Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs, population of about 9,815, is located in Routt County, of which it is the county seat. It lies along State Highway 40 in Yampa Valley, near Routt National Forest.

Trappers arrived here in the early 1800s. Steamboat Springs is said to be named when French trappers thought they heard a steamboat engine. The chugging sound actually came from a mineral spring.

Close to the city are 157 medicinal and recreational springs; water from hot springs fills the indoor swimming pool and the mineral baths at the public pool. Steamboat Springs is renowned for its winter sports venues, including Mt. Werner, which offers 21 lifts, more than 2,935 acres of ski terrain and 128 trails. Howelson Hill maintains training jumps for future Olympic competitors. The city hosts an annual week-long Winter Carnival, a tradition which began in 1913.

Visitors and residents alike enjoy the area's hiking and biking trails, and the array of shops and restaurants downtown.