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The 5 Best Colorado Ski Towns To Visit During Summer

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 11:51 AM ET

Ski towns in Colorado are not just an outdoorsman's paradise in the winter—most of them also have a range of things to do in the summer. Mountain bikers, hikers, fly fishermen and paddlers can take their pick of one of the many places to enjoy a summer day in Colorado.

Several of Colorado's ski towns are also home to notable festivals and events in the summer, like Telluride Bluegrass, GoPro Mountain Games in Vail, and Yampa River Fest in Steamboat. So whatever summer activity strikes your fancy, you can do pretty much all of them in any of these amazing Colorado ski towns.

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Telluride is one of the most beautiful places to be in the summer. Photo: Starcevic/Getty Images

1. Telluride

Telluride is perhaps more worth visiting in the summer than it is in the winter, depending on who you ask. The town's famous box canyon is as beautiful in green as it is in white, as is the surrounding valley. There's plenty to do in Telluride in the summer, whether you're looking for outdoor adventures or live music and good food.

For those not afraid of heights, Telluride's via ferrata is one of the most famous and beautiful in the state. Ride the San Sophia gondola right from town for another great viewpoint, without the added exposure. Then, hike one of the dozens of trails back down into town. Cool down by rafting the nearby San Miguel River or fishing for rainbow trout at one of the many spots in the area, depending on how late in the summer season it is.

Telluride is home to Mountain Film in the summer, and it's one of the best outdoor film festivals in the industry to see work from renowned creatives. Telluride Bluegrass also takes place late in the summer and attracts incredible bluegrass and folk bands for three days of music and camping. Want a side of craft beer with your festival? Telluride Blues and Brews also takes place during the summer and is three days of music and some of Colorado's best craft brews.

2. Crested Butte

While there's plenty to do in Crested Butte in the summer, the town is perhaps best known for the incredible mountain biking and beautiful wildflowers. Whether you want flowy trails that descend from the high alpine or chunky tech through the aspen trees, Crested Butte has an extensive network of trails both by pedal access or lift access at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.

Crested Butte also spins the Red Lady Express and Silver Queen Express in the summer for scenic chairlift rides or hikers looking for a mellower option to explore some of the trails. When you're done, take a stroll through Crested Butte's historic and adorable downtown area and try one of the amazing restaurants in the area.

Water lovers can take a short trip to nearby Gunnison to raft the Taylor River or fly fish the Gunnison and Slate rivers for trout. Anglers will also enjoy the many high mountain lakes ripe with cutthroat trout, Kokanee salmon and grayling.

3. Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs has everything a mountain town should in the summer, and more. Whether you're looking to hike, bike, go inner tubing, raft, soak in a mountain hot spring or just eat some good food in mountain air, you can do it all in Steamboat. Mountain bikers (and hikers!) will love the trails on Emerald Mountain and Buff Pass or lift-access biking at the Steamboat Bike Park. Gravel riders will love Steamboat's smooth gravel roads and rolling hills, which are also the home of the SBTGRVL race that takes place each summer.

Early in the summer, you can go whitewater rafting on the Yampa River as it runs through town or take whitewater kayaking lessons at Mountain Sports Kayak School. When the water drops, the Yampa is a great place for a mellow inner tube float or for fishermen to cast a line. Warm up after a day on the river at Old Town Hot Springs or venture further near Buff Pass to Strawberry Park Hot Springs.

Grab dinner downtown at one of the great restaurants on Yampa St. and Main St. or opt for a casual beer by the river at SunPie's Bistro. Catch a live show at SnowBowl, Old Town Pub, or one of Steamboat's free summer concerts at the base of Howelson Hill to round out the day.

Vail, ColoradoPhoto: bauhaus1000/ Getty Images

4. Vail

Eagle County has tons to offer, even when Vail's Legendary Back Bowls are no longer filled with snow. Hike the trails at Vail Mountain either from the top of Gondola One or Eagle Bahn or venture up the whole way on foot. For more of a gravity-fed experience, you can also mountain bike at the Vail bike park or pedal one of the trails in the area. There are also miles of paved bike path on the Gore Valley Trail for road bikers to enjoy. Vail Resort also has plenty of things to do like such as ziplining, an alpine coaster, and mountain top yoga classes.

Enjoy the Eagle, Arkansas or Colorado River with a day of whitewater rafting from one of the several raft outfitters in the area. At low water, try fly fishing on the Eagle and Colorado rivers, or Gore Creek, which runs right through town.

Vail's outdoor Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, which is affectionately known as 'The Amp', has all kinds of events through the summer like the Hot Summer Nights concert series and live music to accompany the GoPro Mountain Games each year.

5. Winter Park

Despite its name, Winter Park also has plenty to do in the summer. Winter Park Resort might best be known for its transformation to Trestle Bike Park in the summer, known to be one of the country's best and most difficult downhill bike parks that's well worth a trip of its own.

If DH riding isn't your speed, you can take the resort's gondola up for a scenic ride or to access the resort's hiking trails. For a more mellow activity, Winter Park has an 18-hole putt-putt golf course at the base of the mountain that has tiny versions of area landmarks like the Moffat Tunnel.

Not far from Winter Park are Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park. RMNP has some of the most beautiful hiking, camping, and rock climbing in the state. Grand Lake is a summer getaway of its own. Spend a day on the lake's sandy beaches or hop in the water by boat, kayak, or paddleboard, all of which can be rented from various nearby outfitters.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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