Surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of public land, Steamboat also offers plenty of recreational opportunities for when you’re out of the saddle.

Fly fishing enthusiasts can wet their lines in miles of public waters. Lure fat browns and rainbows from the Yampa right in town, head north to the Elk River, south to Sarvis Creek, or up into the high country for alpine lake fishing.

Kayakers will enjoy playing in the whitewater, where man-made waves and holes dot the Yampa right through the heart of downtown. Relax on a summer tube. Boat, paddleboard, swim. With the Elk and Yampa rivers flowing through town and Stagecoach Reservoir and Steamboat Lake just a short drive, water activities abound in Steamboat.

Hikers will find plenty of terrain in Routt National Forest, from multiday backpacking trips in the surrounding Sarvis Creek and Zirkel Wilderness Areas to beautiful and accessible hikes like the popular Fish Creek Falls trail right out of town.

Is there a bugler in the bunch? Northwestern Colorado is home to the largest elk herds in the county. Come during the crisp, colored months of fall for some of the best big game hunting in the country.