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When you think of Colorado, you probably think of mountains. The mountains in Colorado are beautiful natural wonders and are famous for their craggy peaks, plethora of snow, and some of the best skiing in the country.
Dotted throughout these mountains you can also find many picturesque little towns. The best mountain towns in Colorado are full of beauty, outdoor activities, and plenty of small-town charm.
Today, we’ll discuss which of these mountain towns in Colorado are ideal for your next getaway. We’re talking ski towns and former mining towns, towns set in incredible national parks, off-the-beaten-path hamlets, and little cities, all within a few hours from the metropolitan areas of Denver, Boulder, or Colorado Springs.
Table of Contents
1. Silverton
The small town of Silverton, Colorado, is a former mining town located along the famous Million Dollar Highway, a historic and challenging mountain pass between Silverton and Ouray. The entire town of Silverton has been listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site, due to the well-preserved buildings.
With its many surrounding peaks and intact wilderness areas, Silverton is also known as the “gateway to Colorado’s backcountry.”
2. Estes Park
Estes Park is located within one of Colorado’s most famous national parks: Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park has everything you want in a basecamp for outdoor adventures in the park, but has plenty of charm, as well.
The town has historical landmarks, like the Stanley Hotel (the haunted hotel from The Shining), a nearby lake, plenty of trails, and is home to many wild animals that tend to wander through.
3. Telluride
Telluride is famous as one of the best ski towns in Colorado, with world-class powder at the Telluride Ski Resort, which sees over 300 inches of snow a year—along with 300 days of sun! If you aren’t into skiing, however, Telluride is still worth a visit.
The historic district, which makes up a large part of the town, is full of Victorian buildings, and its location at the end of a box canyon, surrounded by some of the highest peaks in Colorado, is truly spectacular.
The town is dedicated to preserving its local charm, and so you won’t find a single chain restaurant in Telluride. In addition to skiing, Telluride is a hotspot for mountain biking, climbing, ice climbing, whitewater rafting, hiking, and golfing.
4. Breckenridge
Another town in Colorado known both for its Gold Rush history and excellent ski resort, Breckenridge is gorgeous in all four seasons. The town is always lively, while Main Street is full of historic buildings and plenty of modern amenities.
The Breckenridge Gondola, free to all, has some of the most spectacular views you could imagine—fall is, in my humble opinion, the best time to ride. Other activities include the nearby hike through McCullough Gulch or the scenic drive along the continental divide on Boreas Pass.
5. Idaho Springs
Idaho Springs is one of the many small mountain towns in Colorado an easy drive from Denver (and Denver International Airport). It’s also one of the best-preserved mining towns in Colorado, with several mines still open to visitors (although not necessarily safe to enter unless explicitly stated).
Visit the Phoenix Gold Mine to try your hand at panning for gold, or the giant Argo Gold Mill and Tunnel to walk in the footsteps of gold miners.
6. Georgetown
Known as “the Silver Queen of the Rockies,” Georgetown was founded during Colorado’s silver boom in the late 1800s.
Georgetown embraces its history with a time-capsule feel, the annual Christmas Market, and the famous Georgetown Loop Railroad. The historic narrow gauge railroad passes through incredible scenery to the former mining town of Silver Plume and is one of the best ways to see the fall foliage.
Just 45 miles from Denver, Georgetown is an ideal day trip from the capital to experience the past and present of Colorado mountain life.
7. Frisco
Known as “the Main Street of the Rockies” for its scenic and charming downtown, Frisco is ideally located for adventures in the Colorado Rockies. Just over an hour away from Denver, Frisco is close to several ski resorts, such as Breckenridge and Keystone.
Frisco’s location on Dillon Reservoir also provides endless opportunities for water sports, like boating, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding.
8. Crested Butte
The beautiful town of Crested Butte has both Nordic ski trails and hiking trails that crisscross through town, with the world-renowned Crested Butte Mountain Resort just outside of town is a paradise for downhill skiers and mountain bikers.
Crested Butte is also known as “the Wildflower Capital of Colorado,” with the flowers especially vibrant throughout spring and summer. The town itself is walkable, with a historic downtown and year-round festivals.
9. Leadville
The Colorado mountain town of Leadville, another Victorian mining town, is famous as the highest incorporated city in North America, with an elevation of 10,200 feet (3,100 meters). Once a boomtown with a population of 30,000, Leadville was full of saloons, dance halls, brothels, and more refined elements of civilization, such as an opera house.
Visit the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon or the Tabor Opera House to experience what Leadville was like in its heyday. Leadville is also surrounded by endless recreational opportunities, from hiking to skiing to train rides.
10. Aspen
Aspen may be the most well-known of Colorado’s ski towns, especially for those in search of a luxury experience. The entire town can seem like a luxury ski resort, and during winter, it’s not uncommon to spot a celebrity or two on the slopes (or in the town).
Although Aspen is remote, the cultural and events calendar, not to mention the museums and restaurants, rival those found in much bigger cities. And, of course, the outdoor activities and natural beauty is quintessential Colorado.
11. Ouray
Situated in a bowl surrounded by steep peaks, Ouray has gained the nickname “the Outdoor Recreational Capitol of Colorado,” which is certainly saying something in a state where nearly every mountain town could claim the same.
Located in Southwest Colorado, Ouray is also an excellent place to learn more about the history of Colorado, from the local Ute Indians to mining history to modern conservation. Ouray is also known for its hot springs, and the “three Ws:” waterfalls, wildflowers, and wildlife.
12. Manitou Springs
The historic Manitou Springs, right outside of Colorado Springs, is one of the most affordable mountain towns in Colorado, mostly for living, but also for visiting!
Manitou Springs is a quaint mountain town at the base of Pikes Peak, Colorado’s most famous mountain. To visit Pikes Peak, you can hike, drive, or take the cog rail—or, even better, combine the cog rail with a visit to the nearby Garden of the Gods on this fun tour.
The town is also dotted with natural hot springs, which are purported to have healing properties. Other sites to visit in the area include Cave of the Winds Mountain Park, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and a vintage penny arcade.
13. Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs is another much-visited Colorado ski town, partly because of its proximity to two separate ski areas, and for the plethora of natural mineral hot springs, which happens to be the best post-ski activity there is. There are several hot springs right in town, but Old Town Hot Springs also features several waterslides.
Although Steamboat Springs might be more famous these days for its snow, nicknamed “Champagne Powder,” it actually began as a summer resort. The outdoor springs, the tons of hiking opportunities, and the Old-West feel make Steamboat a great spot to choose for your next getaway, whatever the season.
14. Glenwood Springs
Sensing a theme here? There are a lot of hot springs in Colorado! If you’re looking for access to hot springs along with exciting year-round activities for the entire family, Glenwood Springs should be on your radar.
Along with the aforementioned hot springs (several of them, in fact), there’s also Glenwood Springs Caverns Adventure Park, a ski hill, river rafting opportunities, vaudeville shows, and Hanging Lake—known for its unique turquoise waters.
15. Cripple Creek
Yet another former gold mining camp, Cripple Creek, near Colorado Springs, has a distinct Western flavor. The well-preserved buildings, outlaw museum, and many casinos (including Wildwood, “The Highest Casino in the World”), along with place names like Bronco Billy’s and Phantom Canyon Road, will make you feel like you’re in a living museum.
Keep the feeling going with a visit to the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine, the Old Homestead Museum, or ride the historic Cripple Creek Narrow Gauge Railroad.
16. Avon
Avon, known as “the Heart of the Valley,” is lesser-known than its two famous neighbors—Vail and Beaver Creek, both home to world-class ski resorts. Avon makes an ideal base to visit both of these resorts but also provides plenty of beauty and fun on its own.
In the summer, hike, bike, or swim at Nottingham Lake, or visit the excellent Walking Mountains Science Center for nature-related educational opportunities.
17. Durango
Durango is one of the best mountain cities in Colorado, thanks to its stunning location, historic background, vintage railroad, proximity to skiing, and a myriad of landmarks within a short drive.
One of these landmarks includes the unforgettable Mesa Verde National Park, home to some of the most well-preserved cliff dwellings in the world. To visit, consider this guided Mesa Verde tour that comes with lunch!
Durango is also the starting place of the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a vintage steam locomotive that once hauled silver and gold through the mountains to the town of Silverton. Nowadays, the nine-hour, open-air journey only hauls tourists to Silverton and back, through the rugged canyons, along the river, and past abandoned mines.
18. Buena Vista
It probably won’t surprise you that a town called Buena Vista (which translates to “beautiful view”) is renowned for its natural beauty.
It’s also known for its friendly, laid-back, tight-knit community, and the recreational opportunities on the Arkansas River and the 100 miles of trail throughout the town and surrounding mountains.
19. Pagosa Springs
The small mountain town in Colorado of Pagosa Springs is famous for (you guessed it!) hot springs!
The springs beneath the town are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the “Deepest Geothermal Hot Spring.” The springs have measured as deep as 1,002 feet (305 meters), although the measuring line ran out before it hit the bottom, so they are potentially much longer.
Pagosa Springs is also known for its many lively festivals and events, especially the annual hot air balloon festival, which takes place every September.
20. Nederland
The town of Nederland, located in Boulder County, is known as one of Colorado’s most eclectic mountain towns.
Nederland is famous for its historic carousel, a large variety of restaurants, excellent fly-fishing, several ski resorts, and as the site of several quirky festivals, like a cat-themed craft fair and a costumes-only half-marathon.
21. Montrose
With a population of over 20,000, Montrose is more of a city than a town but has the requisite mountain valley location and charming ambiance.
Montrose is also the closest town to the incredible Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, known for some of the oldest exposed rock, darkest canyons, and steepest cliffs in North America.
Conclusion
Are you Colorado dreaming yet? I bet you are! As you can see, there are tons of mountain towns in Colorado for your next visit. The hardest part will be choosing where to go, and what to do once you get there!
Which of these towns sounds most interesting to you? If you’ve been to Colorado, are there any towns you would add to this list? Share below!
