The Best Colorado Mountain Towns
| Updated on August 20, 2024
I’ve said many times over that Colorado is a second home to me. Even though I was born in Kansas, I’ve spent so much of my life traveling through Colorado. I was taken on my first ski trip when I was about 6 months old (obviously didn’t ski) at Winter Park. In my first five years, much of my family would load up and head to Colorado for a ski trip – whether it be Breckenridge, Vail or somewhere else. It wasn’t just winter, but also summer, that we traveled to Colorado. Some of my earliest memories were camping somewhere up near Cripple Creek in my grandparents RV. As I got older, Estes Park became our travel destination – visiting Rocky Mountain National Park on at least a yearly basis. By college, we were taking hiking and camping trips out to that area, along with Idaho Springs to go up Mt. Evans (now Mt. Blue Sky) or to Summit County. This is when I started bringing along a disposable camera to document my trips, which was certainly the beginnings of my career as a landscape photographer. Eventually I bought a “real” camera and started learning how to actual photograph. It was around this time that I started exploring further into the state. Aspen and the Maroon Bells. Ridgway, Ouray and Telluride. Mostly all in the fall to witness the fall colors. All of these mountain towns are part of a wonderful history in Colorado. I have personal connections to many of them. From amazing memories with family and friends, to solo photography adventures, photographing the seasons each year.
History of the Mountain Towns of Colorado
Many of the mountain towns in Colorado, such as Telluride, Crested Butte and more were founded as mining towns. They all had similiar trajectories. When mining dried up, many of these towns pracatically became ghost towns until they turned to tourism to save them. Sadly, many other towns didn’t have that good fortune and now lie as remnants of the past. Just a few buildings in a remote region of Colorado, such as Ashcroft, Independence and Capitol City have a few scattered cabins, houses and buildings that stand as a historical marker to their mining past. I hope to write another article just about these old ghost towns at some point, but for now, I wanted to make a list of all of my favorite mountain towns that did survive and currently thrive in the playground that is the Colorado Rockies! This list will continue to grow and I will add more to this list as I explore the remaining areas I haven’t spent as much time at. But many of the most famous mountain towns from Colorado are listed in this article. Some of them, I will link to larger articles dedicated to that specific town or area. Hopefully this will inspire you to visit some of these beautiful mountain towns and explore the surrounding areas. I’ve included photos of the natural landscape around these towns with each mention to give you an idea of the beauty that is in the area. With that said, here is the list:
Aspen
Founded: April 1, 1881
Elevation: 7,891′
First settled in 1879, Aspen is regarded as one of the premier places in all seasons in Colorado. In the winter, skiing and snowboarding is world class. Summer is also just as important, with thousands miles of hiking trails, mountain biking and more. And the scenery is fantastic. With Independence Pass to the east, many attractions to the website, and probably the most photographed mountains in the United States just up the road at the Maroon Bells, Aspen has a ton to offer. Add in a fantastic fall color season and it’s one of the best places to visit in all of Colorado. You might even catch a glimpse of someone famous, as Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Kevin Costner, Jack Nicholson own homes in or around the Aspen area.
Must Do: Gotta be the Maroon Bells! Followed by skiing the famous slopes
Favorite Season: Fall
View More: Maroon Bells and Aspen area photography gallery
Breckenridge
Founded: November 1859
Elevation: 9,600′
Breckenridge holds a special place in my heart. I’ve been visiting this area for many years. My aunt and uncle moved to Breckenridge in the 1980s, when I was really little and opened a pizza parlour. While they moved to Hawaii for a few years, they came back to this area of Colorado, and so I’ve visited here many times over the years. Starting from ski trips as a child, to 4×4 driving over nearby passes in the summer to more recently, participating in mountain art festivals in the area once or twice a year. I’ve photographed stunning lupine displays on trails like Acorn Creek, north of town, to enjoying the fall colors all around Lake Dillon and more in the winter. Breckenridge is one of the most famous of all the mountain towns in Colorado, and offers activities and more all year round. While not located directly in Breckenridge, my favorite place to eat in the area is Blue Moon Bakery in Silverthorne. Blue Moon Bakery is one of the best bakeries outside of Europe, hands down!
Must Do: Hike or ski!
Favorite Season: Fall
Read More: Breckenridge Art Galleries
Beuna Vista
Established: November 8, 1879
Elevation: 7,989′
Much like other Colorado towns, mining ruled here in the early days. It was a stagecoach and train stop for those going on to places like Leadville as well. Remnants of those old railways can be found all over the area. Rafting, fly fishing and hiking are king here in the summer. And there are a few 4WD roads to explore as well. For those interested in skiing, a short trip down to Salida and over to Monarch Pass offers some winter adventures. Buena Vista is also in the shadows of the mighty Collegiate peaks – most notably Mt. Princeton and Mt. Harvard. Cottonwood Pass, which separates the two 14ers, offers a very scenic route over to the Crested Butte area. Hot springs are plentiful here as well.
Must Do: Climb a nearby 14er
Favorite Season: Summer
Crested Butte
Founded: July 15, 1880
Elevation: 8,865′
Another of my favorite places to visit is Crested Butte. Much like many towns on this list, Crested Butte has a big history with the gold rush and turned to tourism in the mid-1900s to keep the town alive. Now, it thrives in the winter with skiing, has potentially the most famous wildflower festival in the world in the summer, and even has some of the best displays of fall colors in all of Colorado! It’s truly a paradise for those that love the outdoors! Some of my best Colorado photography comes from this area. The lupines in June give way to explosions of colorful wildflowers that move up in elevation as the summer season progresses, until finally, the wildflowers disappear and the aspens begin to show their golden beauty all around town beginning in September. Kebler Pass is a famous place to view the fall colors and the summer wildflowers alike. Crested Butte also rivals the towns in the San Juan’s as the premier 4WD off-roading destination in Colorado. Taking the road over Scholfield Pass will bring you down to the famous Crystal Mill, which will eventually lead to Marble. Many off-road enthusiasts will do this road, get some BBQ in Marble at the legendary Slow Groovin’ BBQ, then make their way back to Crested Butte. And if you’re hungry when you get back, you can always get a pizza at the always poppin’ Secret Stash Pizza.
Must Do: Hike in the fields of wildflowers in the summer and drive Kebler Pass in the fall
Favorite Season: Summer (Fall a very close second)
Read More:Crested Butte: Wildflowers, Mountains and Fall Colors
Durango
Established: April 27, 1881
Elevation: 6,529′
Built in the 1880s by Denver & Rio Grande Railroad to serve the mining districts up in the San Juans, Durango was quickly populated because of the good climate before heading up into the mountains via the railroad. Long before many of the ski resorts were built, Durango became a hotspot for tourism, with the creation of Mesa Verde National Park and the San Juan National Forest in the early 1900’s. Today, this region is still a major stopping point as travelers head into the mountains for recreation. Remnants of it’s past still exist, and the first thing most people think of when they think of Durango is the train to Silverton. It’s still a major attraction and one of the most scenic train rides in the world.
Estes Park
Founded: April 17, 1917
Elevation: 7,522′
Unlike many of the mountain towns on this list, Estes Park is not known for skiing. While Estes did have a ski resort in Hidden Valley, it was closed in the early 1990’s. Instead, Estes Park is famous as the gateway to one of the best National Park’s in the entire country: Rocky Mountain National Park. The hiking trails in Rocky Mountain National Park are phenominal. Many of the iconic trails originate in the Bear Lake or Glacier Gorge areas, but there are other fantastic trails all over the park. A must do in the area is Trail Ridge Road, which crosses the Continental Divide at 12,183 feet above sea level where tundra dominates the landscape. Or alternatively, take the one way gravel Old Fall River Road to the top, and Trail Ridge Road back down. Either will get you to the west side of the park, where Granby and Grand Lake are located. Estes Park was the place I spent countless summers hiking, camping and exploring. Some of my favorite places to eat include Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ and Bob and Tony’s Pizza, which is great for getting a game of fooseball going. Ice cream parlors, salt water taffy and more dominate the town’s streets. If you stop in for BBQ, make sure to get a game of mini-golf in at Meadow MIni Golf (Tiny Town Mini Golf), which has been an family-owned Estes Park staple for over 60 years! And while summer is the busy season in Estes, fall, winter and spring are also a great time to visit. Fall colors in September and October along with the famous elk rut are a must. Winter brings some fantastic snowshoeing and cross country skiing, while spring usually still has enough higher elevation snow to continue winter activities while hiking snow-free might be possible at lower elevations. Estes Park is a great family-friendly town and holds a special place in my Colorado-loving heart!
Must Do: Hike to Dream Lake and drive Trail Ridge Road
Favorite Season: Summer
Glenwood Springs
Established: September 4, 1885
Elevation: 5,883′
Glenwood Springs is known for it’s fantastic hot springs. Located along I-70, it’s also the home to one of the most beautiful canyons in Colorado: Glenwood Canyon. I-70 is carved straight through the canyon, making it one of the prettiest stretches of Interstate highways in the entire country. While it now requires a permit, one of the most famous attractions is the hike up to Hanging Lake. Hanging Lake is a stunning lake with a waterfall that drops directly into the lake, then empties out via waterfall and cascades down to the canyon below. Up above the lake and waterfall is another unique waterfall known as Spouting Rock. If you don’t want to do the 2-3 mile hike up to Hanging Lake, check out the nearby Rifle Falls State Park to the west of Glenwood Springs. While it doesn’t feature a lake, it has similiar beautiful travertine waterfalls to explore. To the south, Carbondale and the imposing Mt. Sopris are worth a visit too.
Must Do: Hike to Hanging Lake and take a dip in the hot springs
Favorite Season: Summer
Golden
Established: June 16, 1859
Elevation: 5,784′
Originally called the Golden City and once the capital of the Colorado territory, Golden is situated in the foothills west of Denver. As a major hotspot during the gold rush and the site of the first railroad in the Colorado mountains, Golden enjoyed prosperous times, only beaten by Denver as it outgrew Golden in many aspects in the 1800s. Golden is also home to Coors Brewing Company, where people can take tours of their facilities. It’s also got a vibrant downtown, with good restaurants. The Golden Fine Arts Festival is also a fun time, having personally participated in it in 2024. Being in the foothills of the Rockies, it’s an awesome gateway into the mountains from the bustle of Denver. Being so much lower in elevation than many of the mountain towns listed here, there is no skiing in Golden. However, there are a lot of parks and hiking trails that can be enjoyed year-round.
Idaho Springs
Established: June 1859
Elevation: 7,526′
My introduction to Idaho Springs was when I was just a six or seven year old kid going up Mt. Evans (since renamed Mt. Blue Sky). This set off a number of visits up the 14er known for having the highest paved road in North America and potentially the second highest paved road in the world (the highest being the 15k+ foot Karakoram Highway in the legendary Himalayas of Pakistan and China). If you take the drive up to Mt. Blue Sky, make sure to also stop by Echo Lake, a picturesque lake halfway up the mountain with great views. Besides driving up the 14er, ziplining, whitewater rafting and hiking are all in abundance in the area. You can also soak in the Indian Hot Springs or drive down to Blackhawk and Central City to visit the casinos and shopping. For those interested in the mining history, take the Argo Mill and Tunnel tour to learn all about it!
Must Do: Drive up Mt. Blue Sky
Favorite Season: Summer
Keystone
Established: 1970
Elevation: 9,280′
Must Do: Ski or drive up to Loveland Pass
Favorite Season: Winter
Lake City
Established: August 16, 1875
Elevation: 8,672′
While Ouray, Telluride and Durango tend to get a ton of the traffic, Lake City can be a bit more of a quieter experience. While the likes of Telluride have embraced their massive ski resort image, Lake City has the Lake City’s Ski Hill and Terrain Park. While not large in comparison to some of it’s ski resort neighbors, Lake City’s Ski Hill is a great place to learn to ski and not spend a fortune. Summer is also a great time in Lake City. The many 4WD trails out of the area are fantastic. Lake City is connected to Silverton via the Alpine Loop, which is world famous for 4WD adventures. If you have a Jeep or ATV, a trip up to American Basin is also fantastic – especially if it’s a good wildflower season. In late July, the basin explodes in color from beautiful wildflower displays. And don’t forget to visit Lake City in the fall too. The autumn colors are fantastic and put on a great show! One of the best places to see in any season near Lake City is Lake San Cristobal. Finally, any visit to Lake City has to include an obligatory visit to the Lake City Bakery!
Must Do: Jeep trails – especially American Basin in wildflower season.
Favorite Season: Summer
Leadville
Established: February 18, 1878
Elevation: 10,119′
Leadville is one of those places I’ve driven through many times in my life. It wasn’t until my 20s that I spent some time there and really soaked in the beauty of being in America’s highest incorporated town. Being over 10,000 feet in elevation, Leadville is also the highest incorporated city in the United States. First settled in the 1850s, Leadville was second only to Denver in population size at one point in the late 19th century. Like a number of towns in Colorado, driving or walking through downtown brings you back to the gold rush. Old saloons, churches and other buildings still stand – some in use as newer businesses. Summer time is wonderful here. Those wanting to bag a few 14ers will find the tallest mountains in Colorado nearby. Mt Elbert and Mt Massive – Colorado’s two tallest mountains, are just to the west. With more than a dozen 14ers like these all within close proximity, Leadville is truly surrounded by the tallest of Colorado’s peaks. For those looking to ski, your best bet is Copper Mountain and Vail to the north. The Arkansas River headwaters are near Leadville, and as the river moves south towards Buena Vista, white water rafting opportunities abound. Hiking, fishing, off roading, along with snowmobiling in the winter are all fun activites in the area as well. Scenic drives to Red Cliff and it’s impressive canyon area or to the southwest over Independence Pass in the fall are fantastic as well!
Must Do: Climb a 14er or drive up Independence Pass during peak fall colors
Favorite Season: Summer or fall
Manitou Springs
Established: 1876
Elevation: 6,306′
Manitou Springs, much like Golden, is a town just inside the foothills after their larger city counterpart. Located just west of Colorado Springs on the way into the mountains via highway 24, Manitou Springs is known for great views of Pikes Peak. A rite of passage for Colorado hikers and climbers is the infamous Manitou Incline. The incline is a grueling hike up hundreds of stairs going up the side of the mountain. Other attractions in the area include the Cave of the Winds, the Garden of the Gods, Miramont Castle Museum and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.
Must Do: Garden of the Gods, Manitou Incline and drive up Pikes Peak
Favorite Season: Summer or Winter
Pagosa Springs
Established: March 18, 1891
Elevation: 7,110′
Pagosa Springs are inevitably known for their wonderful hot springs. For centuries, from the Ute tribe on down to modern day visitors have soaked up in the healing waters of the hot springs here. But it’s not just hot springs that people come to Pagosa Springs for. Being surrounded by the San Juan National Forest and situated along the San Juan River make a great jumping off spot for hiking, fishing, off roading and river activities. For those coming in the winter, Wolf Creek Ski Area is a top place to go skiing in southern Colorado.
Must Do: Soak up in the hot springs or go skiing at Wolf Creek Ski Area
Favorite Season: Summer
Ouray
Established: October 2, 1876
Elevation: 7,792′
Known as Switzerland of America, you get an understanding of why pretty quickly. With a valley carved deeply into the surrounding mountains, this area is reminiscent of those deep valleyed Alps of Switzerland. Located just down the road from Ridgway, Ouray is also known as the “Outdoor Recreation Capitol of Colorado” and with good reason. The town and surrounding mountains are loaded with activities for any season. The fall colors are astounding in just about any direction you drive. And drive you should! The Million Dollar Highway that heads south towards Silverton and Durango is a must see in any season. When the fall colors are in flow, it’s majestic! It’s also full of mining history, with tons of old structures and mining cabins all over the place. For waterfall fans, you should visit the iconic Box Canyon Falls. And for the adventurous, you can head up the 4WD road to Yankee Boy Basin, which is fantastic in a good wildflower year.
Must Do: Drive the Million Dollar Highway, 4WD drive up to Yankee Boy Basin or try out the hot springs. Don’t forget Box Canyon Falls either!
Favorite Season: Fall
Ridgway
Established: April 2, 1891
Elevation: 6,962′
Possibly my favorite town in all of Colorado, Ridgway is situated near the base of my favorite 14er of all, Mt. Sneffels. For those looking for skiing, Ridgway is not your place. You can still get that not far away in Telluride, but Ridgway is more about the scenery, the beauty and that old wild west feel. It’s not a surprise that a number of western movies, most famously, the original True Grit, were filmed here. The country roads that wind their rough gravel and rocky pathways closer to the Sneffels range reveal some of the best compositions for scenes in all of Colorado. And while it may be lesser known, Owl Creek Pass to the east takes you over to Silver Jack Reservoir, another awesome spot in the summer or fall for camping, hiking and leaf-peeping. Ridgway is a great base for bigger excursions into the San Juans – whether over Owl Creek Pass, to the south through Ouray and Silverton, or to the southwest via Telluride. And if you’re in a 4WD, don’t forgot to try Last Dollar Road over to Telluride. This scenic wonder is a phenominal drive with great views of the Sneffels range on the north and Wilson Peak on the south end. Large stands of aspen forest dominate the drive as well as wildflowers in the early summer.
Must Do: See Mt. Sneffels with the fall colors – particularly from County Road 7 or Dallas Divide. Hike to Blue Lakes.
Favorite Season: Fall
Silverton
Established: 1874
Elevation: 9,302′
Located about halfway between Ouray and Durango, Silverton is an old mining town that kept it’s wild west charm. Every time I visit, it makes me think I’ve stepped back in time. In the summer, the 4WD trails going in nearly every direction are phenominal. You can also hike up to the Ice Lakes Basin area for some fantastic wildflower viewing. Being in the heart of the San Juans means camping is amazing as well. In the fall, the entire area turns golden. And while there isn’t a traditional ski resort like you would find in Breckenridge, Vail or Aspen, the Silverton Mountain ski area offers great skiing for the more advanced skier. Don’t forget to take the train between Durango and Silverton as well, which is amazing in any season!
Must Do: Explore the town and it’s old buildings. Take the train to Durango. Drive the Million Dollar Highway
Favorite Season: Summer
Steamboat Springs
Founded: July 19, 1900
Elevation: 6,867′
For as much as I’ve visited Colorado, I somehow missed visiting Steamboat Springs for any length of time until more recently. For those visiting in the winter, Steamboat Springs has some great skiing. Those coming after the snow has melted will find great wildflower displays in the surrounding mountains. By fall, those same areas are some of the most beautiful in the state for the turning of the aspens. Don’t forget the many hot springs in the area either!
Telluride
Founded: 1878
Elevation: 8,754′
Located in the San Juans of Colorado’s southwest, one of my favorite towns in the state is Telluride. Much like Aspen, Telluride’s skiing is also world class, as is it’s hiking trails. The fall colors in this region are some of the best in the West. The summer activities are enhanced with not only hiking, but great 4×4 trails to take your Jeep up on. Viewing Bridal Veil Falls, just to the east of town, any time of year is fantastic. Bridal Veil Falls is situated in the stunning box canyon and includes a famous Via Ferrata which provides some stunning views of the waterfall from a unique angle. Other waterfalls in the region are worth exploring, as are the backroads for views like the one above of Wilson Peak, which is famously used as the logo for the Coors beer can. And people love to come for the winter to ski those famous slopes.
Must Do: Visit the box valley and see Bridal Veil Falls or go skiing
Favorite Season: Fall
Vail
Established: 1966
Elevation: 8,239′
Vail is one of the newer towns on this list. Founded much later than the many mountain towns that were established due to mining, Vail is synonymous with skiing! Many people come here in the winter to ski and snowboard. However, other seasons are worth seeing as well! In the summer, the Mount Holy Cross wilderness is a great place to get out and hike. If you’re looking for wildflowers, drive up to Shrine Pass and take a walk on the Shrine Ridge trail in the summer. And to get away from town, drive up the bumpy road to Piney Lake, where there is some great dispersed camping nearby in the national forest lands. Fall colors are also beautiful throughout the area.
Must Do: Ski in the winter or hike Shrine Ridge in the summer
Favorite Season: Summer or winter
