Crested Butte, a ski town with scenic vistas and a vibrant downtown
The windswept Elk Mountains peer over Crested Butte, where million-dollar homes offer scenic vistas and proximity to a vibrant main street district. Population totals ebb and flow with the seasons, like rivers that run through town and bring melted snow down from nearby ski slopes. “Our mountain does skew on the extreme terrain side, a bit more difficult, more remote, but we’re lucky not to wait in lines and have varying terrain,” says Meredith Zaltsman, the marketing manager for Gunnison Crested Butte Tourism and Prosperity Partnership. “Summer is peak here, specifically July, when we see wildflowers. It’s the wildflower capital of Colorado, and we have some iconic blooms here due to our snow pack and just the way we’re situated.” Easy access to the outdoors and a thriving business district establish Crested Butte as a source of year-round entertainment.
Winter sports, Rainbow Park and The Club at Crested Butte
The Nordic Center houses the Big Mine Ice Arena, a covered outdoor rink that hosts open skate times and youth hockey games. A skatepark, access to the 9-mile Green Lake Trail and the Big Mine Disc Golf Course are adjacent to the arena. Rainbow Park features a playground with a climbing rock, a pavilion and a soccer field. Trailheads are on the outskirts of town, including those for Town Ranch Loop’s flat 2-mile path and the Lower Loop’s 7-mile path. Both trails are bike- and ski-friendly. The Club at Crested Butte offers golf and ski club memberships. Ski club members have privileges at the Crested Butte Mountain Resort, including valet services and equipment storage units. The mountain resort is also open to the public for alpine skiing.
Million-dollar mountain homes on gridded streets and in nature
Contemporary and rustic mountain homes are common, from gridded streets in western Crested Butte to natural open spaces in the east. The median single-family home price is $2.5 million, nearly four times the median home price in Gunnison County, according to a National Association of Realtors report at the end of 2024. Condos and townhouses are also in the area. Studio condos start at about $320,000, and those with four bedrooms can cost as much as $2.1 million. Townhouse prices range from about $880,000 to $2 million, depending on home size. Homes near Coal Creek and Slate River have a more elevated risk of flooding, with contributing factors including snowmelt and water blockages.
Crested Butte’s CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
Everyday essentials and restaurants on Elk Avenue
Elk Avenue is a walkable main street with colorful historic buildings housing locally owned shops, restaurants and art galleries. “Favor the Kind, women's clothes have a lot of unique pieces of jewelry and home goods. They have many pop-ups, like one day they’ll have a women-owned ski brand or a hat maker come in,” Zaltsman says. Additional stores include Mountain Tails, a pet boutique, and Paradox Footwear. Restaurants vary from morning spots, such as Butte Bagels, to bars open late, such as Kochevar’s Saloon. “The most popular spot everyone goes to is Secret Stash Pizza. It’s got delicious food plus a fun mountain ambiance,” she says. “It’s more casual and great for a family dinner.” Mountain Earth Organic Grocer is on Elk Avenue, and Clark’s Market is on Belleview Avenue.
Shuttles, buses and highway connections to Gunnison
Mountain Express is a free shuttle service that only has routes between Crested Butte’s ski area and the streets around Elk Avenue. “The town bus is really cute. They’re painted and have a fun vibe. You get to meet locals and have a full mountain experience,” Zaltsman says, regarding being able to admire the mountains on the drive to and from the ski area. Gunnison Valley Rural Transit Authority (GVRTA) buses run between Gunnison and Crested Butte. State Highway 135 connects the two towns. Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport has direct flights to Denver, Dallas and Houston, about 30 miles south.
Kindergarten through 12th grade at Crested Butte Community School
Crested Butte Community School is in the Gunnison Watershed School District. The school is split between Crested Butte Elementary School, a kindergarten through fifth-grade school, and Crested Butte Secondary School, which educates sixth through 12th graders. Crested Butte Elementary earns a B grade from Niche, and the secondary school receives an A-minus.
