Day Trips · August 15, 2026

Down Valley: Why Locals Make the Drive to Gunnison

Every Crested Butte local eventually learns the truth: some of the valley's best moments happen down the road in Gunnison. The drive alone — thirty minutes through the wide-open ranch land of the Gunnison Valley — is worth the trip.

Gunnison runs at a different speed. It's a working ranch town and a college town, home to Western Colorado University, with a main street that feels refreshingly unpolished. The restaurants are unpretentious and excellent, and you'll rarely wait for a table.

The Gunnison Arts Center anchors a surprisingly vibrant arts scene, and the town makes a great base for exploring Hartman Rocks — high-desert trails that stay dry when Crested Butte is muddy or snowed in.

Use the Gunnison filter in our directory to plan your day: breakfast before you leave, lunch on Main Street, and a stop at the river on the way home.