The Town of Steamboat Springs is essentially separated into several areas. One is the mountain area (known simply as "the mountain" or "the base area") surrounding the base of the Steamboat Ski Area on Mt. Werner, there are multiple shops as well as dining and nightlife. The area also includes many hotels, condominiums, and rental homes. The area is relatively easy to navigate on foot, but driving can be more difficult.
The other major area is downtown, around 4 miles from the Ski Area. Downtown Steamboat is located along Lincoln Avenue (US 40) and stretches 8-10 blocks between Third Street and Eleventh Street. This is the historic area of town. Shopping, dining and nightlife are here as well. Most of Steamboat's better restaurants are located downtown, and the area is much easier to navigate in a car than the mountain area. Parking on Lincoln Avenue is limited, but there are several parking lots on the numbered side streets.
West Steamboat is west of downtown and houses more locally-oriented businesses (like hardware stores, mechanics, and specialty shops).
Steamboat is long known for its legendary "Champagne Powder" snow, western heritage, and Olympic Tradition which gives Steamboat the name of "Ski Town USA." Steamboat is also known for its reputation as a breeding ground for US Winter Olympic Athletes, who often participate in the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club that practices and trains athletes on Howelsen Hill. Howelsen Hill is Steamboat's second, smaller ski area, and is located near the downtown area. Howelsen Hill is the oldest continuous operating ski area in Colorado. Tickets here are much cheaper than at the Steamboat Ski Area, but terrain is also much smaller and includes one lift that operates on weekends, a pomma, a halfpipe, and several runs.
Notable Steamboat sites:
Fish Creek Falls Waterfall located in the town of Steamboat Springs. These falls are also pictured on the label of Coors Beer.
Routt National Forest
Flat Top Mountains
Continental Divide Trail
Steamboat Lake State Park
Stagecoach State Park
Strawberry Park Hot Springs Natural hot springs just outside of Steamboat.
Yampa River Core Trail A beautiful paved trail that follows the Yampa River through downtown Steamboat Springs.
Howelsen Hill The oldest continuous operating ski area in Colorado.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Steamboat Springs
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Steamboat Springs - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Steamboat Springs hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Steamboat Springs Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
