Crested Butte is a skiing center in Colorado, United States. No other ski resort offers ling skiing trails and slopes in the U.S. than the Crested Butte. It attracts hundreds (yes, not thousands because of the weather) of adventure travelers starting from November till the peak of skiing season around Christmas and New Year. This blog post will report the various skiing trails, places to stay in Crested Butte and nearby, and other places to see in Crested Butte.
Location of Crested Butte
Crested Butte is a very popular skiing town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It is about 366 km from Denver, the capital of Colorado state. Denver is well connected by flights from all the major cities in the U.S. From Denver, you can fly to Gunnison airport in one hour and then drive to Crested Butte which lies about 45 km.
Overview of Crested Butte:
It is a hill station in the summer and a skiing destination during winter. It lies within the Gunnison National Forest and the Elk Mountain Range. There are miles and miles of skiing slopes and mountain bike trails in Crested Butte. I read that Crested Butte has more than 1,500 skiable acres! Isn’t it enough for ski lovers?
As a major skiing station and because of large tracts of skiing slopes, CrestedButte hosts US Extreme Ski Championships and the X Games. In addition, the world’s oldest mountain-biking festival called CrestedButte Bike Week is held here.
As it attracts hundreds of skiers who visit the place with family members, there is quite a demand for skiing trainers for the aspiring learners. Therefore, it is the most sought-after ski training center in the U.S.
Ski slopes and uphill skiing routes in Crested Butte.
- Nordic ski routes
- The West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway
- Teocalli Bowl
- CBMR (Crested Butte Mountain Resort) uphill skiing routes
Below is the image of a trail map.
OMG! So many uphill and downhill skiing routes in Crested Butte! Naturally, it is called the ‘Last great skiing town’ in the U.S.
In short, Crested Butte oozes adventure of several types.
It is a true hill station that is very less crowded. There are no big shopping malls, no skyscrapers and above all, no traffic signals. It is that much a sleepy but quaint hill station.
Of course, there are restaurants and bars that serve fresh and quality food and drinks. You can find dining outlets that serve Mexican and Italian food and even the Japanese sushi is also available. There are more than bars that seemed to be full during winter evenings when the place gets dark too early.
Other outdoor activities
Surely, not all the members may be interested in playing with the snow standing on wheels under-right? For non-skiers, there are several adventure options to spend the day.
- Mountain biking
- Hiking in the Aspen forest
- Angling in mountain streams
- Rafting in white water
- Night Camping under the sky
- Boating in the Gunnison river
- Horseback riding
- Wildlife watching in the Gunnison Forest
- Bungee jumping
- Visit the canyons in Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Go and see the Blue Mesa Reservoir
- The Morrow Point Boat Tour
- Montrose Water Sports Park
- Visit the Black Canyon
- Ride on the chairlift to access the mountain-biking trails.
- Fishing in Taylor river
- See the red-rock canyon country at the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area
That list of outdoor activities in Crested Butte is fairly large0eh?
Where to stay in Crested Butte?
The staying options one too many in this town. I mention some of them that received positive reviews.
Pioneer Guest Cabins
Looks small and stands alone but this is what I would prefer. It looks located in a secluded area because it is inside the Gunnison forest and about 12 km from the ski town. The cabins are giving company to the tall fir trees with the backdrop of Elk Mountains.
There are a total of 8 cabins.
Grand Lodge
I would say it is the most ideally located hotel in a ski resort because actually the skiing slopes and the chairlift starting point are at a touching distance. The snow filled mountains stand majestically behind the Grand Lodge. The reviewers call it as a ‘slope side’ hotel. Very aptly named!
No wonder it is rated as the top lodging facility. There are 95 luxurious multi-bedroom residences and 38 hotel rooms.
The Elevation Hotel & Spa
The hotel name indicates where it is located. Look at the some of the hotel’s ski-friendly amenities the hotel offers:
- Complimentary Ski Valet
- Ski-in/ski-out convenience
- Complimentary ski storage
- Elevate ski and gift shop
- High altitude fitness center
These are apart from the basic facilities such as Wi-Fi, hot water, laundry, etc. There are 9 types of rooms of varying size and luxuries. Choose the one that matches your fine taste from there.
Other hotels in Crested Butte are:
- Aspen Meadows Resort
- Lodge at Mountaineer Square
- Crested Butte Mountain Resort
- The Plaza Condominiums
- The Limelight Hotel
If you find the staying options in Crested Butte town not up to your standard, there are other hotels that are slightly away (25 to 37 km) from the ski resort.
Three Rivers Resort
It is 25.9 km from this town
Comfort Inn
It is 35 km from here.
The Inn at Tomichi Village is 37 km away.
Another long duration staying option in here is taking a Vacation Rental property.
Wood Creek and the Eagle’s Nest are two very good holiday rentals option here.
Places to Visit in Crested Butte
As it is a town at the top of a snow-clad mountain range, there is no dearth of sightseeing places there. Since people visit this town for adventure sports, they find little time to indulge in sightseeing.
1 comment
wonderful place and clicks also. I love adventures & it is perfect place to do adventure..
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