Enter the family passcode
Six days in Crested Butte over the Fourth — biking, hiking, paddleboarding, and the best small-town parade in the Rockies.
The four of you drive in Wednesday evening. Kim & Mark join Friday afternoon through Monday. Mornings are for the mountain, afternoons for the pool and the kid, and the Fourth belongs to Elk Avenue.
US-285 south to Buena Vista, then Cottonwood Pass west over the divide and down into the valley. Roughly 4–4.5 hours.
Cottonwood Pass is a high, seasonal summer route — beautiful, but check it's open and allow extra time. A lower-and-faster fallback is US-50 through Gunnison if weather turns.
Runs all day between the Town of Crested Butte and the Mt. Crested Butte base — every 20 minutes on the summer schedule (June 12–Sept 27), so it covers your week. Free, dog-friendly, and bike-racked, so Ollie and the bikes ride too.
From the hotel: board at Mountaineer Square / The Plaza at the base — the same hub where Kim & Mark are staying.
Downtown stops: Old Town Hall, the 4-Way Stop, 6th & Belleview, 2nd & Whiterock, Teocalli.
Door-to-door on-demand pickups also run via the FirstTracks app (7:45 AM–12:15 AM).
Elk Ave closes for the parade — the shuttle is the easy way in and out, and the 6th & Belleview stop drops you right by the parade and water-fight zone.
Mt. Crested Butte. Address, check-in time & access details — to add.
620 Gothic Rd, Mt. Crested Butte — in the base area, steps from the Red Lady & Silver Queen lifts and right by the bus transit center. 24-hour front desk.
Check-in details — confirm with Alicia.
Town sits near 8,900 ft and the trails climb past 10,000. Drink more water than feels necessary, pack sun protection and a layer, and start hikes and rides early — July afternoons bring thunderstorms.
Every trail on this trip is dogs-on-leash. Pack the leash, water, and bags. (The shuttle's dog-friendly too.)
Fireworks — Fri Jul 3, ~9:30 PM, Red Lady Stage. Parade — Sat Jul 4, 11 AM, Elk Ave.
Vet, lodge front desks, emergency — to add.
The hardest table in town and the upscale cousin of Secret Stash & Bonez. The grandparents dinner.
Funky downtown institution. Dog patio, but call ahead — dog tables are limited.
Riverside dog-friendly patio, margaritas and tequila flights.
The new one you missed last year.
That rooftop you liked.
Dog-friendly patio with water bowls and treats.
The rum bar — cocktails, small plates, dog patio, and a kids' corner. Works for the whole crew.
360° views and family food. Drive, ride the lift, hike, or bike up — driving means Olly and Hadley come along. Confirm the 2026 summer opening date.
No dogs or kids — your date night while the grandparents have Hadley.
Breakfast and lunch.
Morning grab-and-go.
401 Trail — the marquee CB ride (Thursday plan).
Teocalli & Doctor Park — Friday's pick, you're deciding between them.
Snodgrass — the light, flowy one (Sunday).
Short waterfall hike past Gothic town — pairs with the Gothic Road drive. Dogs-on-leash, kid-friendly. Start early; it gets muddy.
Three alpine lakes, wildflowers, and waterfalls. Dogs-on-leash, kid-friendly — the whole group.
Off Kebler Pass Rd, a short hop from the Three Lakes trailhead.
The harness-and-bounce kind at the base.
A few around town with slides — the east-side one has the best views.
Fireworks are Friday Jul 3, ~9:30 PM at the Red Lady Stage in the resort base area.