Crested Butte Nordic - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Crested Butte Mountain Resort is located in southwest Colorado, within the Gunnison National Forest and the Elk Mountain Range. Known for offering extreme and diverse terrain, the mountain is considered one of the birthplaces of freeskiing It has abundant green and blue groomed trails to more advanced longer trails and the famous extreme limits of the North Face and Headwall. The mountain also features three slope-side restaurants accessible via lift.

The Lupine trail system lies on the North side of Slate River road just a short ride from downtown Crested Butte. Relatively new to the trail network, the two sections of Lupine were built in 2011 and 2012.Keep in mind this is a very popular mountain bike trail, especially on weekends. The trail can be hiked one way, with a shuttle from either end, but there is no parking allowed in the Saddle Ridge subdivision or on Gothic road.

The Whetstone Mountains are a dry and rugged fault-block mountain range only about 15 miles long. The only access to this mountain range is by a few unimproved four-wheel drive routes that reach some of the lower canyons. There are no roads reaching higher elevations. A single hiking trail into the heart of the mountain range is accessed from Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Mount Emmons is a mountain summit in the Elk Mountains range of the Rocky Mountains in north-central Gunnison County, Colorado. It isn't really rugged, but it's a massive mountain and is recognizable for miles around. The peak is a 30 mile round trip hike from the nearest road. his is a beautiful area with many lakes, meadows, wildflowers, and some rugged peaks. Solitude is usually easy to come by once you leave the popular fishing holes behind.

Brush Creek is a great option for anyone short on time or looking for an easy, scenic hike near Crested Butte. Located 2.0 miles south of town, the trail wanders through lovely meadows along the west side of the East River. Crested Butte Mountain looms above the trail to the west while Teocalli Mountain, White Mountain, WSC Peak and nearby unnamed peaks fill the skyline to the southeast. The East River meanders down the valley floor.

Carbon Peak, is a summit in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. The peak is southwest of Crested Butte in the Gunnison National Forest. Carbon Peak is one of several prominent laccoliths found in the West Elk Mountains. It is a good trekking destination and also there are so many things to see and do here.