Two Colorado spots dubbed top American 'small-town' skiing destinations

Travel + Leisure has once again given Colorado a big shoutout, this time on their list of best American 'small-town ski destinations.'

If you're familiar with Colorado's skiing scene, you can probably guess which spots were selected prior to the big reveal.

Both Crested Butte and Telluride were featured on the unranked list of seven places, accompanied by four eastern spots and Taos, New Mexico.

Both Colorado picks have long been heralded as top winter destinations in the Centennial State and both have no shortage of small-town charm.

While Telluride and Crested Butte have each been growing in recent years, their more remote locations seem to keep them a bit isolated from crowds that tend to swarm the state's central mountain ski country region.

Heck, I was in Crested Butte a couple weeks ago for one of their biggest winter events and throughout the weekend, free parking could be found on their main street without even having to make a second pass to look for spots. Not to mention, colorful buildings that line the streets create the perfect small town scene.

Telluride has started to feel a bit more uppity in recent years, but it still delivers big on 'Wild West' vibes.

Sure, the typical mountain town headaches still exist in these spots and like I already mentioned, they've been getting more popular in recent years. However, if you're looking for a true ski town experience that comes without as much hustle and bustle, both of these spots are good places to find it.

See the full Travel + Leisure list here.

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