Steamboat Springs, Colorado was a small ranching community before it became a world-class ski resort. The town was first settled in 1875 when James Crawford and his family moved to the area. Soon others followed and by 1885 five more families were calling Steamboat Springs home. In 1909 the railroad made its way through the West, bringing the first tourists to the town. The main attraction of the times was the abundance of natural thermal mineral springs located throughout the area. Over 150 springs had been discovered and folks believed that the waters had medicinal properties. In fact, the town got its name from the ‘chug-chug’ sound made by one of the springs. Today, visitors can take a leisurely stroll through downtown Steamboat Springs and view many of the historic buildings from the town’s beginnings.
Although skis were used as a way of getting around in the winter, skiing as a recreational sport didn’t happen until Carl Howelsen arrived in 1914. Known as the ‘Flying Norseman’, Howelsen introduced ski jumping to the residents and a new industry was born. Howelsen Hill is now home to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and the ski area is training grounds for Olympic skiers. Skiing became increasingly popular in Steamboat Springs, so a new ski area was developed and in 1961 Storm Mountain was opened. The ski area was renamed Mount Werner in 1964, after the death of local Olympic skier Buddy Werner. Now a world-class ski resort, Steamboat Springs hardly resembles the small cow town of old. Visitors come from all points of the globe to ski our famous “Champagne Powder”.
Summertime in Steamboat Springs is as enjoyable as the wintertime. Steamboat Springs is located in the Northwest corner of Colorado at an elevation of 6,695 feet. We are surrounded by National Forests and Wilderness Areas; Routt National Forest, Flat Tops Wilderness Area and the Zirkel Wilderness (just to name a few). Some of the most beautiful scenery in North America can be found here. Perfect for day hikes, camping trips and climbing. There are also plenty of rivers for whitewater enthusiasts. Steamboat Springs may have gotten a little bigger over the years, however, its remote location makes it a wonderful getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life.