Free Things to Do in Gunnison, Colorado

Free things to do in Gunnison

Playgrounds, the library, music in the park and more!

There are free things to do in Gunnison through every season. Glide over ice at a rink or careen down a sledding hill in the winter. Play a sport like pickleball or basketball, enjoy the sunshine at a river beach or take the kids to a playground in the summer. Take advantage of the parks, library and other no-cost activities to complement Gunnison’s famous outdoor sports that drew you here.

Summer no-cost activities in Gunnison

Taking the kids to a playground is the most convenient free thing to do in Gunnison in the summer. Some parks also have river access for swimming, boating and angling. Take your dog to the dog park to play with other pups. Gunnison parks periodically host festivals, live music and other events.

a wooden sculpture of a ram and owl at the Gunnison Whitewater Park

Gunnison parks

Jorgensen Park

Address: 200 S Adams Street, Gunnison
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Dogs are not permitted on the sports fields

This spacious, well-equipped park acts as a community hub for Gunnison. Jorgensen has baseball and softball fields, an indoor and outdoor ice rink, a pump track, a skate park, a pond, picnic areas, a gazebo, marble rings, restrooms, and more. The sports fields play host to everything from organized leagues to pick-up games during the warm months. Kids can fish in the pond and practice bike skills on the pump track. The ice-skating facilities open in winter.

Don’t miss the annual free Fourth of July fireworks show, where community members and visitors alike gather on the Jorgensen Park lawn for one of the best parties of the summer.

IOOF Park

Address: 124 E Virginia Avenue, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

IOOF Park is tucked in the heart of downtown Gunnison. This park features a lawn, picnic tables, bathrooms, a fire pit, a splash pad and a Gunnison-themed mural. Scan the QR codes on the mural to learn more about the birds, insects, animals and plants of the Gunnison Valley. The Gunnison Farmer’s Market is held on the street adjacent to IOOF Park on Saturdays in the summer. Listen to live music and attend other events at the park throughout the year.

West Tomichi Riverway Park

Address: 113 Emerald Land, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

This park provides river access via a boat ramp. The facility also has a pavilion, picnic area, restrooms and fishing access.

Gunnison Whitewater Park

Address: Corner of Hwy 50 and Co Rd 38, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

The Gunnison River Whitewater Park has two water features for river surfers, rafters, packrafters and other whitewater craft. The Whitewater Park is a common take-out point for boaters on the Gunnison River. Picnickers and beach-lovers can take advantage of the shaded picnic tables and sandy beach.

Gunnison Skatepark

Address: 200 S Adams Street, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: No

The Gunnison Skatepark is part of Jorgensen Park. It’s medium-sized and has a variety of obstacles and features. Street-style skaters can practice on small ramps, quarter pipes, stairs and rails. A dirt pump track is adjacent to the skatepark. Team Pain designed the Gunnison Skatepark.

Shady Island River Park

Address: 2714 Hwy 135, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Boaters and anglers can launch their boats at Shady Island. There is a parking area and two boat ramps at Shady Island. A small fee may be required to use the boat ramp.

Bill’s Park

Address: 310 N 10^th Street, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Bill’s Park is a small park on the west side of Gunnison. The park has a grassy lawn, a pavilion with picnic tables and a community garden. The Giving Garden is a community garden managed by Mountain Roots Food Project.

Legion Park

Address: 201 W Virginia Avenue, Gunnison
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

Legion Park is across Hwy 50 from Jorgensen Park. The playground has slides, towers, monkey bars, tunnels and more for kids to play on. Shoot hoops on the basketball court or test your skills on the bouldering wall. Attend an event or hear live music at the pavilion and picnic area.

Meadows Park

Address: E Spencer Avenue, Gunnison
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

Meadows Park has a multi-use sports field, playground, basketball hoops, a pavilion and a picnic area. This park is conveniently located across the road from the Gunnison Community Center.

Van Tuyl Trail

Address: 500 Tin Cup Drive, Gunnison
Playground: No
Dog-friendly: Yes

Van Tuyl Trail is a 3.1-mile loop. The trail has river access and loops around a working ranch. Wide, graded dirt trails provide a smooth surface for bikes and wheelchairs. Access the trail via CharMar Park.

CharMar Park

Address: 500 Tin Cup Drive, Gunnison
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

CharMar Park is located on the east side of the Van Tuyl trail. This park has playground equipment, tennis courts, a pavilion and permanent pickleball courts. The pickleball courts are first come, first served. Pickleball is one of the most popular options for free things to do in Gunnison parks.

Lazy K Playground

Address: 120 South 3^rd Street
Playground: Yes
Dog-friendly: Yes

This neighborhood playground has a rustic feel. Kids can scamper across the bridge, swing on the swing set, go down slides and climb up a rope wall. There are also paths that surround the park to walk or scooter on.

Pickleball courts in Gunnison

CharMar Park in Gunnison has five dedicated outdoor pickleball courts that are free to use. These courts are permanent and open seasonally.

The Gunnison Community Center dedicates court time for indoor pickleball in the winter. Contact the Community Center for more information.

Gunnison Dog Park

The Gunnison dog park is next to Jorgensen Park. The five-acre park is separated into sections for large dogs and small dogs. Off-leash play is encouraged.

Free Public Transportation in Gunnison

Get around Gunnison and to Crested Butte on the free RTA bus. The bus makes several stops in Gunnison. It also stops in Almont, the four-way in Crested Butte and the base area of Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Put your bike on the front rack or bring your skis on board.

a bus that says RTA driving on a windy road from Gunnison to Crested Butte

Gunnison Sledding Hill

Gunnison’s main sledding hill is the practice field for Western Colorado University. The field is located on the northeast edge of campus, adjacent to the football stadium. There is a big hill that local kids often build jumps on. Younger kids or those wanting a shorter sled ride can go down the small hills off to the side of the field.

Ice Skating in Gunnison

Jorgensen Ice Rink in Gunnison has an indoor and outdoor rink and a frozen pond. The indoor rink has a small fee to use. The park also offers low-cost skate rentals. The outdoor rink and pond are free to use when open.

Adventurous ice skaters may prefer to skate on the frozen surface of Blue Mesa Reservoir. Anyone venturing onto wild ice should take all proper precautions. Never skate alone.

blue mesa frozen and covered in ice in the winter

Gunnison Library

The new Gunnison Library at 1 Quartz Street opened in October 2022. The library holds story times, teen events, craft nights, film screenings, talks and more. Other free library events can be found on the library website. Other amenities at the library include WiFi, public computers, printing and meeting space. The library is close to the Van Tuyl trails and CharMar Park.

a crowd around a large lit-up Christmas tree at Night of Lights in Gunnison

Events in Gunnison

Events happen year-round in Gunnison. Attend the free ranch rodeo in the summer or Night of Lights Christmas tree lighting in the winter. Other events include live music, art classes, bike races, car shows and more! Find more free or low-cost events on our event calendar.

Coworking Amenities in Gunnison

The ICELab@Western is Gunnison’s all-in-one business resource center. Amenities at the coworking space include desks, open coworking space, a great view, kombucha, coffee, office supplies and more. Come to the ICELab for business development advice or a nice environment to live in.

Visit the ICELab