Crested Butte, Colorado

The hills are alive with: Mountain biking and movies

Get elevated: It's not just the altitude—an air-gulping 9,000 feet—causing the unusual giddiness in Crested Butte. Nope, that light-headed feeling also comes from the dizzying array of mountain-biking trails that curl and corkscrew around the southwestern Colorado town. Back in the '70s, locals began storming the Elk Mountains on Schwinn bicycles with retrofitted gears and knobby tires. Today, Crested Butte is home to 300 miles of trails, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, and a summer-long celebration of the sport. Late June heralds the arrival of Fat Tire Bike Week, with bike limbos, scavenger hunts, and pig roasts, while July and August bring a race series to the ski resort Mount Crested Butte. The eighth month also means the Crested Butte Reel Fest, which shows short films. Whether you're into wheels or reels, you'll find summer deals at the Ruby of Crested Butte, a six-room B&B in town with wrought-iron beds and dizzying mountain views.

Peak times: Last week of June (for Fat Tire Bike Week) and second week of August (for the Crested Butte Reel Fest)

Fat Tire Bike Week
Tel: 800 545 4505

Crested Butte Reel Fest
Tel: 970 349 2600

Ruby of Crested Butte
Tel: 800 390 1338
Doubles from $199