Steamboat Resort is known for its Champagne Powder, snow so light and fluffy it tickles your nose like champagne bubbles. But what if you are not here to ski and still want to enjoy the snow?
Not to worry. Steamboat fun does not start at the top of the gondola and end at the base area. For guests who have never stepped foot on skis, family members who want other options, or skiers who just want a day doing something new, there is plenty here.
Here are our top picks, with current hours and phone numbers so you can actually book them.
1. Snowmobile Tours
Steamboat Snowmobile Tours | (970) 879-6500 | Daily 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The best "I do not ski but I want an adventure story" option in town. Guided tours head into the backcountry around Rabbit Ears Pass, with meadows, lookouts, and machines that are genuinely easy to handle for first-timers. Guides handle everything including condo pickup and drop-off, and there is usually hot chocolate involved.
Suitable across a wide range of ages, which makes it one of the rare activities a teenager and a grandparent can both enjoy. Saddleback Ranch also runs snowmobile tours, at (970) 879-3711.
2. Hot Springs
Old Town Hot Springs
136 Lincoln Ave | (970) 879-1828 | Monday to Friday 5:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
oldtownhotsprings.org
Soak, relax, and rejuvenate in natural outdoor mineral pools right in the heart of downtown. The pools have been here for over a century, enjoyed first by the Ute people and later by the town's homesteaders. There are lap pools, open pools to relax in, small hot soaking pools, waterslides, and a climbing wall for kids. Keep your receipt and you can come and go all day.
Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs
44200 County Road 36 | (970) 879-0342 | Sunday to Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Less than seven miles from downtown and considerably more dramatic. Natural stone pools built into the mountainside with temperatures around 101 to 105 degrees, surrounded by pines with a creek running alongside. Reservations are required, four wheel drive is strongly recommended in winter, and bring cash.
Local's Tip: more detail in our guide to Steamboat hot springs.
3. Snow Tubing & Sleigh Ride Dinner
Saddleback Ranch
37350 County Road 179 | (970) 879-3711 | Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
saddlebackranch.net
Pull down your hat and strap on your spurs. An hour and a half of tubing on the Yee Haw Tubing Hill, a longtime favorite for kids and adults alike, followed by a horse-drawn sleigh ride dinner. This is Saddleback's most popular winter package and the one guests talk about afterward.
A free shuttle is available, but a tubing reservation is required. Book ahead for holiday weeks.
4. Ice Skating & Ice Bumper Cars
Howelsen Ice Arena
285 Howelsen Pkwy | (970) 871-7033
City of Steamboat Springs
The only indoor rink in town, with an Olympic-size sheet of ice hosting figure skating, hockey leagues, and public skating. There are skate walkers for little kids and a snack bar up front.
The thing nobody expects: ice bumper cars. Guests consistently describe them as the most fun they had all trip. You can skate and do bumper cars in the same session, and they are suitable for roughly ages 8 and up, with parents able to ride along with younger children.
Important: check the online calendar for public skate times before you go. The rink shares ice with hockey practice and school programs, and visitors have turned up, rented gear, and been shut out an hour later.
Skeeter's Ice Skating Rink at the base of Steamboat Resort is the centerpiece of Steamboat Square. Free to the public with your own skates, with rentals available for a fee, first come first served. You must be wearing skates to enter the rink. Check the resort for current hours.
5. Fat Biking
Fat biking is rolling strong here, on the groomed trails at Howelsen Hill and beyond. Shops around town rent snow bikes, including Ski Haus at 1457 Pine Grove Rd, (970) 879-0385. You can do lift-served riding with no pedaling required, or head out and explore the groomed trails on Emerald Mountain under your own steam.
For a complete listing of local trails, visit Routt County Riders.
6. Horseback Riding
Del's Triangle 3 Ranch
55675 County Road 62, Clark, CO | (970) 879-3495 | Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Sundays
steamboathorses.com
Saddle up and try some of Steamboat's Western heritage on a guided winter trail ride. The trails run through wilderness areas and parts of the national forest, with a good chance of seeing wildlife. A family-owned operation with guides who take genuine care with nervous first-time riders.
Note the ranch is up in Clark, about a 30 minute drive north of Steamboat. Bring cash.
7. Lucky 8 Ranch Bison Tour
Lucky 8 Ranch
23850 Tobiano Trail, Oak Creek, CO | (970) 846-8766 | Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Mondays
Tucked into the hills beyond Steamboat in the town of Oak Creek is a 3,000-plus acre ranch that is home to Colorado's largest buffalo restoration project. Family owned and operated since 2014, with over 500 head of bison plus horses, alpacas, llamas, and chickens.
Guided tours take you out through the pastures, and guests regularly report seeing rare white bison. This is the only touring buffalo ranch in Colorado. About a 20 to 25 minute drive from Steamboat.
Local's Tip: read more in our Lucky 8 Ranch feature.
8. Main Street Shopping
Downtown Steamboat is the heart of the community, running from 3rd to 13th Street and from the Yampa River to Oak Street, with shops, restaurants, galleries, and spas throughout. A genuinely good way to spend an afternoon with a coffee in hand.
A few favorites:
- Ohana, 843 Lincoln Ave, (970) 367-3008, daily 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Locally designed and screen printed apparel, art, and gifts. Our pick for a Steamboat souvenir that is not generic.
- Fuzziwig's Candy Factory, 845 Lincoln Ave, (970) 879-6194, daily 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For the sweet tooth, plus ice cream.
- Urbane Clothing, 703 Lincoln Ave #B-101, (970) 879-9169, daily 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Well curated apparel and a surprisingly good skate shop.
- Elevated Olive of Steamboat, 708 Lincoln Ave, (970) 879-0300, daily 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Flavored olive oils, balsamics, wine, and local products. Excellent for gifts you can actually pack.
9. Spa Treatments
Unwind from a day outdoors with a spa afternoon. Local spas and salons offer body treatments, massage, facials, and wraps.
Waterside Day Spa & Salon
1110 Yampa St #110 | (970) 457-0392 | Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed Sundays
Worth knowing about: they have a salt room, which guests consistently single out as relaxing and restorative, and a good option to do with a friend.
Other local options include Rocky Mountain Day Spa and several nail salons downtown if you want an hour in a massage chair without a full booking.
10. Helicopter Tour
Zephyr Helicopter Company
3499 Airport Circle | (970) 879-0494 | Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Saturdays and Sundays
zephyrhelicopter.com
Soar above the snow-capped peaks and take in the Yampa Valley and the Rockies from the air. The longest operating helicopter company in Colorado, with a pilot-owner who gets consistently excellent reviews.
Plan around the weekday-only schedule, which catches out a lot of Saturday visitors. Weather dependent, so build in flexibility.
11. Hot Air Balloon Rides
Float above the Yampa Valley, the Flat Tops, and the inactive volcano at Hahn's Peak. Balloon rides take off in the morning when the valley is sparkling with sunrise, and reservations are required.
Seasonal note: balloon flights are highly weather and wind dependent, and deep winter operations are limited. If you have your heart set on this, ask about availability well ahead, and consider it more of a shoulder-season activity.
See our hot air balloon feature for more.
More Free & Easy Options
- Ride the gondola. A scenic ride ticket gets non-skiers to Thunderhead Lodge for lunch with a view.
- Sledding at Howelsen Hill. Cheap, simple, and a guaranteed hit with kids.
- Sunset Happy Hour at Thunderhead, free for 26/27 Ikon passholders and $30 otherwise, with live music and a toast to the sunset.
- Snowshoeing and cross country skiing on the valley floor, which requires no skill beyond walking.
- Winter Carnival, February 2 to 7, 2027. The whole town turns out. See our Winter Carnival guide.
Check the full Steamboat winter event calendar for what is happening during your stay.
Stay In A Luxe Vacation Home
At Steamboat Lodging Company we aim to keep the fun going, even while you are away from home. After a day of non-skiing delights, there is nothing better than a real house with room to spread out.
All our homes are set up with your comfort in mind, from hotel-style luxury linens to a proper seating area to views of the Yampa Valley just outside.
- Downtown Steamboat rentals, walkable to Lincoln Avenue and the hot springs
- Mountain area rentals
- Private homes and townhomes for groups
- Pet friendly rentals
Browse all Steamboat Springs lodging, check our lodging deals, and book direct for the best rate.
Contact Steamboat Lodging Company
Tell us who is coming and what they are into, and we will build you a plan that keeps the skiers and non-skiers equally happy.
Phone: 970-457-4785
Email: Contact us here
Office: 1169 Hilltop Parkway, #101A, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
More Steamboat Planning Resources
- How To Fly Into Steamboat Springs
- Steamboat's Christmas & NYE Holiday Guide
- Steamboat Winter Event Calendar '26/27
- Top 15 Restaurants in Steamboat Springs
Hours, phone numbers, and locations verified as of publication and subject to change. Seasonal operations vary and weather-dependent activities may be cancelled. Please call ahead to confirm and book.