Welcome to Crested Butte Color

WELCOME TO A CRESTED BUTTE SUMMER. Summer at 9,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains is different than a stereotypical summer everywhere else. Yeah, there are a few places to get some hot lake time in the valley, but you won’t find a drive-in or be able to catch lightning bugs up here. No, instead you are in the land of high-mountain summer where color is a hallmark of the season.

First the lake — if you are craving a typical afternoon of summer boat life with tubing or waterskiing…head to Blue Mesa Reservoir west of Gunnison. A 45-minute drive from CB is the state’s largest lake and that is where you’ll discover the lake life of summer. Get there before the early afternoon winds kick up, but it sure can be a good time if you crave big water sports or simple paddleboarding or kayaking on a big body of water.

Otherwise — enjoy the scale and brilliant palette of Crested Butte’s summer. There are a few lakes up here you can touch this summer. Lake Irwin is a postcard-perfect lake that sits beneath high-mountain peaks named Ruby and Purple. It is a dream spot your Instagram followers won’t believe is real. Copper Lake above Gothic takes some effort to hike to, while Peanut Lake is a spot just outside of Crested Butte that is filled with birds and wildlife (but isn’t opening to swimming or watercraft).

As the Wildflower Capital of Colorado, this valley is renowned for the summer’s burst of color that attracts not only bees, but the people. The reds, yellows, blues, purples and greens of a typical field of wildflowers cannot be believed until seen. The meadows lining pretty much every nearby drainage will explode with a brilliant show of color most of the summer. The higher you go, the later the blooms, so you can catch the colors for months.

The mountain biking and hiking here can be colorful. From the easy green trails like the Woods Walk and Lower Loop to the blue trails that lead you through fields of lupine or along Cement Creek, to the expert black trails like Farris Creek and Green Lake that will test your skills and lungs.

And finally, don’t forget the town itself. There are regular events like free Alpenglow concerts on Monday evenings, Wednesday night Music on the Mountain concerts, and monthly art walks that feature local galleries filled with colorful art. The restaurants provide an array of colorful and interesting menu choices, while the retail establishments should satisfy your shopping needs. Crested Butte is still considered one of the West’s most authentic and colorful communities.

And one more thing — go out at night and look up. Ideally, get away from the lights of this small town and gaze at the stars. The night canvas will blow you away. Stars and planets fill the night sky and they aren’t just white. You will see the colors of the universe better here than most other places in this country. It’s one of our summer secrets….

Yeah, you won’t find fireflies or drive-ins to fill out the summer stereotype. But there are plenty of colorful opportunities to make memories in one of the sweetest small towns in the Rocky Mountains.

Look around.

Breathe in the fresh air and vibrant hues of a unique mountain experience.

Welcome to a Crested Butte summer.

—Mark Reaman