Explore Crested Butte

Crested Butte is rich in history!

The town was officially incorporated July 3, 1880 with a population of 400 people plus 1,000 miners living in the surrounding mountains. Howard F. Smith was the founding father of Crested Butte. Smith was brought to the area for coal and hard rock mining and would eventually become our first mayor.

Crested Butte, also known as Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town, lives up to its name. Crested Butte is located off the beaten path so getting here isn’t by luck but rather by choice. Endless miles of mountain scenery seen right from town make this mountain gem worth the visit! Sitting at an elevation of 8,900 feet and with a population estimated at 1,700 year-round residents, there are no stop lights or fast-food chains so keeping the charm of our rich history comes easy.

The saying “winter brings you here but the summers keep you here” couldn’t be truer!  After the snow melts this funky little ski town transforms into one of the most breathtaking places on earth.

Known as the Wildflower Capital of Colorado, summer brings with it an explosion of color as the flowers bloom all over the valley and the mountainsides turn a vibrant shade of green thanks to the groves of aspen.

Many people come to Crested Butte during the winter months to ski at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. From late November to early April the world-famous resort is open to people of all skiing levels.

Mt. Crested Butte is also home to the Adaptive Sports Center, which is known near and far as one of the best adaptive programs, where clients are treated to a variety of year-round activities including skiing. The Crested Butte Nordic Center grooms over 50km of cross-country/skate skiing trails and hosts the famous Alley Loop race which is a qualifier for the American Birkebeiner ski race.