Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum & Mountain Bike Hall of Fame

Description:

• This interesting museum, located in an 1883 building, concentrates on the area's mining, ranching, and skiing heritage, with interactive exhibits, historical photos, and a wide array of memorabilia from local settlers' cabins. The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame covers the compelling story of the "clunkers" -- no-frills, fat-tire beach cruisers -- that took perhaps the world's first mountain bikers over Pearl Pass to Aspen in 1976; other exhibits cover inductees, technological innovation, and other landmark moments in the sport. You can pick up a free copy of the Crested Butte walking-tour map here, and there is a well-stocked gift shop, to boot. Allow about an hour.

• © Frommer's 2012