Gunnison County

Gunnison County is a large administrative area in central Colorado featuring mountain ranges, extensive forests, and the Gunnison River running through it. The landscape shifts between high plateaus and deep valleys, with historic mining town Crested Butte and the city of Gunnison serving as major centers.

The area was named after Captain John W. Gunnison, who surveyed railroad routes through here in 1853. Real development accelerated with the silver boom in the 1880s, when mining towns like Crested Butte sprang up.

The valley served as hunting grounds and a passage for Ute tribes long before European settlement. Today, visitors can still find traces of this indigenous presence throughout the region.

The terrain is mountainous and sits at high elevation, so winter road conditions can become challenging. Visitors should check weather before traveling and allow extra time for longer journeys through the region.

During the 1918 flu pandemic, the area implemented dramatic measures including road barricades and strict quarantine rules. This response was unusually harsh for the time and helped shield the population better than many other regions.

Location: Colorado

Inception: 1877

Capital city: Gunnison

Shares border with: Pitkin County, Hinsdale County, Delta County, Montrose County, Ouray County, Saguache County, Chaffee County

Website: https://gunnisoncounty.org

GPS coordinates: 38.67000,-107.01000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 09:20