Frequently Asked Questions

Parking in Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte is highly regulated. There are no public parking lots in either town where you can park a vehicle overnight. All street parking is subject to regulations which differ in the summer and the winter. Visit https://www.parkcrestedbutte.com for more information.

 The majority of shops and restaurants in Crested Butte are concentrated around our main street, Elk Avenue. Within just a few blocks you will find fine dining, grab and go food, coffee shops, and a variety of retail options. A few retail shops and our cannabis dispensaries can be found on Belleview Avenue.        

•        In Mt. Crested Butte, the shops and restaurants are concentrated around the base area. This is where the ski area is located, along with our large hotels. 
•        Both in Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte, these locations are easily accessible by foot and bus.

There are a plethora of delicious restaurants in both Crested Butte and in Mt. Crested Butte. Find a full current list of restaurants and their hours at our visitor centers. 

  The ski area  is located in the town of Mt. Crested Butte, just a short 5 minute drive or bus ride north of  the town of Crested Butte.

   While the town of Crested Butte has the majority of our dining and retail options, the town of Mt. Crested Butte has our large hotels, the ski area, and its own food and shopping options.

The town of Crested Butte has 12 public parks and green spaces. More information on all of our parks can be found here. 

- 4 children's parks - Town Park, Rainbow Park, 3 Ladies Park, and Henderson Park. 

- 6 recreation parks - Big Mine Park, Crested Butte Bike Park, Gothic Field, Tennis Courts, Tommy V. Field, and Town Ranch. 

- 2 Green Space Parks - Totem Pole Park and Entrance Park

The town of Mt. Crested Butte has a town park, town camping, the recreation path, and a plethora of trails. Learn more here.   

 It is common practice for visitors who plan on cooking for themselves to purchase their groceries in the City of Gunnison, before they arrive in Crested Butte. The City of Gunnison has a City Market, a Safeway, and a Health Food Store. 

       In the town of Crested Butte, we have a grocery store and a health food store. These are both on the smaller side and tend to run out of specific items during busier times of the year. The grocery store, Clarks Market, is located at 500 Belleview Ave. and does have a pharmacy attached to it. This Clark’s Market location will be undergoing renovations in the year 2023. Our health food store, Mountain Earth, is located at 405 4th St. 

       In Mt. Crested Butte, there is a convenience store, The Store and Deli. Here you will find deli sandwiches, groceries, souvenirs, and supplies within walking distance of the base area. The Store and Deli can be found at 611 Gothic Rd, attached to Treasury Liquors.

In Crested Butte there are ATMs at the following locations:  

Bank of the West - 405 5th St. 

Clark’s Market & Pharmacy - 500 Belleview Ave. 

Community Banks of Colorado - 503 6th St. 

Crested Butte Bank - 116 6th St. 

Gas Cafe One Stop - 602 Butte Ave. 

The Secret Stash - 303 Elk Ave

The Talk of the Town - 230 Elk Ave. 

In Mt. Crested Butte there are ATMs at the following locations:

The Grand Lodge - 6 Emmons Rd. 

Treasury Liquors & The Store - 611 Gothic Rd

  There are many areas in and around Crested Butte where you can take your dog with you. Dogs on a leash are welcome to be in Totem Pole Park, on the Recreation Path to Mt. Crested Butte, along the Eighth St. Greenway, and on the road to Peanut Lake. Dogs off leash are welcome in Big Mine Park (summer only), the Red Lady Estates Lower Bench, and on Town Ranch (winter dog pass required). Please see this map for further details.  

       Dogs are welcome on our Mountain Express public buses under the following conditions: Dogs must be registered with the town of Crested Butte or the Town of Mt. Crested Butte, dogs must be on a leash, dogs must wear a muzzle at all times (free soft muzzles are available on all buses), dog owners may be asked to wait for the next bus if the bus is too crowded, drivers have the right to refuse ridership to any dog that displays behavior that may cause a safety risk, and dogs must be on laps or the floor. 

       Some of our restaurants will have dog friendly patios or outdoor seating areas but most of these areas are closed during the winter months. Josè’s at the Elevation Hotel does have a year round patio that is dog friendly.

Previously located at the Crested Butte Visitor Center, the former world record elk now resides at its historic home, the Crested Butte Museum. The Elk can be visited at 331 Elk Ave during normal business hours.

       According to the Crested Butte News, the rack is ”Known as the John Plute elk rack, the elk was the World Record Typical Bull Elk as scored by Boone & Crockett for 115 years. It was shot in 1899 and sat atop the record book until the 1990s, when an elk killed in Arizona’s White Mountains relegated the Crested Butte trophy to second place by about a quarter of an inch.

       Legend has it that John Plute shot the elk for meat in Dark Canyon. He left the rack but went back to retrieve the antlers after telling people how big it was. In 1915, he gave the rack to a bar owner to pay his tab. The Rozman family eventually inherited the saloon where the antlers were hung.

       …the trophy is indeed massive: 7 points on one side and 8 on the other, with a gross score of 459 7/8″ and a net score of 442 3/8″ after deductions.”

 The best place to find upcoming events in and near Crested Butte is the Gunnison Valley Community Calendar. It is a great place to find recurring events, special events, and more. It can be found here. https://visitcrestedbutte.com/calendarvcb.cfm

 The Chamber of Commerce hosts a variety of events each year. The annual July 4th Parade and Celebration in the town of Crested Butte is organized by the Chamber along with the annual Mt. Crested Butte Chili & Beer Festival. To find out more about check out the “Chamber Events” tab on our website.

  The festival normally begins the first weekend after the 4th of July and it runs for two weeks. The festival for 2023 runs from July 7-16. For more information go to https://crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.org/

 The festival normally is the first weekend of August. The 2023 festival will run August 4-6. For more information go to https://www.crestedbutteartsfestival.com/