Photo Credit: Jeremy Armstrong Photography 

Summertime in Crested Butte is one of our favorite times of year here in the Gunnison Valley! There are so many exciting and fun activities, events, and opportunities to relax, connect, create, experience, and more! Whether you’re coming to town to relax, play, and/or recreate, you are sure to have a good time. Below are some great tips for you to read up on as you plan your summertime trip to Crested Butte, Gunnison, Almont, and/or surrounding areas.

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

1. Best Times to Visit

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

Summertime in Crested Butte is the one of the most popular times to visit! We recommend visiting anytime between mid- to late-June through October. During this time, the trails are at their prime for hiking and biking; fly fishing is on fire; and it’s still warm enough to camp comfortably (October is sometimes chilly, check the weather!). There are also a plethora of events, activities, and restaurants to try. Plus, all of the retail stores are open for shopping fun! Crested Butte Mountain Resort opens on June 10th for all you mountain bikers, hikers, and those interested in a relaxing lift ride up the mountain to experience views for days; that’s also the day when the resort opens it’s adventure park, tons of fun for the kids!

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

If you have some flexibility on your timing, and you would be interested in visiting during a quieter time of year, mid-September - October is a great time to visit when you can still enjoy the outdoor activities, bask in the glory of the fall colors, enjoy delicious cuisine, and relax in majestic Crested Butte!

2. Book lodging now for the best deals!

Photo Credit: Jeremy Armstrong Photography

We recommend booking your Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte, Crested Butte South, Gunnison, or Almont lodging now for the best availability for your specific needs, and for the best deals! You can peruse the Visit Crested Butte lodging directory to research the various options. Plus, here are a two recommended lodging companies to help you select the right option for you and your friends and/or family.

• Crested Butte Mountain Resort
  
• Peak Property Management
  

3. Activities Galore

Photo Credit: Jeremy Armstrong Photography

Book early to get the best time and day based on your schedule!

• Art Studio Classes - Crested Butte Center for the Arts
  
• Biking and Mountain Biking
  
• Boating
  
• Camping
  
• Fly Fishing
  
• Golfing
  
• Hiking
  
• Horseback Riding
  
• Hot Air Balloon Riding
  
• Jeep Tours
  
• Kayaking
  
• Mountaineering
  
• RMBL Summer Fun for Kids
  
• Spas (Elevation Hotel & Spa, Oh Be Joyful Massage, Studio Day Spa, and Wildflower Spa)
  
• Shopping
  
• Skateboarding
  
• The Trailhead Children’s Museum
  
• Tennis
  
• Whitewater Rafting
  

4. Must-Attend Summertime Events

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

• Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s FREE Summer Music Concert Series (all ages)
  
• Farmer’s Markets on Sundays, June 4 - October 1
  
• Gunnison County Library Events
  
• Historic Walking Tour, all summer long (all ages)
  
• I Bar Ranch Concerts, all Summer Long (check individual concert listings for age limitation details)
  
• KBUT Bingo Night on Fridays (ongoing, check web page for details)
  
• The Arts Studio, Crested Butte Center for the Arts, Featuring Paint your Own Pottery, Precious Metal Clay Jewelry Making, Cocktails and Canvases, and Silversmithing classes
  
• Crested Butte Mountain Resort Opens for the Summer Season, June 10
  
• Magic Dick & Shun Ng, June 11 (all ages)
  
• KBUT Fish Fry June 16 (all ages)
  
• Crested Butte Bike Week, June 22 - 25, 2017
  
• Crested Butte Bike Week Film Night, June 23
  
• Crested Butte Music Festival, June 23 - August 5 (all ages) *For every regular/non-fundraising event, receive a free child ticket for ages 7 - 17 with the purchase of an adult ticket!
  
• Phoebe Hunt and the Gatherers, June 30
  
• Western Summer Speaker Series at the Crested Butte Heritage Museum, June 30 & July 21
  
• 15th Annual Black & White Ball at Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, July 2
  
• 4th of July (all ages)
  
• Cleo Parker Robinson, July 7
  
• Crested Butte Wildflower Festival, July 7 - 16 (all ages)
  
• The HillBenders, July 9
  
• Trevor Hall, July 15
  
• New Orleans Suspects, July 21
  
• Crested Butte Wine and Food Festival, July 27 - 30 (21 and up)
  
• MarchFourth, July 27
  
• Wood Brothers, July 31
  
• Quebe Sisters, August 1
  
• Go Trail Running Academy, August 2-6 (Girls and boys ages 12-17)
  
• Crested Butte Arts Festival, August 4 - 6 (all ages)
  
• Crested Butte Center for the Arts FREE Alpenglow Concert Series on Monday Nights (all ages)
  
• Speaker Series–Polly Oberosler Talking About Her 20+ Years With the Forest Service at the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, August 17
  
• Historic Pub Crawl, August 24 (21 and up)
  
• Speaker Series–Wild West Ghosts with Mark & Kym Todd @ Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, August 31
  
• Speaker Series–George Sibley on the Counter Culture of Crested Butte @ Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, September 8
  
• Vinotok Frank Orazem Memorial Storytelling Evening @ Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, September 20
  

5. 4th of July Madness

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

If you are planning to visit for 4th of July, you are in luck. The town goes all out with a pancake breakfast, marathon, kids carnival, outdoor concert, parade, fireworks display, lots of celebrating, & more! Check out the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce’s website for more information about the planned activities. Also, be sure to make your lodging, activity, and restaurant reservations in advance, as this is one of the busiest times of year!

6. Renting Gear vs Bringing Your Own

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario

Wondering if you should rent or bring your own gear? If you’re an advanced rider and coming from driving distance, then you’ll probably want to bring your own gear. If you’re a novice, flying from out of town and would like to avoid the cost of bringing your gear, and/or wish to demo a new kind of bike, there are tons of rental options for you. From bike rentals and gear to townie bikes, paddle boards, and more, there are tons of options for you to rent! If you are hiking, we suggest bringing your own gear. If you need anything before you set out on your journey, there are tons of stores for your hiking and/or adventuring needs.

7. Hiking/Biking Trails to Monitor

Photo Credit: Jeremy Armstrong Photography

If you are trying to plan the perfect hiking or biking weekend to Crested Butte and/or want to check conditions when you arrive, this Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association trail status web page will point you in the right direction! Here’s a helpful general map of the Crested Butte area, and the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce also has a helpful trail map for you when you arrive. Plus, there are some really great trail resources sold around town, in places like Dragonfly Anglers and Alpineer.

8. Getting to Crested Butte

Photo Credit: Teresa Cesario 

Flights out of Gunnison, CO are temporarily closed until June 10, with some flight options to and from Houston, TX and Denver, CO. According to Fly Gunnison Airport, you can “Fly daily nonstop service from Houston (IAH) to Gunnison (GUC) beginning June 30 through August 13, 2017. Service from GUC to IAH is available July 1 through August 14, 2017. Daily service from Denver (DEN) resumes June 23, 2017. Visit www.united.com to book.”​ Outside of these options, the other closest options for flights include Montrose Regional Airport, Grand Junction Regional Airport, Colorado Springs Airport, or Denver International Airport.

If you’re in need of transportation from the airport, you have several options, including Alpine Express, Dolly’s Mountain Shuttle, Gunnison RTA Denver Bus, and a variety of rental car options. For more information and tips on getting here, please visit our Traveling to Crested Butte webpage.