Anyone who's been to Crested Butte will tell you that it's a special place.
We've been there in the summer and fall, but whatever season you visit, prepare to be wowed.
It has the stunning Mount Crested Butte, Kebler Pass, the back-side of Aspen, Wildflowers, Hiking, Biking, Skiing, a good town + eateries, and stargazing. What doesn't this town have to offer?
Here are some recommendations based on our experiences in Crested Butte.
AREAS TO STAY
In town
If you want to be by the food, drinks, shopping, and the fun town that is Crested Butte, it's a great option. Most central
Mt Crested Butte
Stay here if you're skiing, or if you want good views of the back-side of Aspen, Mt. Crested Butte, and the valley below
Outskirts
Stay on the drive-in or in Gunnison. Gunnison is a cool western college town, likely cheaper to stay. Then there are some spaced-out homes on the drive into Crested Butte if you want to be somewhere remote
Camp on Kebler Pass
Seasonally open, endless camping spots and hikes, surrounded by a massive Aspen grove. It connects to the Marble/Carbondale area, and can get you up to Glenwood Springs. If you want to make a big loop from Denver, to Crested Butte, to Glenwood, back on I-70, or vice versa. We did Crystal Mill outside of Marble, got BBQ in Marble, camped and hiked for 2 nights on Kebler Pass, and then got Butte Bagels in the morning on our way home through Crested Butte
WHAT TO DO
Hiking
Get something like AllTrails. Has trails, reviews, and so much more. Then you can search an area, and set filters for distance, duration, and difficulty to find the best trails for you
We did Lower Loop Trail early-mid Summer and it was incredible. Mountain views, on a creek, Mt Crested Butte views, snowcapped Carbondale-Aspen area mountains, lots of aspen trees and wildflowers
On Kebler Pass, Ray did Three Lakes Trail and camped nearby. Stunning views on a great hike
May 26th – October 6th, 2024 – 9 am to 2 pm
Ski/Snowboard at Mt Crested Butte
Mountain Biking
Fishing-we're not as knowledgeable on this topic, but there are fly fishing areas in and around Crested Butte
Camping
Ray has camped on Kebler Pass. It's so vast you can just drive around until you find a suitable aspen grove or other beautiful area to spend the night/weekend
Endless camping spots on Kebler Pass and in Crested Butte. We've heard camping on Lake Irwin is great
Ask us to send you pins if you're going
Surely many other activities. Do some digging based on what you like to do!
WHERE TO EAT/DRINK
Everywhere we've had a drink or meal has been great in Crested Butte. You've got a good chance of having a good experience wherever you go