting the kids play.

Pickleball courts in Crested Butte

Ted Scheske Park in Mt. Crested Butte has four permanent outdoor pickleball courts. These courts were converted from tennis courts to pickleball courts in summer 2024. Play pickleball amid the stunning scenery of the Elk Mountains. This area is also bursting with wildflowers in the summer. These courts might be one of the most beautiful places in Colorado to play pickleball!

Big Mine Ice Arena in downtown Crested Butte has six permanent courts. This is a covered outdoor ice rink that converts into pickleball courts in the summer. The courts are free to use. Reservations are available but not required.

Jerry’s Gym has one wooden indoor pickleball court. Portable nets are available, but players must bring their own paddles and balls. This court is free and can be reserved.

Crested Butte sledding hills

Four local sledding hills around Crested Butte offer kids of all ages slippery slopes for sledding.

Pyramid Sled Hill is located on Pyramid Avenue between Hwy 135 and 8^th Street. This short but wide hill has plenty of space and beautiful views for a day of sledding.

Steeper hills can be found behind the Crested Butte Community School. Big Mine Hill is next to the Crested Butte Nordic Center at Big Mine Park. This hill is small and short. It is perfect for younger kids.

Mt. Crested Butte Sledding Hill

Snodgrass Trailhead has the longest and tallest sledding hill in the area. The hill starts right at the parking area. Take in the amazing views of Crested Butte and the Elk Mountains while zooming down the hill.

a dog on a stand up paddleboard on lake irwin in Crested Butte

Dogs in Crested Butte

Leashed dogs are permitted in most places around Crested Butte. Please follow all leash laws and ordinances.

Crested Butte dog park

Crested Butte does not have a designated dog park, but many parks in town allow dogs. For more information about dog-friendly zones in Crested Butte, refer to this map from the town of Crested Butte.

Ice skating in Crested Butte

Big Mine Ice Arena in Crested Butte is a covered outdoor ice rink. The ice is natural, giving skaters the experience of skating on natural ice from a convenient location in town. Big Mine is free to use if you have your own skates. Crested Butte Nordic rents out skates for a fee if you don’t have your own.

The Crested Butte Library

The Crested Butte Library is in the Crested Butte Town Hall at 504 Maroon Avenue. This historic building is the Old Rock building and was built in 1883 as a school. It was dedicated as the Old Rock Community Library 110 years after being built. The library hosts story times, book clubs, craft nights, author talks, movie nights and more! Check out the library event schedule to see what else is going on.

Free public transportation in Crested Butte

The Mountain Express Shuttle and RTA bus offer free public transportation in the Gunnison Valley. The Mountain Express Shuttle makes stops in Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. See the schedule on the Mountain Express website. The RTA bus runs between Gunnison and Crested Butte and can be used to travel up and down valley.

Events in Crested Butte

There is almost always something going on in Crested Butte! From ski races and gallery openings to festivals and live music, there’s bound to be a free or low-cost event to attend. Check out the events calendar for more information.

Find events

Alpenglow in Crested Butte, a free summer concert series held on a lawn under Crested Butte Mountain

two people sitting at a desk for a meeting at the ICELab at western in gunnison

Coworking amenities in the Gunnison Valley

The ICELab is Gunnison’s all-in-one business resource center. The facility is equipped with an open coworking space, coffee and kombucha, a conference room, and a great view. Stop in if you need a place to work on your trip or need business advice. Multiple membership options are available.

Check out the ICELab