Steamboat Springs Attractions

Howelsen Hill Ski Area
Carl Howelsen, “The Flying Norseman,” retired in Steamboat Springs after a long career of executing ski jumping feats for circus spectators. He built a ski jump in Steamboat Springs in 1913 and changed the city forever. The Howelsen Hill Ski Area, a training ground for the U.S. ski jumping team, is the oldest continuously operating ski area in Colorado and the largest, most complete natural ski jumping center in the country. Snowboarding, ski jumping, and downhill and cross country skiing are available on Howelsen Hill. The Howler Alpine Slide, a popular way to rush down Howelsen Hill, delights youngsters during the summer. Call (970) 879 8499 for additional information about the ski area.

Hot Air Balloon Rides
A popular way to view the majestic scenery in and around Steamboat Springs is through a hot air balloon ride. Hot air balloons float through the skies over Steamboat Springs nearly every day in the summer and winter, but the most fantastically colorful display takes place in mid-July. During Rainbow Weekend, close to 50 balloons take part in an airborne rodeo. Come nightfall, over a dozen balloons light up the sky during the festival’s Balloon Shine. Call (970) 879-0880 for information about Rainbow Weekend; call Pegasus Balloon Tours at (970) 879-9191 for information about soaring the skies yourself.

Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest and the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area
The Medicine Box/Routt National Forest and the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area provide Steamboat Springs with a wealth of recreational opportunities. Seedhouse Road follows the Elk River in Routt National Forest up to its origin in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. This road is navigable via car (although littered with potholes at times) and provides outstanding views of summer’s blooming wildflowers or fall’s golden aspen. A hike along the moderate Fish Creek Trail (eight miles one way) leads to the spectacular Fish Creek Falls and prime picnic spots. Rabbit Ears Pass is a spectacular route for bikers in the summer and cross country skiers in the winter.

Steamboat Lake State Park
Steamboat Lake State Park is a popular destination year-round. Ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling are the most popular winter activities. Summer promises swimming, boating, fishing, and camping. Steamboat Lake, which features a full-service marina, is an excellent venue for catching rainbow and cutthroat trout. A stroll along the park’s numerous hiking trails provides views of mountains and alpine flowers, and often leads into the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. To access the state park from Steamboat Springs, take U.S. 40 west for two miles to County Road 129, and then head north for 26 miles.

Steamboat Ski Area
The Steamboat Ski Area, one of the biggest ski mountains in North America, is a complete mountain range – made up of Mount Werner, Sunshine Peak, Storm Peak, Thunderhead Peak, Pioneer Ridge, and Christie Peak. All skill levels enjoy skiing on the feathery-light powder that made Steamboat famous – out of the ski area’s 142 named trails, 13 percent are classified as beginner, 56 percent as intermediate, and 31 percent as advanced. Steamboat is also a spectacular mountain for snowboarders – Mavericks, the longest superpipe in the North America, draws boarders from all over. Transworld Snowboarding magazine ranked it among the top 10 pipes. The Steamboat Ski Area is located in Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest.

Steamboat Ski Touring Center
The Steamboat Ski Touring Center contains over 30 kilometers of groomed cross country and snowshoe trails that cater to all skill levels. The beautiful paths run along Fish Creek and through aspen groves, providing scenic excursions in every direction. The center offers lessons daily, teaching the techniques necessary for efficient skiing – most first-time skiers feel comfortable enough to try a novice trail after just one session. The full-service rental shop provides the latest cross country ski equipment and snowshoes for all sizes. Follow the signs on Mt. Werner Road in order to reach the ski center. Call the center at (970) 879-8180 for information about its rates and seasonal hours or for detailed driving instructions.

Strawberry Park Hot Springs
A mind-easing soak in Strawberry Park Hot Springs is rejuvenating whether visiting on a beautiful summer day or when Steamboat Springs’ famous snow is piled high. The soothing waters in its large upper pool are maintained at around 104 degrees, while the lower smaller pool usually hovers around 102 degrees. A colder pool, special massage pool, and five waterfalls complete this enchanting spot. Strawberry Park also contains a full bathhouse and picnic areas for the convenience of its visitors. The hot springs are located at 44200 County Road 36, approximately 10 miles from downtown Steamboat Springs. The rocky dirt road that leads to the area is best navigated with four-wheel drive.

Tread of Pioneers Museum
The Tread of Pioneers Museum exhibits the history of Steamboat Springs from its days as a Ute Indian soaking spot up to its current status as a resort ski town. Its “History of Skiing” exhibit explores how a simple mode of transportation evolved into a popular recreational sport. The museum’s “Western Room” – reflecting on the days when the city was filled with brothels and saloons – displays an extensive firearms collection, explores ranching life and the rodeo, and recounts the story of a famous outlaw. A highlight of the museum is a 1908 Queen Anne-style Victorian home that contains period furnishings representative of a well-to-do family of that era. The museum is located at the corner of Eighth and Oak streets. Call the museum at (970) 879-2214 for information about its hours and admission fees.

Yampa River
Yampa River is a prime fly fishing destination and a premier spot for rafting and tubing. The fly fishing varies with the river terrain – the Upper Yampa contains cold-water species, and the warm-water species are situated closer to the river’s end. However, there are places where pike and trout are available in the same spot. The Yampa is extremely popular among inner tube floaters, perhaps because a leisurely ride down its waters is the best way to observe the gorgeous scenery all around the river. Many choose to tube and fish simultaneously, experiencing the best that the Yampa River has to offer.

Yampa River Botanic Park
The Yampa River Botanic Park is an oasis of flower and green gardens, traversed by walkways and dotted with benches. The gardens are decorative and educational, frequently displaying the plants native to the Yampa Valley. The “Edible Natives Garden” displays the digestible indigenous plants of the Yampa Valley used by the native people of North America. The “Daylily Gardens” contains flowers that bloom for only a single day. The park also hosts free musical concerts in the summer; inquire about the dates and times of its Music on the Green performances by calling (970) 879-4300, or check the park’s kiosk for a listing of its upcoming events. Guests traveling via car to the gardens should take U.S. 40, turn west on Tralfalger Lane, and then take a left on Pamela Lane to the parking lot – a short lane leads from this area to the botanic park’s entrance.