Crested Butte Summer Activities for Children
Colorado is often overlooked for its summertime programs and attractions, particularly those that cater to the younger visitor. Many visitors first are attracted to Crested Butte because of Winter skiing – but soon discover Crested Butte in the Summer. Because a new generation of locals and second homeowners have purchased Crested Butte CO real estate Summer in Crested Butte is becoming very popular for families. There are great options for family and kid adventures and activities. As well Gunnison was recently named “America’s Top Mountain Town” by National Geographic, Gunnison is located 28 miles South of Crested Butte.
National Park The Curecanti National Recreation Area is located along the Gunnison River, close to three reservoir dams. The national park’s summer activities include boating, rafting, hiking and fishing. For the younger visitor, the park offers a junior ranger program. Children between the ages of 5 and 12 receive a booklet with challenges to participate in during their visit to Curencanti. For children under the age of 5, there are other activities available that can earn them Ranger Buddy status during their visit.
Boating Located just between Crested Butte and Gunnison is Almont and the Three Rivers Resort – so named because of the confluence of the Taylor River and the East River which form the Gunnison River. Three Rivers Resort is set alongside the Taylor River, the resort provides families with a summer getaway. Children will enjoy kayaking and whitewater rafting through Taylor Canyon – the Lower Taylor is very safe for younger kids, and older kids and adults will enjoy the Upper Taylor with Class II & III whitewater.
Golf Courses Young golf aficionados will enjoy either The Club at Crested Butte or Dos Rios Golf Club which both offer nice 18-hole golf courses. Discounted rates are available for the junior golfer who is under the age of 18 at Dos Rios in Gunnison. The courses are open between the months of May and October and each June, Dos Rios club hosts a junior golf championship for both boy and girl golfers. The tournament is a part of the Colorado Golf Association’s Junior Golf Program that encourages youth participation in the sport of golf.
Fishing With the abundance of water there are many mountain lakes, streams and rivers to choose from. The Slate River, East River, Brush Creek all originate in Crested Butte and flow South. Spring Creek is also popular with plenty of public access before it flows into the Taylor River. The Taylor River runs into the Gunnison River and provides gold medal trout fishing waters. Fishing is a popular sport for both kids and adults. Each year, the town of Gunnison hosts a fishing derby for the children within the town at Jorgensen Park’s Pacman Park. Sponsored by the Gunnison Parks and Recreation Department, there are nearly 200 boys and girls who participate in the annual event. Prior to the event, the pond is stocked with a few hundred fish to be caught by the event competitors.
There are approximately 10 miles of public access for fishing on the Taylor River – but if you have an interest in a great family property – there are 12 homestead riverfront sites at Wilder on the Taylor near Crested Butte, Colorado. Wilder on the Taylor is a unique and special place offering world-class fly-fishing, 2,100 acres of ranch land and wilderness amidst over 2 million acres of National Forest. Wake up each morning to the sound of flowing waters, the smell of beautiful wildflowers, and the vistas of the Rocky Mountains. This property offer two miles of private fly-fishing on the Taylor River, as well as pristine trout ponds and winding streams throughout this Colorado ranch.
Colorado Ranch Experience Nestled among Colorado’s Rocky Mountains is Harmel’s Ranch Resort. Just a short drive from downtown Crested Butte and about 5 miles from Almont, the resort offers a host of outdoor activities for children of all ages. As part of its programs, horseback riding is one of the more popular activities and a junior wrangler program is available for children over the age of 8. The junior wranglers have the opportunity to spend the day at the stables learning how to care for the horses, as well as how to ride the trails. For younger visitors, horseback riding lessons are available for children as young as five.
Mountain Adventures Kids Programs
Crested Butte Mountain Resort and the town of Mt. Crested Butte are working together on a public-private partnership to continue to provide the popular Mountain Adventures Recreation Program for locals, while extending amenities offered to visiting guests. The efforts have been driven by the now long-standing partnership between the town and the resort, with adding the Adventure Park since 2009 and continuing to increase amenities on a yearly basis. The Mountain Adventures Program will continue as it always has for the last 20 years; however there will now be the added benefits of having access to the Adventure Park and the resort’s lifts.
Registration for the Mountain Adventures camp will begin April 29, 2013. The 2013 schedule of activities will be posted by April 22 for families to review and make their summer plans.
Activities include:
Blue Mesa
Canoeing
Fly-Fishing
Girls-Only Programs
Mountain Biking
Rafting
Rock Climbing
Ropes Course
Sailing
Early season pricing will start at $45 and $55 per day, depending on the activity. For more information regarding Mountain Adventures please visit http://mtcbmountainadventures.com/. For more information or registration, please call 970-349-2211.
Whether you are looking for a Crested Butte Real Estate Agent – or want to know more about activities for kids – I can help with both. My wife and I were second homeowners here for 10 years before moving here full-time. It was because we had spent so much time here with our kids that the move was easy and made sense for all of us.
With so much to do in Crested Butte you will not know where to start. Enjoy the outdoors with hiking, biking, golf, fishing, rafting and much more!! Crested Butte offers a wide variety of properties including ski in/ski out single family homes, ski-in/ski-out condominiums, lake and river frontage properties, golf course property, and true luxury mountain homes on acreage. To see Crested Butte Homes or search the MLS – visit ChrisKopf.com. Contact me at: (970) 209-5405, or chriskopf@bighornrealty.com Author: Chris Kopf
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