Five Hidden Gems of Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs is built a little differently from the other Colorado mountain towns. Sure, it’s got the skiing, it’s got the mountain biking, it’s got the high-end restaurants in a quaint downtown. But don’t get over your skis in lumping Steamboat with Vail, Aspen, or Telluride.

Up in Routt County, Steamboat Springs has a gentler vibe about it. The mountains range above town but they are greener, shorter, and less intimidating. The Park Range, which rises up to the East of SBT, tops out at 12,178 feet, much shorter than the towering 14ers Colorado is known for.

Instead of the heady heights of Summit County or the San Juan Mountains, Steamboat has some of the richest wildflower meadows, Aspen groves that rival any in the state, and rolling farm country that provides a beautiful ranch aesthetic to the liminal spaces between adventure locations.

With summer coming in hot, and SBT a great place for a summer break, we picked five places we have loved after visiting Steamboat Springs over the years for SBT GRVL, but there is so much more to explore in Colorado’s northernmost mountain outpost.

Emerald Mountain and the joy of SBT underbiking 

Steamboat Springs’ drop bar riding is known for the champagne gravel of SBT GRVL, but some of the best riding you can do unlocks a bit of the gnarlier terrain Steamboat has to offer. With the area known as a spectacular mountain biking destination, getting a full slate of the Routt County experience requires a bit of underbiking.

While many of the trails around town are too technical for a gravel bike, Emerald Mountain is a happy home ot some of the best underbiking in Colorado. The terrain is just hard enough to keep you on your toes, looking alive as you dip and dive around the Aspen trees that give the mountain the emerald green look that generates the area’s name. Nevertheless, if you choose the right trails, there aren’t the roots and rocks that can cause a nasty surprise when riding gravel bikes on mountain bike territory.

One of the best underbiking loops around Emerald Mountain starts on the far side of the mountain from a trailhead off Cow Creek road, a well-trodden staple of SBT courses. The route goes up the mountain via Ridge Trail, before taking the Wild Rose Trail, Prayer Flag, and NPR back down towards the town center. The ride is not for the inexperienced and requires a bit of gumption, but the juice is well worth the squeeze for the ultimate 20 to 30 miles of SBT riding.

The best of the champagne gravel is not far from town 

When people speak of the champagne gravel of Steamboat Springs, there is the intended definition, and there is the definition that has been created over time. Originally, the term champagne gravel simply referred to gravel around Steamboat, tying the gravel riding to the identity of the “champagne powder” for which Steamboat’s skiing is known.

Over time, that has morphed into a description of the smooth, hard-packed gravel roads that have a light, champagne-colored dirt, which have defined SBT GRVL. Ultimately, oftentimes, both of those definitions are the same thing, and much of that riding is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the town center.

To achieve maximum impact immediately, head to County Road 44. That road itself is not the most impressive, but it is the gateway to a series of loops and climbs that cut through some of the most spectacular high-altitude ranch land in the American West. County Road 44A, 52E, and 46 are all key facets of the iconography of SBT’s champagne gravel, and they are all accessible from County Road 44 in loops that range from 30-miles to long days among the rolling hills and smooth gravel of Routt County.

Strawberry Hot Springs provides relaxation away from the hustle and bustle

Beyond the riding, Strawberry Hot Springs looms large as a must-do stop on a Steamboat Springs adventure. The natural hot springs sit a short drive from town, out of one of the narrow river valleys that run into the Yampa River, which cuts through the middle of town.

Past the surrounding neighborhoods and a few very steep hairpins up a gravel road, you’ll find a quaint hot springs resort that offers a huge selection of pools that range in temperature, a family-friendly environment during the day, and additional massage offerings. The Strawberry Host Springs might not be a resort in the conventional sense of the word, but it still offers a truly unique experience that can be a part of anyone’s vacation.

Corner Slice is a pizza place with big-city quality 

Lincoln Avenue, which serves as the de facto main street through the heart of Steamboat Springs, is packed with restaurants, shops, and galleries, vying for your attention. Many of them are surely worth your attention, but one such place seems to hit a little harder as a standout spot along the block.

Corner Slice, which sits tucked away smack dab in the middle of the Lincoln Ave. strip, is a perfect spot for any pizza enthusiast. Many mountain towns, in Colorado and beyond, have Pizza that is worth the swing, but few really live up to the expectations that big city pizza places can produce. The Corner Slice really does match that standard, with great sauce, a nice crispy crust, and a robust swath of toppings that range from pepperoni to balsamic glaze.

Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series 

What is a western town without a rodeo? Steamboat Springs couldn’t tell you. The town hosts a weekly pro rodeo series throughout the summer at the Brent Romick Rodeo Arena, right at the base of the Emerald Mountain trails and ski jump venue that hosted the SBT hill climb competition for years.

The rodeo, which runs on Friday and Saturday, has been a beacon of the ranching core of the area that has thrived since the late 1800s. The rodeo itself has been around since the 1970s and continues to provide an outlet for the community to come together and celebrate the western spirit that sets the tone for everything else that happens in Routt County.

Find more things to do in SBT with our insider guide to SBT GRVL 

If these activities sound like your speed, or you are looking to get even more out of a Steamboat Springs experience, check out our insider guide to SBT GRVL. There, you will find everything you might need to know to master a vacation to Colorado’s northernmost mountain town.