Steamboat Springs is a great destination to stop at when visiting Colorado. With mountain peaks all around, combined with its geothermal activity, it makes for the perfect weekend getaway. Denver is only about a 3 hour drive away. The scenic highways also make it feel like the ride itself is an adventure!
While the main attractions at Steamboat Springs are skiing and snowboarding, there are plenty of other activities you can do in this town in the wintertime. Here are some of the best winter activities you can do in Steamboat Springs that do not involve hitting the slopes:
1. Snowshoeing At Rabbits Ears Pass
Rabbits Ears Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado that is located between the towns of Steamboat Springs and Kremling. The area is accessible either by snowshoeing, snowmobile, or cross country skiing. While I may be biased, I think that snowshoeing is definitely the best way to see this area. You can really take your time to see the sights, and have the most flexibility to go off-trail.
We decided to spend our Valentine’s Day this year doing the West Summit Loop Trail A. We cannot recommend it enough! It features beautiful views of the surrounding areas, and takes you right through the summit. Even though this trail is not classified as advanced, it still had a considerable number of ascents and descents, and definitely gave us a good workout. The trail is a 5.9km (or 3.7 miles) loop from the start of the West Summit Trailhead, which is approximately 21km (or 13 miles) east on US-40.
If you’re an avid snowshoer or want a little bit more of a challenge, you can also do this loop counter-clockwise, which they’ve named West Summit Loop B. Instead of the few steep ascents that you’ll have on Loop A, Loop B has a much longer, but steady ascent for the majority of the trail. For other snowshoe trails, we also were able to find this blog post talking about other trails.
2. Visit Strawberry Park Hot Springs
Steamboat Springs, as mentioned above, is a town that has plenty of geothermal activity. So it’d be a shame to not visit a hot spring while you’re there!
Throughout our numerous trips around Colorado, Matt and I have really enjoyed visiting different hot springs of all types. It’s a great way to relax, be present, and really enjoy the natural beauty and wonders that Colorado has to offer. Strawberry Park Hot Springs is one of two options for hot springs in this area and is a can’t miss. Out of all the hot springs we’ve been to, this one has got to be our favourite (read about our favourite “natural/primitive” hot springs near Pagosa Springs).
Strawberry Park Hot Springs has a $20 entrance fee (cash-only) and currently requires reservations to enter. It is about a 20-30 drive from the town. This drive passes through a road that only allows 4WD’s to pass in the wintertime (Nov 1 – May 1), so make sure you’re well prepared to avoid any disappointment. This is a great place to wind down and relax, both during the daytime or the nighttime.
If you are travelling with a family or don’t have access to a 4WD, you can also visit Old Town Hot Springs. This option is a lot closer to town, more accessible and family friendly.
3. Walk around on Lincoln Avenue + Dine In
For a nice afternoon or evening stroll, we recommend Lincoln Avenue. This is a great street to walk around on as there’s plenty of food, drinks and shopping. If you’re looking for a break from all the fun activities you’ve been doing, this is the place to be. Note that Steamboat Springs also offers free public transportation to and from the downtown area, as well as the ski resorts, so you have no excuse!
Steamboat Springs has plenty of dining options, ranging from budget to high-end and will fit any type of dietary preferences. If you’ve never been to Beau Jo’s Pizza, we recommend this as a Colorado staple for some pies and beer!
4. Ice Fishing
Over the years, fishing, and especially ice fishing has grown in popularity in Colorado. This is true with both with locals as well as non-residents due to its abundant lakes and variety of fish. The best months for ice fishing are generally February – March. However, this is dependent on temperatures and ice fishing can still be done as long as the ice is thick enough.
There are a number of companies that offer ice fishing tours from Steamboat Springs, ranging in skill level as well as experience. And when I say a wide range.. I do really mean just that. There are tours that rent out only ice fishing equipment for those wanting to go themselves. There are also
all-inclusive tours that includes lessons, the history of ice fishing, as well as luxury cabins/huts equipped with its own coffee machine and flat screen TV while you ice fish in comfort.
The only thing you would need is a Colorado state fishing license, which can be purchased online here if you don’t have one already. Prices for fishing licenses vary depending on duration, as well as whether you’re a state resident or not, but otherwise, fairly easy to get. Or, if you’re looking to get out on your own, you’d just need an ice auger, a fishing pole, and some bait.
5. Snowmobiling
For a more exhilarating way to explore Steamboat Springs, there is also snowmobiling. That’s because this area has one of the highest averages of snowfall per year, with December being the highest month. It averages about 10-11 inches of snowfall, perfect for snowmobiling.
The main areas around Steamboat Springs to start your trails would be Muddy Creek Trailhead, Grizzly Creek Guard Station Trailhead, Seedhouse Trailhead and Steamboat Lake State Park. There is a wide network of trails that start from these 4 trailheads, with some that go further up in elevation and are more advanced.
If you don’t have your own snowmobile(s), there are plenty of rental companies within town. These also range in variety, from unguided snowmobile rentals to full guided tours. A great resource for a list of the rentals available can be found here.
Overall, if you don’t want to go skiing or snowboarding, there’s still plenty of things to do in Steamboat Springs that will make your trip memorable. We love this area so much, and will absolutely come back again when we can.
Have any of you visited Steamboat Springs? What types of activities did you like to do here?
