Four-Wheel Adventures

Four-wheel drive enthusiasts can take guided tours or rent vehicles and follow maps to historic or scenic landmarks. Take the camera, the binoculars or the fishing rod; you'll likely encounter wildlife, fishing holes and outrageous scenery. Drives range from mellow to white-knuckle. To purchase the best in 4-wheel Drive maps visit our online store.

Horseback Riding

Some folks prefer to investigate this western landscape as the frontiersmen did - from the back of a horse. Guides and Outfitters offer everything from hourly horseback rides to multi-day adventures.

Mountain Biking

The popular sport of mountain biking got its start in the Gunnison Country and remains a favorite mode of exploring. Few places come close to the exceptional mountain biking of this area. Thousands of biking roads and trails lace the territory: mellow rides through the sage country near Gunnison at the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area; historic ghost town tours; dramatic alpine roads and singletrack surrounding Crested Butte. For mountain biking without the uphill sweat, bikers in Mt. Crested Butte can take the Keystone chairlift up, then ride the gentle roads and trails back down.

Hiking

This land invites almost infinite exploration on foot. For dramatic views, hike the trails of the spell-binding Black Canyon or cruise to Curecanti's Dillon Pinnacles. Search out a remote mountain lake, waterfall or beaver pond, or climb a 14,000-foot summit and behold the world as the eagles do. Dozens of hikes range from easy family outing to thigh-pounding adventures.

For rock climbers, Taylor Canyon's rocky walls provide bouldering, beginner climbs and classic, highly-technical routes. Experienced climbers scale the sheer, 2,000-foot walls of the Black Canyon.

Birding

For lists of birds in the Gunnison Area visit: www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gfo/recreation_information/birdlist.html

Chair Lift Rides

Take a summer chairlift ride and hike to the peak, or rent bikes and cruise the trails on the mountain. For something new and different, try disc (Frisbee) golf or the Crested Butte Adventure Learning Center ropes course. For times and costs, visit www.cbmr.com.