The majesty of the timeless Rocky Mountains. The adrenaline thrill of dauntingly high ski jumps. The wind in your hair on a long, fast canter over the hills on horseback. Visit Steamboat Springs and your sense of adventure bounds to life, pulsating with energy and excitement at the many opportunities to explore the area’s boundless offerings.The Rocky Mountains come to life in Spring, their green trails promising invigorating hikes and bike rides. The local ranches can always use a hand this time of year, encouraging locals and visitors to don their cowboy gear for a day and join the cattle drive. In summer, the Yampa River beckons, promising a thrilling journey down the white-water rapids on kayak. Colorado’s last un-dammed, major river, the Yampa is swollen with spring runoff in May and June, its 60-plus rapids swirling furiously. In calmer months, it’s a place where children hunt for fish in the shallows, while fly fishermen cast their lines in a graceful arabesque, in search of rainbow trout. Come winter, Steamboat Springs becomes a wonderland of ice and snow, its cottonwood trees embraced by frost. The tall mountain peaks of the Rockies are decked in fine powder, offering 164 trails and close to 3,000 acres of perfect ski terrain. Some explore these routes by dog sled, driving a team of energetic Alaskan Huskies along backcountry trails. Others choose to race down the hills on snowboards, to tread gingerly on snowshoes or to test their mettle with a ski jump at Howelsen Hill. Whatever the contours of your sense of adventure, Steamboat Springs is a place brimming with possibility, one that knows no lethargy.
Home to a thriving artistic and musical community, Steamboat Springs is a town devoid of pretentiousness and exclusivity. Here, culture is a way of life, the joy of music and the arts is something to be relished and shared, and world-class performances pepper the calendar year-round. The many cultural offerings at Steamboat Springs offer locals and residents a way of experiencing the proud traditions of ranching and the Western way of life, while fully appreciating the beauty of many genres of culture, from classical to ballet, history to literature and opera to dramatic theatre. Some come for the Strings in the Mountains Music Festival, an annual summer event that inspires thousands of listeners with spellbinding, world-class performances featuring the country’s top maestros. Visit the galleries or take in an art show and see how the magnificence of Steamboat Springs and its mountainous surroundings have inspired the town’s talented artistic community. Meet the author of your favorite book at the Annual Literary Sojourn, or treat yourself to an artistic retreat in the fall, where you can pursue your passion for art, writing or music in the shadow of the Rockies. Take in a performance from the Steamboat Dance Theatre, or the local Springs Chamber Orchestra, or witness a production by the Steamboat Community Players. Whatever your cultural preference, Steamboat Springs caters effortlessly to the arts. Its setting provides the inspiration, while its locals offer their talent. The result is a unique, unrivalled cultural experience performed with finesse.
