My family has been spending a lot of time in Crested Butte, and it is my dad’s new favorite place. We have tried lots of the restaurants in town and are slowly getting around to participating in all the activities that Crested Butte has to offer. Here is a complete guide of what to do when you are in Crested Butte during the winter season.
Food and Drink
In the spirit of honesty about my travels, I found some of the restaurants to be a real hit or miss. So, I am just going to share with you my favorites.
1. Bonez Mexican
Bonez is located at the far end of Elk Avenue and is known for its lively atmosphere, great food, and strong margaritas. We ordered the tostones with guac and jackfruit as an appetizer and it was delicious! For dinner, I had one of their rice bowls which was way too much food for me but made great leftovers.
2. Pitas in Paradise
Pitas in Paradise is a very colorful building on the corner of Elk avenue and is a local favorite for cheap drinks and Mediterranean food. They have a bar and several sports tvs which makes it a great stop for a drink on your way home from skiing.
3. Niky’s Mini Donuts
Niky’s is the cutest little candy shop/ice cream shop/mini donut shop. Basically sweet tooth central. We went one morning and got several fun flavored mini donuts and hot chocolates and it was probably the best hot cocco i’ve had in awhile.
4. Paradise Cafe
My dad and I went to Paradise Cafe twice on our trip because it was just that good. They have a breakfast menu with a wide variety of options and a lunch menu as well. Go early because it is somewhat small and you don’t want to have a long wait for a table.
5. The Last Steep Bar and Grill
The Last Steep Bar and Grill has everything you can think of on their menu and it all tastes delicious! I got the barbecue hawaiian chicken sandwich and it was amazing. Be sure to also check out their dessert menu.
6. Butte Bagels
Butte Bagels has delicious fresh bagels every day. We really loved the environment and the owners. They told us about their mission and the good they do for the community such as donating their leftover bagels at the end of each day. It feels good supporting a business that gives back!
7. Camp 4 Coffee
Camp 4 Coffee is a license plate covered building just around the corner from Elk Avenue. They have locally roasted coffee, hot chocolate and pastries to get your day started. I love their brown sugar donuts and mocha latte.
8. Teocalli Tamale
Teocalli Tamale is a mexican place where you can grab burritos, tacos and tamales to go. It is freakin’ amazing and puts Chipotle to shame.
Activities
1. Go Skiing or Snowboarding!
Whether you are a skier (like me!) or a snowboarder, you will love Crested Butte Mountain. CBMR has 121 winter trails, 15 lifts, and 4 adventure parks. Personally, I am a green trail skier but I heard that there is a lot of extreme terrain if you are into that haha.
My advice: If you are staying outside of town or away from the mountain, I suggest driving to town and parking in the public parking lot to get on the free bus ride to the mountain. You should also pick up your rentals and Epic Pass the day before you are going skiing. If you are renting gear, I recommend renting from Crested Butte Sports because of their good pricing, fast service and perfect location.
2. Elk Avenue Shopping
Elk Avenue is the main street in town with restaurants, stores, and even seven art galleries. Make sure to stop by here and just walk around. Some stores that I love are Chopwood Mercantile, Retail Therapy, Scout’s General Store, and Favor the Kind.
3. Visit the Center for The Arts
The Center for The Arts has live performances, literary art lectures, visual art galleries, and culinary art presentations. You can get involved in their several wine and paint classes, cooking classes, opportunity to cast iron sculptures, and participate in the community chalk walk. Check out their website where they have a full activity calendar.
4. Dog Sledding Excursion
Take your family on an either half day or full day dog sledding excursion! There are two companies that do this in Gunnison called Cosmic Cruisers and Lucky Cat Dog Farm.
5. Ice skating
There are several ice rinks in the area, the one in town is called Big Mine Ice Arena which uses natural ice rather than refrigeration. This rink is free but there is a fee if you want to rent skates. Skate Crested Butte South is a farther rink surrounded by homes and the mountains. It has a large hockey rink and open skate pond. It is a community center so you must bring your own skates or you can rent them in town at the Crested Butte Nordic Center.
6. Ride Fat Bikes
Fat bikes have thick wheels with low air pressure and are perfect for riding in the snow. You can rent bikes from Big Al’s Bicycle Heaven on Elk Avenue for 2-24 hours. They will be able to point you in the right direction of good trails to take.
7. Nordic Skiing
There are several nordic skiing trails around Crested Butte, both groomed and natural. If you are interested in doing this, you can rent nordic skis and gear from the Nordic Center in town. They also offer lessons and guided tours as well. Check out their website for trail information.
8. Snowmobiling
There are several different trails that are perfect for snowmobiling, and quite a few companies to chose to rent from. Each differ in price, things included, and whether or not it is a guided tour or just a rental. Here are some of the companies: Action Adventures Snowmobiling, Colorado Adventure Rentals, CB Motorsports Inc, and Burt Rentals Snowmobile Tours. We had an absolute blast snowmobiling and it is something you can’t leave Crested Butte without doing!
9. Snowshoeing
If you love to hike, you will love snowshoeing. You can find $20 rentals for snowshoes, boots, and poles at the Nordic Center. There are some ungroomed trails which are free, but if you want to go on the groomed trails you will have to purchase a nordic pass.
That’s everything! Do you think I missed anything? Would you be interested in a summer activity edition? Comment below to let me know!
If you are looking for more information about Crested Butte check out their website https://travelcrestedbutte.com/
