American Cowboy just named Gunnison-Crested Butte one of the “20 Best Places to Live the West.” American Cowboy Publisher Bill Garrels notes, “Whether you’re looking for a new place to settle or the perfect place to vacation, these communities deliver top value in the form of adventure, culture, authenticity, natural beauty and frontier history and tradition.”
Read more after the jump.
Trail Rides/Packages
Tenderfoot Outfitters and Water Wheel Inn are teaming up to offer a Western heritage ride on July 26 – 29. Spend the first evening at Water Wheel Inn, where a cowboy dinner will be served to fill your belly before riding out into the West Elk Wilderness on horseback with Tenderfoot on July 27. Spend a night at “cow camp” and learn about the Gunnison Valley’s Western heritage from historian Dr. Duane Vandenbusche over dinner. Return to Gunnison on July 28 for a tasty lunch at 5 B’s Bar-B-Q, an afternoon of exploring the Pioneer Museum and a stay at the Water Wheel Inn. The trip is limited to 10 people at a cost of $499 each, tax not included. All meals are included except dinner on the evening of July 28. Visit www.waterwheelinnatgunnison.com or call (800) 642-1650.
Another option is to take the scenic drive up Highway 135 to Crested Butte and pay a visit to Lazy F Bar Ranch, located approximately 3 miles out Brush Creek Road just south of town. Breakfast and dinner horseback rides, wagon ride dinners, and general horseback riding for any skill level are available. Winter sleigh ride dinners to a rustic 1950s cabin overlooking the East River are popular during snowy months. For more information, call (970) 641-0193 or visit www.lazyfbarranch.com.
Also check out Fantasy Ranch Horseback Adventures, offering horseback outings and wilderness trail rides from its stables in Almont and Mt. Crested Butte. Fantasy Ranch is well known for its trail ride from the Crested Butte area to Aspen. During winter, Fantasy Ranch offers carriage and sleigh rides in downtown Crested Butte. Contact (970) 349-5425 or visit www.fantasyranchoutfitters.com for more information.
For those who prefer a vacation by Colorado’s largest body of water, horses and their owners are welcome at Ferro’s Blue Mesa Ranch Resort in Sapinero, located on Blue Mesa Lake west of Gunnison. Horse owners pay a corral fee and feed cost for their horses, and horses and guides are available for trail rides. Call (970) 641-4671 for more information.
Dude Ranches
For unforgettable guest ranch experiences, visit Waunita Hot Springs Ranch near Gunnison and Harmel’s Ranch Resort near Almont. To reach Waunita Hot Springs Ranch, call (770) 641-1266 or visit www.waunita.com. To reach Harmel’s, call (800) 235-3402 or visit www.harmels.com.
Events
Gunsmoke-n-Gunnison, July 25 – 26, Aug. 29 – 30, Oct. 3 – 4
The Gunnison Valley Mounted Shooting Association will hold its sixth annual Gunsmoke-n-Gunnison competitions at the Fred R. Field Western Heritage Center on four weekends this summer and fall. Cowboy mounted shooting is one of the fastest growing equestrian sports today, requiring a special form of teamwork between horse and rider and blending disciplines such as reining, barrel racing and horsemanship. Using two .45 caliber single action revolvers and specially prepared ammunition, the rider must accurately shoot 10 balloon targets set in any one of 75 different patterns while controlling the speed and direction of the horse.
Cash and prizes are awarded to winners of each division, and each rider will accumulate points that go toward possibly competing at the world championships. There is no cost to watch the competitions, which typically begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. For more information, call Dennis at (970) 641-4787.
109th Annual Gunnison Cattlemen’s Days, July 10 – 19
This granddaddy of Colorado rodeos features a county fair, parade, horse show, cowboy poetry, live music and dancing, horse races, and of course rodeo events sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Activities are spread throughout the 10 days of the Cattlemen’s Days festivities, with rodeos scheduled for the evenings of July 16, 17 and 18. Amateurs have the chance to compete at the Watershed Team Roping and Barrel Race for adults and youth on July 15. In addition, the Cattlemen’s Days Open Horse Show on July 12 draws participants from the Gunnison Valley and beyond.
However, the true highlight of this 109-year-old festival is the fact that it recognizes the Western way of life in the Gunnison Valley. For a brochure containing the complete schedule of Cattlemen’s Days events or for more information, contact the Gunnison County Chamber of Commerce at (800) 274-7580. Also, visit www.cattlemensdays.com. Tickets go on sale July 6 at the Cattlemen’s Days ticket booth located at Gunnison Bank and Trust parking lot. Tickets also can be purchased at the door. General admission is $12, and reserved grandstand is $15.
Visitor Information & Personalized Vacation Packages
To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte’s calendar of events or to book personalized vacation packages, visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com. During summer and fall, air access to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is provided by United Airlines.
About Gunnison-Crested Butte, Colorado
Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado. Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing.
Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities. In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding. Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options — from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels.
Recognized as the “Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado” by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” in 2008, Crested Butte is the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. Only three miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area’s conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails.
Gunnison, a real western town located 28 miles from Crested Butte, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, a four-year institution offering majors in the liberal arts and sciences and professional fields. Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities.
In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado’s largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country’s newest national parks. Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.
