Thinking of visiting Gunnison, Colorado? Nestled in the heart of the Western Slope, Gunnison is a lesser-known Colorado mountain town with stunning views, top-notch outdoor adventures, and local restaurants that surprise and delight. This guide covers everything you need to know about what to do, where to eat, and how to explore Gunnison like a local.
Why You'll Love Gunnison, Colorado
Nestled in the heart of Colorado's Western Slope, Gunnison is a charming mountain town situated about three and a half hours southwest of Denver. With a population of around 7,000, Gunnison is a unique blend of a rural ranching community, a vibrant college town, and an outdoor enthusiast’s haven. Surrounded by stunning mountain landscapes, including the nearby San Juan Mountains, Gunnison offers a perfect mix of natural beauty and small-town charm.
Where is Gunnison?
Unlike larger mountain communities in Colorado, Gunnison is off the beaten path, and is less popular. This results in less crowds, less traffic, and more time enjoying yourself. Gunnison is located on US Highway 50, and is about an hour west of Salida, and an hour (give-or-take) east of Montrose.
Getting to Gunnison
Despite its small size, Gunnison is easily accessible, thanks to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, which offers multiple daily flights from United and American Airlines. The airport is the closest gateway to the renowned ski destination of Crested Butte, making it a convenient choice for travelers. For even more flight options, Montrose Regional Airport is just an hour’s drive west.
If you’re driving, Gunnison is located along US Highway 50, with Monarch Pass as the primary mountain pass to the east. Depending on the season, you can choose from several scenic routes, some with fewer passes, making your journey even smoother.
Drive times to Gunnison
Denver to Gunnison: 3.5 hours
Montrose to Gunnison: 1.5 hours
Grand Junction to Gunnison: 2.5 hours.
Your Gunnison, Colorado Travel Guide
If you find yourself in Gunnison, consider yourself lucky! This hidden gem mountain town has a myriad of outdoor activities year-round to keep you busy.
Hiking & Mountain Biking
Trails, trails and more trails can be found around Gunnison, Colorado. Whether you want to hike or mountain bike in the summer or snowshoe and cross country ski in the winter–there is a trail for you. There are a couple trails right in city limits.
- Van Tuyl Trail is one of the first trails I ever did when I moved to Gunnison. It’s a 3 mile, completely flat loop. I did it as I got accustomed to life at 7,700 feet, and I recommend it as an acclimating trail for you as well.
- Smelter Hill to Signal Peak. Get a gorgeous panorama view of the Gunnison Valley and stunning views beyond when you hike Smelter Hill, directly behind Western Colorado University. It’s also known as Cupola for the former Cupola Hill ski course, but the hill is criss-crossed with trails and connects to Signal Peak via Ridge Line and offers gorgeous views.
- Hartman Rocks Recreation Area A mountain biker's dream, the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area is also a great area for hiking. The rec area is just south of Gunnison, right off US Hwy 50, and includes over 8,000 acres of BLM managed land. The area is completely free and has miles of trails full of beautiful landscapes and gorgeous views. Hartman also has dispersed camping sites making it a great spot to stay the evening in your tent or rv.
Need biking or hiking gear or rentals? Check out All Sports Replay, Gene Taylor’s Sporting Goods or Rock ‘n’ Roll Sports for all your outdoor supply needs.
Enjoy the Water in Gunnison County
Blue Mesa Reservoir The largest body of water in Colorado, Blue Mesa Reservoir, is just a half an hour west of Gunnison, and is the perfect location for all water activities. The reservoir is 29 miles long and is a fisherman’s paradise for trout and kokanee salmon as well as many secluded canyon inlets to tuck into. Blue Mesa is surrounded by sage covered hills and offers an amazing backdrop for enjoying the beaches, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating and any other water activities.
Gunnison River Feeding into the Blue Mesa is the Gunnison River which flows from Almont–15 miles north of Gunni–through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, until it meets the Colorado River in Grand Junction. The river offers world-class fly fishing, kayaking and whitewater rafting.
There are multiple local businesses that want nothing more than to help you enjoy your water adventures in and around Gunnison. Scenic River Tours is headquartered on Tomichi in Gunnison and provides an excellent Colorado rafting experience. Wheelies and Waves is your destination for water sport rentals like paddleboards, kayaks, and all things biking.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Just 45 minutes west of Gunnison on US Highway 50 is one of the United States’ most underrated national parks, The Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This deep and gorgeous canyon features stunning views of ancient rock and plunging depths that were formed by the Gunnison River over 60 million years ago.
While other canyons around the country might have more notoriety, the Black Canyon’s claim to fame is just how deep the canyon goes to the bottom. At it’s greatest depth, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison drops over 2,700 feet, while the canyon remains extremely narrow all the way to the top.
You can admire the breathtaking views of the Black Canyon of Gunnison a couple of ways: first, you can visit the National Park which is found 10 minutes off of Highway 50, or you can view the canyon from the north rim. Getting to the north rim is not as accessible, but can definitely be reached–it just takes more time. From Gunnison on US Highway 50, you’ll want to take Colorado Highway 92 north towards Crawford. Follow Hwy 92 until you reach Black Canyon Road, and you drive west.
Take the Free Bus to Crested Butte
All of Gunnison County is actually full of so many beautiful sites and things to do, and the county actually offers an amazing amenity to its citizens and all who visit: the RTA Bus Service. This public service provides rides for free all over the valley. Check out the RTA Bus website for its stop times and best practices.
Using the RTA service, you can easily make a day trip up to the world-famous Crested Butte. This picturesque mountain town is packed with beauty, charm, great restaurants–there are so many things to do in Crested Butte. It’s definitely worth the half hour trip north.
Where to Eat in Gunnison
When visiting the valley, don’t forget to check out the best places to eat in Gunnison. Here are some of our favorites in Gunnison.
The Dive This Gunnison restaurant is our favorite in town, and i’m sure it will quickly become your favorite too. WIth indoor and outdoor seating as well a food truck built inside the restaurant, the vibes in The Dive are unmatched. And the food served there is just as exceptional. We love the ratatouille, poutine, and the chicken & gnocchi. The dive also makes an excellent margarita. If you visit one restaurant in Gunnison, make it The Dive.
Powerstop Have you ever had an exceptionally delicious burger…from a gas station? Well that’s what you can find at the Powerstop, in Gunnison. Located on the north end of town and in a gas station, the Powerstop has the hands-down, best cheese burger in Gunnison, Colorado. There’s plenty of seating inside and outside, and you can have a draft or bottle beer while you wait. We recommend the Peanut Butter Bacon Burger and fries and the Stone Cold burger. This place is also a most-stop while in Gunnison!
Anejo Bistro & Bar I consider Anejo Bistro & Bar the best Mexican restaurant in Gunnison. Another restaurant heavy on unique vibes, Anejo is small but its flavors are mighty. It’s truly a long and skinny restaurant with minimal seating, so be prepared to wait, but know that the wait is so worth it! The last time I was there, I had phenomenal steak fajitas–check out Anejo’s when you’re in Gunnison!
Crested Bucha Nothing says, “Colorado” like a locally-made kombucha bar. Crested Bucha serves refreshing kombucha, kombucha cocktails, Colorado draft beers and craft cocktails like a margarita and the best espresso martini in town. Crested Bucha is worth the stop on a Friday or Saturday night and often hosts live musicians. Experience the local culture at Crested Bucha!
Double Shot Cyclery and Coffee Shop Have you ever gotten a coffee made the way you like it while also getting your bike serviced? If not, you have the chance at Double Shot Cyclery and Coffee Shop on Main Street Gunnison. Not only does this coffee shop sell and repair bicycles, it's another excellent spot to grab a cocktail at the end of the day. All the drinks–coffee and alcoholic drinks are named after local landmarks playing up the Gunnison charm.
One of my favorite drinks is the Paradise which is black tea, poured over ice with muddled mint and strawberries. It’s delicious! This is hands-down our favorite coffee shop in town, and we hope you’ll love it too!
That’s our guide to the best things to do in Gunnison, Colorado. DId we miss anything? Let us know in the comments!
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