Mountain Biking in Crested Butte
Mountain Biking in Crested Butte, a Summer highlight
After spending a week mountain biking in Crested Butte, I can honestly say it's one of my favorite places. The scenery is gorgeous, and this year's rainy spring has produced lush fields full of green grass and beautiful wildflowers. Combined with a quaint downtown, an awesome resort, and miles and miles of singletrack, it is the perfect spot for a mountain bike trip!
I find it funny that when you travel in Colorado, it's not a “vacation” but a trip. You might sip cocktails by the water, but only after you've hiked a mountain or biked across the landscape do you begin to feel the Colorado experience. The latter is my favorite kind of trip! For our week in Crested Butte, we packed our mountain bikes, loaded the camper, and drove into Colorado's Wildflower Capital.
Camping Near Crested Butte
We set up camp at Cement Creek campground, 15 miles south of town. It just happened to be Bike Week, so downtown was full of bikes for this annual festival! Check Crested Butte's schedule of biking events to either participate in or avoid as the town turns into a bike scene.
- Cement Creek Campground is in the Gunnison National Forest. It is a first-come, first-serve campground with 13 campsites; no reservations are required. The fee is $18 per night; day use and firewood purchase are separate charges. There is no water, but there are 2 vault toilets. The campground provides access to hiking, mountain biking, ATV and motorcycling, spelunking, and fishing.
- Oh Be Joyful Campground is 5 miles from Crested Butte along the Slate Creek River. Nearby, Oh Be Joyful Creek features massive waterfalls and ample wildflowers. The campground sits at 9,000 feet, and the views are spectacular. There are 14 RV campsites, 15 walk-in tent sites, one walk-in group campsite, and 3 vault restrooms. Reservations are recommended, as this campsite is normally full. There is no drinking water, electric hook-ups, or trash service. The access road to this campground is steep and rough. Low-clearance rigs will find it impassable.
Crested Butte Downtown
There are many great restaurants and bars downtown. My recommendations include pizza at the Secret Stash, burgers at Mc Gill's, and after-ride beers and snacks from Irwin Brewing Company's Public House. You also can't go wrong with tacos or burritos from Teocali Tamale.
Mountain Biking in Crested Butte - Trails!
Ok, enough about consuming calories; we need to talk about burning the calories. Crested Butte has amazing trails for hiking, biking, trail running, or doing whatever you like outside. We found picturesque fields full of wildflowers that made me want to start twirling and singing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music...” But maybe that's just me. Below are some mountain biking trail recommendations, or check out their guide:
- Bush Creek Trail - a beginner trail that's close to town and full of wildflowers. This 4.3 miles out and back trail has expansive views and enough challenge to keep you honest.
- Lupine Trail - a moderately difficult 7-mile trail or a 10.7-mile loop from town. The trail takes an easy uphill switchback route with awesome views and ascends through thick wildflowers and meanders through groves of Aspens. The hillsides are thick with Lupine, larkspur, and mule ear. The toal elevation gain is 888 feet.
- Deer Creek Trail - an intermediate/expert trail that's a 9.1 out and back to a viewpoint. Although the trail winds nicely through the forest, you do gain 1,900 feet to the viewpoint. The Aspen, wildflowers, and mountain vistas are amazing.
Favorite Mountain Biking in Crested Butte Tip
One of our favorite rides is to park in town, put ourselves and our bike on the free bus to the resort, and pedal up Gothic Road a little further to the Snodgrass Trailhead. Take Snodgrass to Lupine to Lower Loop, and you'll end up right back in town after about 18 miles on the bike. It's a fabulous ride, and a lot of it is flowy-downhill fun!
Evolution Bike Park at Crested Butte Resort
When you want to take a break from pedaling up the mountains, you'll want the lift to carry your bike up at Evolution Bike Park at Crested Butte Mountain Resort! The resort features over 30 miles of lift served singletrack of both downhill and cross-country trails that connect to legendary rides. The bike park has a great selection of trails for every skill level. Their green and blue runs are fast and fun, or you can test your skills on their newest double-black diamond run, Captain Jack. We stuck to the former and had a blast!
More than Mountain Biking in Crested Butte
Crested Butte Mountain Resort provides many activities and events throughout the summer. You can play mini-golf, zipline, and jump into the giant airbag on any given day. On Friday nights, they have a downhill or cross-country bike race for folks who want to test their skills against the locals. Registration ($5) includes a drink ticket, but you must buy a chairlift ticket if you need one. Check out Pinnacle Race Series for their full event line-up!
Crested Butte is the quintessential mountain town with great views, awesome people, and a wonderful atmosphere that makes you feel right at home!
To plan your trip, visit www.gunnisoncrestedbutte.com to learn about all of their activities, events, and even great lodging deals.
Photos and story by Lauren Forcey
