14 Fun Things to Do in the Mountains this May

Now that the resorts have mostly shuttered for the season, it’s an ideal time for Coloradans to explore the parts of their personality that don’t revolve around snow.

Are you a budding poet? Attend a workshop at the Mountain Words Festival happening in Crested Butte this month. Want to keep your quads taut in the off-season? Sign up for a cycle through Independence Pass. Fancy yourself a comedy connoisseur? Head to Vail Comedy Festival. We promise, there’s plenty to do while you wait for schussing season.

Jump ahead:

• Summit County
• Vail and Beaver Creek
• Crested Butte
• Estes Park
• Glenwood Springs
• Steamboat Springs
• Aspen

Summit County

Slush Rush

Melting snow isn’t all bad—without it, this raucous relay race wouldn’t exist. Held on Copper Mountain, teams of three will compete in various challenges (superpipe slalom, cross course, rails & pond skim) to get the best combined time. The winning group will win the Slush Rush trophy, but individuals can also receive recognition in the costume contest and for showing off the best trick during the rails & pond skim. May 3; starting at 8:30 a.m.; $75 per team

Irrational Indigenous Insights: Exhibition Reception & Artist Talk

What we now call Summit County was historically inhabited by the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes. While much of that history is overlooked today, multimedia artist Anna Tsouhlarakis is highlighting Native American culture in this exhibition which focuses on Native art and the experience of Native women. Through sculpture, video, photography, performance, and other mediums, Tsouhlarakis exposes the struggles—and resilience—of Native American communities. Exhibition reception May 24; 5–7 p.m.; free; exhibit on display from May 24–August 31

SunsetLive!

In mountain towns like Avon, you’re safe from the Sunday Scaries. That’s because instead of fretting about Monday morning’s problems, you can spend Sundays lounging and listening to live music at the Terrace at the Avon Performance Pavilion. Claim a spot on land or sidle up to the stage on a SUP board and let acts such as the Intergalactic Peace Jelly and psychedelic rock band Hobo Village stave off the stress. May 25–Aug. 31; Sundays 6–8 p.m.; free

Vail and Beaver Creek

Derby Party at Lookout Bar

If you prefer to watch the Kentucky Derby far from muddy infield mayhem and packed crowds, book a table at this decidedly classier affair. Hats are still encouraged (there will be a prize for the best dressed) and mint juleps and other themed cocktails will flow. May 3; 3–9 p.m.; reservations required

Vail Comedy Festival

Cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Austin are typically contenders for the best comedy scenes—but for one week each spring, Vail turns into a comedy hub in its own right. Comedians including Andy Haynes (Conan and HBO), Katie Hannigan (Colbert), and Sarah Tollemache (Corden, Comedy Central) will perform sets at venues around Vail. New this year is FILM@Vail Comedy Fest where you can catch a screening of the unreleased film Anxiety Club with comedians Joe List, Aparna Nancherla, and Mark Normand. May 23–25; times vary; three-day pass: starting at $209

Blues, Brews & BBQ

The barbecue-and-blues heartland might be a ways away from Beaver Creek, but luckily this annual gathering will help Southern transplants feel right at home. While you hear live arrangements from the likes of Duwayne Burnside (son of legendary blues artist RL Burnside) and soul singer Bettye LaVette, you’ll get to watch—and taste the results of—competitions centered around beef and pork. Make sure to purchase a beer punch card so you can pair your entrées with a pint. May 23–25; times vary; free admission, event prices start at $15

SpringFree Bluegrass Festival

Between tariffs and inflation, there doesn’t seem to be a single commodity that hasn’t increased in price over the years—but this sans-cost music fest might be the exception. From the Nicki Bluhm Band to the Terrapin Family Band (featuring Grateful Dead member Phil Lesh’s son, Grahame), music lovers will be treated to a high-value lineup without forking over a Franklin. May 23–25; 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; free

Crested Butte

Mountain Words Festival

Typically, Crested Butte attracts ski bums, mountain bikers, and occasionally, film buffs. But at the end of the month, Ski Town USA will be swarmed with wordsmiths from across the state—and country. Authors such as Karen Russell (The Antidote), Deborah Jackson Taffa (Whiskey Tender), and Ernest Scheyder (The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power our Lives) will discuss their work, lead workshops, and host book signings. The packed schedule includes conversations about the return of the gray wolf, the so-called “tequila wars,” and the business of Mount Everest. May 22–25; event times vary; some events free, single events start at $50; three-day passes cost $350

Estes Park

The Great Estes Park Duck Race

The competitors in this for-charity race aren’t your average athletes. In fact, they haven’t been training at all, they don’t have legs, and they can only travel in water. OK—they’re plastic ducks. Attendees can purchase a miniature racer for $25 ($23 of which goes toward charities and nonprofits such as Boys & Girls Club of Larimer County and the Estes Valley Land Trust; you can pick which group your duck benefits), then stick around for live music, food trucks, and kids activities. Two-legged athletes can sign up for the Duck Waddle 5K on the same day. May 3; 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; free attendance, ducks cost $25

Samson’s Revenge

The namesake of this race series has been called Estes Park’s most famous elk. A frequent guest of YMCA of the Rockies’ land, Samson the elk became a local celebrity because of his remarkably friendly nature toward humans—that is until 1995 when a poacher illegally killed him. So, residents created these 10k, 27k, and 55k running races that ascend Estes Park’s Bible Point Trail in his memory. Winners receive a prize from Space Cowboy Tattoo, and each participant can look forward to a party at the summit of Bible Point. May 17; 9 a.m.; $120–$150

Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

Ski lifts aren’t the only way to get extra-high views of the mountains. At this high-elevation amusement park, which opens for the season this month, you can get air on a number of goosebump-inducing rides, including the “Defiance,” which is America’s highest looping roller coaster. New this year is Little Feet Playland, a nature-inspired playground where tots can crawl through logs, balance on trees, and climb rocks. Opens May 2; weekdays 10 a.m.–5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; $32–$62

Steamboat Springs

Wild Edible Cook-off and Feast

Grocery prices have gotten so out of hand that it might be more cost-effective to learn how to forage. If that sounds up your alley, sign up for this Chopped-style cook-off, in which five Steamboat chefs will use a basket of foraged plants and game to make a unique dish. Guests will dig into each dish to judge them on flavor, creativity, and innovative use of ingredients. Sign up for its sister event, Forage for Your Feast (May 19), to go on a guided hike with two foraging experts and learn even more about edible plants. May 22; 4:30–9 p.m.; $150

Yampa River Festival

For 45 years, the Friends of the Yampa River have hosted this hydro-centric bash to raise awareness and funds for the conservation of the river. Water enthusiasts can enroll in a variety of races and events—like a SUP downriver race, a SUP rodeo, and a kayak cross—or watch from the banks with a beer in hand. May 29–June 1; event times vary; event participation $15–$25

Aspen

Ride for the Pass

Traversing Independence Pass is spectacular in a car, so what cyclist wouldn’t want to cross the iconic Colorado byway on their bike? Before the pass opens for the summer, bikers will have an opportunity to do just that. Choose a challenging 10-mile course up the Independence ghost town site (elevation gain: approximately 2,300 feet) or a more relaxing two-mile jaunt that ends at the Weller Lake turnout. Replenish lost calories after the climb with barbecue back at the start line. May 17; 10:30 a.m.; $25–$45 per person