Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
We had a weekend family get-away to Crested Butte, Colorado in mid July 2026. We picked this hike as it’s highly rated by locals as the best bang for the buck hike near CB, and it certainly delivered big time. The last mile of the dirt road between Lake Irwin and the trailhead requires high clearance 4WD/AWD vehicle. We did the loop clockwise with the steep climb first up to the ridge. There were still plenty of wildflowers at the lower portion of the trail, and the views along the entire hike were fantastic, especially along the ridge. Be sure to hike the spur trail to the top of a high point for a fantastic 360° view of Blue Lake below and surrounding Elk Range mountains. Total stats: 4.5 miles with 1600’ elevation gain
#crestedbutte
We had a weekend family get-away to Crested Butte, Colorado in mid July 2026. We picked this hike as it’s highly rated by locals as the best bang for the buck hike near CB, and it certainly delivered big time. The last mile of the dirt road between Lake Irwin and the trailhead requires high clearance 4WD/AWD vehicle. We did the loop clockwise with the steep climb first up to the ridge. There were still plenty of wildflowers at the lower portion of the trail, and the views along the entire hike were fantastic, especially along the ridge. Be sure to hike the spur trail to the top of a high point for a fantastic 360° view of Blue Lake below and surrounding Elk Range mountains. Total stats: 4.5 miles with 1600’ elevation gain
#crestedbutte
