Crested Butte is a jewel. One of the most beautiful places to ride, it offers endless, endless, single-track. Aspens and lush green vegetation are everywhere during the summer months. The trail system in the area is HUGE and all of it is open to mountain bikers. Most of the trails in this area are well maintained and packed. You can complete several unforgettable rides here. The ski mountain itself offers great riding. Many rides start at the lodge area and branch out. There are many trails that are right on the ski mountain and they all offer different types of terrain. There are service roads that travel to the top of the resort if you really want to punish yourself. From the top you can either drop into the other side off of the ski mountain and into a valley that extends North towards the town of Gothic or you can descend back down the mountain on one of several pieces of single-track.

Don't forget to bring the camera to this area. The views are unbelievable. Crested Butte is known for wide-open views of some fairly impressive terrain. The wildflowers also get much notoriety in the summer months. It is not uncommon to see entire mountainsides covered in flowers. The riding here is well worth it. June-September is the best time to visit Crested Butte for a mountain biking adventure. Make sure you leave for your ride early and prepared. Most mornings are sunny here but don't be fooled. Thunderstorms can roll into the area in minutes. What looks like blue sky on one side of the mountain may not look so good on the other side. Bring a jacket, food, tools, and a map. The trails are long here and some rides can last all-day

In addition to just good quality riding there is good quality racing here as well. Fat Tire Bike Week is the mountain bikers dreamweek. It is one of the if not the oldest running mountain bike festivals still around today. With rides, racing, and fun unique events like bike polo, this week is something that all mountain bikers should try to experience. The cross-country for the racers is known as the "Paris Roubaix" of mountain biking. For the pros, semi-pros and experts you can expect to suffer, bad. Most years the X-C is about 37 miles long with up to 7000 feet of vertical gains! Ouch. Other events include a downhill, a circuit race, trials and bike polo just to name a few. The party, people, and prizes afterwards make you remember why you do this crazy sport. As far as putting on a good event, I would have to say that Crested Butte Fattire Bike Week is one of the best races in the country for letting the racers know that they are appreciated. F.T.B.W. takes place in late June.

After the ride you can't forget to hang-out in historic old town and get some good food and culture. Crested Butte is full of old memories and is worth a look.