A Traveler’s Guide to Summertime in Crested Butte, CO
Photo of Elk Ave after a rainstorm, taken by Elena Theros, owner of Casa Bella in Crested ButteAre you a Traveler or a Tourist?
I’ve never liked the word “tourist”; it implies a person is merely “touring around”, glazing over the essence of a place in search of something picture worthy.
But a traveler, she wears the place she explores on her skin, in her hair, under her nails. She practices total immersion. She desires to know a place, to understand its history and learn how best to treat it.
I’ve been both a tourist—wandering sleepily through old churches at my parent’s heels—and a traveler, striking out across mind-bending landscapes, bearing witness to nature in a way that makes my soul sing.
We all have the capacity to be travelers, in civilization and in the backcountry.
In this post, I aim to share Crested Butte with you in the way a traveler might appreciate it.
If you take the leap to visit us here, I promise to personally show you the beauty of this valley—all its magical nooks and crannies—on a backpacking trip with She Treks!
I want you to fall in love with Crested Butte & its surrounding wilderness, because to fall in love with a place is the first step towards cherishing and protecting it.
Gunnison Valley Land Acknowledgment:
Crested Butte and its surrounding areas were home to the Ute Indian Tribe, who cared for and explored these lands for thousands of years before the town of Crested Butte ever existed. You can learn more about the Southern Ute Indians, who are the oldest Colorado residents, by following this link: https://www.southernute-nsn.gov/history/
Sometimes I try to imagine what it must have been like, to be one of the first human beings to lay eyes on this valley. Would I have cried? Would I have been rendered speechless with awe?
No adventure is complete without fuel, so let’s dive right in to some restaurant recommendations
The following are just a few of my favorite spots in CB.
***Please keep in mind: Crested Butte, like so many other resort-centric mountain towns, is in the midst of a housing crisis; some of our restaurants & shops have had to reduce their hours for lack of employees.
While many people want to live and work in CB, the cost of living in Crested Butte (and in Gunnison) is high, and housing options are very limited. The town is working towards building more affordable housing, but this is a long-term project. Please be patient as the summer months are some of our busiest, and everyone really is doing their best to keep things running smoothly :)***
Shannon, Maura & Brittany enjoy a town meal after a backpacking trip with She TreksBREAKFAST
Butte Bagels: a quick stop in the morning for creative bagel sandwiches or just your classic cream-cheese & lox! Get their early to beat the lines.
PIZZA
The Secret Stash: my favorite pizza’s at the Stash are The Notorious F.I.G., Asher’s Pie, & You’re Driving Me Caprese); GF crust is available!
The Breadery: known for their delicious sourdough flat breads, seasonal salads, & fun drink menu (they make a great mocktail, too!)
BAR & GRILL
The Public House: try the Spicy Fried Chicken, the Parker Burger (local, grass-fed beef!), & the Shrimp & Grits
THAI
Ryce: big fan of the Pad Sei Ew & my boyfriend loves the spicy Pad Thai
NEPALI
Sherpa Cafe: order several main dishes to share and don’t forget to try the Samosas! My favorite entree is the Chicken Tikka Masala
SANDWICHES
Clark’s Market is a grocery store with a deli; you can order a variety of hot or cold sandwiches around lunchtime! A quick and affordable stop
Frank’s Deli is right across from Clark’s and offers slightly elevated sandwiches, breakfast pastries & deserts
ITALIAN
Marchitelli’s Gourmet Noodle: a really great date-night spot & everything on the menu is delicious, at least in my experience
View while hiking above the base area on Mount Crested Butte in the summertimeWe all know the local bookstore is the heart and soul of any town, so don’t forget to stop by Townie!
My favorite cafe & shop in Crested Butte is Townie Bookstore & Rumors Coffee & Tea House; the two shops are connected and both are owned by Danica and Arvin Ram.
I might love this place so much because I am a book worm with a passion for unique literary finds—that & I love coffee. But Townie is also special to me because I attend its monthly bookclub; there are few things better than spending time talking about books and life with a group of awesome people.
Let’s check in with our local outfitters, before I leave you on your own to explore the rest of town…
The Alpineer will have all your last minute outdoorsy needs—a sun hoodie for hiking & paddle boarding, headlamps, camp stoves, even a new pair of trail runners or hiking boots! (Here’s a friendly PSA, though: please don’t show up to your trip with She Treks in a brand-new pair of boots, your feet won’t thank you for that!).
You can rent eBikes & mountain bikes from Big Al’s Bicycle Heaven and tour around town & trail (be sure to follow the rules and regulations regarding where you can and can’t ride that eBike, though!)
Lastly, if fly fishing is your jam, be sure to stop by Dragonfly Anglers, where you can sign up for guided fishing trips on our local rivers!
Logan biking down the Slate River Rd from Paradise DivideI am not one for milling endlessly about town, so let me fill you in on some outdoor activities you might enjoy when traveling to CB & surrounding areas!
Take a drive over Cottonwood Pass and visit Cottonwood Hot Springs for a soak, near Buena Vista, CO. The hot springs is about a 1.5hr drive from the town of Crested Butte.
The pass itself (about 1hr from town) is quite a spectacle, sitting at a breathtaking 12,126ft. But what makes Cottonwood Pass truly special, is the Colorado Trail (a 486 mile continuous foot path from Denver to Durango) which crosses it saddle.
I have personal history with both the trail and the pass & they hold pretty magical significance for me—maybe they can for you too!
As an added bonus: the road up and over the pass is paved, so any vehicle can make it to the top.
My family and I at the top of Cottonwood Pass in May of 2022Rock Climbing at Hartman Rocks & in the Taylor Canyon: the climbing at Hartman Rocks is largely slab climbing with a variety of sport routes to choose from; on the other hand, the routes in Taylor Canyon are mostly trad. In both cases you will want to have your own climbing gear, as there is nowhere to rent gear once you arrive to either of these locations.
Kara and Josh climbing at Hartman RocksLake Irwin is an excellent place to spend an afternoon swimming, paddle boarding, or just lounging on the bank with a good book. Bring towels, snacks, water and sunscreen and you will be all set to relax lakeside at 10,360ft (careful not to fry, the sun is way more intense at this elevation!).
The lake is about a half hour drive above town and is perched just below the magnificent Ruby Range, with epic views of the Dyke rock formation.
The Mountain Tram at the Crested Butte Ski Resort is an amazing way to catch great views without breaking a sweat, but if you are down for a little more of an adventure, I highly recommend hiking to the summit of our town’s name-sake from the top of the Silver Queen lift! This a 2mi r/t hike with about 1,200ft of elevation gain.
If you are dying to put in some extra miles and chase that vert, you can start hiking from the base area—making the effort closer to 10 miles r/t (if you follow the trails/access roads) with 2,672ft of elevation gain.
Rent Paddle Boards from Wheelies and Waves (you can rent bikes here too!) and paddle down the Slate River or float on a lake. These guys can fill you in on where to float, how to respect the waters and wildlife, and how to have a great time exploring!
Cam and Lynn paddle boarding on the Slate RiverDrive or bike out to the historic Gothic Townsite and explore RUMBL (the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory); a visitor center and a coffee shop are both nestled in the heart of this scientific community, protected by the towering presence of Gothic Mountain.
Continue driving or biking out Gothic road, and eventually you will reach Emerald Lake and Schofield Pass—beware, as the road begins to climb steeply, it narrows and its quality deteriorates; it requires 4WD and basic off-roading skills to make it safely to the top of the pass in a car, or decent lung capacity and a good gravel/mountain bike.
Here I am, just soaking in those high altitude rays of sunshine by Emerald LakeFinally, I would be remiss to not mention our community Rec Path! A real gem.
When my parents came to visit over memorial day weekend ‘22, my mom and I spent several mornings walking on this amazing path.
It stretches 4.6 miles from town, up past the CB Mountain Resort, to the base of Snodgrass mountain (another lovely and easily accessible spot for hiking & mountain biking) where gothic Road first turns to dirt.
My final two recommendations when visiting the town of Crested Butte are…
Check in with the Center for the Arts in downtown CB; they always have something fun, educational, and creative going on.
Just today I went to the CB Maker’s Market and supported local artists by doing some early Christmas shopping. I’ve also been to the Mountain Words Literary Festival, a water conservation talk, watercolor painting nights, a book club meeting hosted by Gunnison Valley’s Project Hope—the list goes on.
And finally: The Majestic Theatre is open again! So if you need to chill out after a long day of exploring, now you can catch a movie without having to drive all the way to Grand Junction or Montrose.
