Overview
Crested Butte is a ski resort in the Rocky Mountains region of Southwestern Colorado. Crested Butte is a destination for skiing, mountain biking, and outdoor activities.
1 places to eat · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 13°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Sep and Mar. (climate data from nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- GUC Gunnison Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison — 23 mi away. Directions
- ASE Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (Sardy Field), Aspen — 25 mi away. Directions
- COS City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, Colorado Springs — 123 mi away (major hub). Directions
Crested Butte is at the north end of the Gunnison Valley, 231 miles southwest of Denver.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
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Photos
Understand
In 2020, the town had a permanent population of about 1,600. Crested Butte is high in the Colorado Rockies on the western slope, at 8,885 feet. Mt. Crested Butte is three miles north of Crested Butte, at the base of the ski resort at an elevation of 9,350 feet.
The winter season is a long, bitterly cold period with short, clear days, relatively little precipitation in the form of rain, but massive amounts in the form of snow, and low humidity.
Get in
Crested Butte is at the north end of the Gunnison Valley, 231 miles southwest of Denver.
Go Gunnison-Crested Butte Airport (GUC)
Seasonal flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, Dallas–Love, Denver, and Houston–Intercontinental.
Get around
Crested Butte proper is a small, pedestrian friendly town with most places of interest within walking distance. There is a free shuttle service running from Mt. Crested Butte to the town of Crested Butte which also services several stops in town: the four-way stop at the center of town, the main street Elk Avenue, and the Majestic Plaza, near the movie theater and several stores and coffee shops.
Do
High in the Colorado Rockies, fresh air, sport, and relaxation are abundant. Pristine mountains and wilderness are the backdrop for the Victorian architecture of this historic mining mountain town, giving Crested Butte a Shangri La appearance. In the summer the valleys are bursting with blooms, which is why Crested Butte is the Wildflower Capital of Colorado. In the winter the mountains are buried in white powder, providing a skiing and boarding paradise. All year round additional sports abound, such as mountain biking, horseback riding, and fly fishing.
Crested Butte hosts a number of festivals and parades throughout the year. These include Torchlight, New Years, Winter Carnival, Butte Bash College Ski Week and Mardi Gras during the winter months; Extreme Board Fest, Slushuck and Flauschink during spring; the Crested Butte Bike Week, Crested Butte Music Festival, Crested Butte International Film Festival, 4th of July, the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, Alpenglow Concert Series, Festival of the Arts and Ball Bash during summer; and Fall Fest, Vinotok, and Paragon Peoples' Fair during fall.
Eat
Eat Gourmet Noodle
Italian cuisine: excellent quality, decent selection, very nice atmosphere. A good place to go for special occasions.
Sleep
Stay The Crested Butte Retreat
A private mountain lodge, completely remodeled to provide luxury lodging.
Nearby
Gunnison
City / town · 12 listings · 23 mi away
Aspen
City / town · 47 listings · 24 mi away
Redstone
City / town · 15 listings · 25 mi away
Paonia
City / town · 43 listings · 33 mi away
Curecanti National Recreation Area
Park · 1 listings · 34 mi away
Hotchkiss
City / town · 41 listings · 40 mi away
Sunlight Mountain
City / town · 1 listings · 41 mi away
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Park · 5 listings · 45 mi away
My experience
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