Crested Butte Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Trails (PROST) Plan Update
SE Group partnered with the Town of Crested Butte to update its Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails (PROST) Plan, creating a community-driven roadmap for the next decade. Through extensive public engagement, system analysis, and collaboration with regional partners, the plan establishes strategies to enhance recreation opportunities, strengthen trail and park connections, steward open space, and ensure long-term financial sustainability while preserving Crested Butte’s unique character.
The Town of Crested Butte partnered with SE Group to update its Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails (PROST) Plan, establishing a strategic roadmap to guide investments in community recreation, trail connectivity, park improvements, and open space stewardship over the next decade. Building on the community’s strong outdoor culture and extensive recreation assets, the planning process engaged residents, stakeholders, partner organizations, and Town leadership to identify priorities and create a shared vision for the future of Crested Butte’s parks, programs, trails, and public spaces.
Crested Butte’s parks, trails, and open spaces are woven into the fabric of daily life, providing opportunities for recreation, connection, and stewardship across all seasons. The Town’s recreation system serves not only local residents but also the broader North Valley community, creating a network of amenities that support quality of life and community wellbeing. Through community engagement and system analysis, the planning process identified three key focus areas: balancing recreation demand with financial sustainability, strengthening partnerships to meet regional needs, and improving connectivity and access while protecting natural areas and ecosystems.
The PROST Plan establishes a framework for addressing these priorities through strategic investments, operational improvements, and long-term stewardship initiatives. Key recommendations include enhancing existing parks and recreation facilities, reducing recreation program waitlists, improving trail and park connectivity, advancing the “Town as a Trailhead” concept, strengthening open space acquisition and management practices, and leveraging partnerships to expand recreation opportunities across the region. The plan also emphasizes creative multi-use of public spaces, thoughtful capital planning, and fiscally responsible decision-making to ensure long-term sustainability.
The PROST Plan provides a clear framework for future investment, stewardship, and decision-making across Crested Butte’s parks, recreation system, open spaces, and trails. Grounded in community values and shaped through extensive public engagement, the plan helps ensure that recreation opportunities, natural resources, and public spaces continue to support a healthy, connected, and resilient community for years to come.
Explore the Crested Butte Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails Plan
