Steamboat Springs, Colorado facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Home rule municipality

Downtown Steamboat Springs in May 2006 with the ski area in the background

Flag

Nickname(s):

Ski Town USA

Location of the City of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Location in Colorado

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Location in the United States

Country

United States

State

Steamboat Springs

July 19, 1900

Government

• Type

Home rule municipality

Area

• Total

9.90 sq mi (25.64 km²)

• Land

9.89 sq mi (25.61 km²)

• Water

0.01 sq mi (0.03 km²)

Elevation

6,867 ft (2,093 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

13,224

• Density

1,335.8/sq mi (515.76/km²)

Time zone

UTC−7 (MST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−6 (MDT)

ZIP Codes

80477, 80487, 80488

Area code(s)

970

FIPS code

08-73825

GNIS feature ID

2411976

Website

City Website

Steamboat Springs is a city in Colorado, United States. It is the main city in Routt County. In 2020, about 13,224 people lived there. Steamboat Springs is the biggest city in northwest Colorado.

This city is famous as a winter ski resort. It has the Steamboat Ski Resort on Mount Werner and the smaller Howelsen Hill Ski Area. Steamboat Springs has sent more athletes to the Winter Olympics than any other town in North America!

People sometimes call Steamboat Springs "The Boat." It is located in the beautiful Yampa River valley, near U.S. Highway 40. The city is about 150 miles northwest of Denver. It's also about 45 miles south of the Wyoming border. You can fly into Steamboat Springs Airport or Yampa Valley Airport to visit.

History of Steamboat Springs

Early Settlers and Growth

The area around Steamboat Springs was first home to the Yampatika band of the Utes. They hunted in the valley during the summer. In the early 1800s, trappers started to explore the area.

James Harvey Crawford, who founded Steamboat Springs, arrived in 1874. His family moved there in 1876. For five years, they were the only white residents. The Ute people were later moved to a reservation in Utah by the U.S. Army.

The town grew over time. The first sawmill was built in 1873. Steamboat Springs became an official town in 1900. The railroad arrived in 1909, which helped the town grow even more. The economy was first based on ranching and mining, which are still important today.

How Steamboat Got Its Name

Steamboat Springs has several natural hot springs. Early trappers heard a chugging sound from one of these springs. They thought it was a steamboat coming down the river! When they realized it was just the hot spring, they named it "Steamboat Spring."

Skiing Becomes Popular

Long ago, skiing was the main way to travel in the snowy Rocky Mountains. This helped skiing become a popular winter sport. In 1913, Carl Howelsen from Norway moved to Steamboat. He taught people about ski jumping.

Howelsen built the first ski jump on Howelsen Hill. This area is now part of the Howelsen Ski Area. He also started the yearly Winter Carnival. This festival is still held every winter. It includes ski racing, jumping, dog sledding, and chariot races down Lincoln Avenue, the main street. There are also light shows on Mount Werner and Howelsen Hill.

Carl Howelsen also started the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Howelsen Hill is now named after him. It is the oldest ski area in North America that is still open. It's also one of only three complete ski jumping places in the U.S.

The Steamboat Ski Resort was created by Jim Temple and John Fetcher. Temple led the project, and Fetcher designed and built much of it. The resort opened in 1963 on what was then called Storm Mountain.

Modern Developments

In 1974, a company called The Industrial Company (TIC) started in Steamboat Springs. It grew into a very large construction company. TIC was a big employer in Routt County. Later, Kiewit Engineering bought TIC.

In 1993, the city council asked residents to vote on a new name for a bridge over the Yampa River. The winning name was "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge." The famous singer James Brown even came to the opening ceremony in September 1993!

Historic Buildings to See

Steamboat Springs has some interesting old buildings:

The Christian Science Society building was built from logs in 1934. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Crawford House was built in 1894 by James Harvey Crawford, the city's founder. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography and Climate

Where Steamboat Springs Is Located

Steamboat Springs covers about 10.1 square miles (26.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. The Yampa River flows right through the middle of the city.

The area has several natural hot springs. The city is named after the Steamboat Spring. This spring is near the library and the old train station. Its bubbling sound reminded early settlers of a steamboat.

Even though there are no real steamboats in town, you can visit hot springs that are open to everyone.

Weather in Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs has a climate with warm summers and cold, snowy winters. This is called a "humid continental climate."

The hottest temperature ever recorded was 100°F (38°C) on June 29, 1990. The coldest temperature was -54°F (-48°C) on January 7, 1913.

Climate data for Steamboat Springs, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	57 (14)	59 (15)	70 (21)	79 (26)	95 (35)	100 (38)	99 (37)	98 (37)	93 (34)	89 (32)	72 (22)	64 (18)	100 (38)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	42.5 (5.8)	48.4 (9.1)	60.1 (15.6)	71.7 (22.1)	79.6 (26.4)	86.4 (30.2)	90.5 (32.5)	89.4 (31.9)	85.1 (29.5)	76.0 (24.4)	62.3 (16.8)	45.6 (7.6)	91.4 (33.0)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	29.2 (−1.6)	34.3 (1.3)	44.8 (7.1)	54.4 (12.4)	65.1 (18.4)	75.9 (24.4)	83.1 (28.4)	81.5 (27.5)	73.5 (23.1)	59.3 (15.2)	42.9 (6.1)	30.4 (−0.9)	56.2 (13.4)
Daily mean °F (°C)	16.9 (−8.4)	21.1 (−6.1)	31.2 (−0.4)	40.5 (4.7)	49.6 (9.8)	57.6 (14.2)	64.5 (18.1)	62.8 (17.1)	54.6 (12.6)	42.7 (5.9)	29.7 (−1.3)	18.3 (−7.6)	40.8 (4.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	4.6 (−15.2)	7.9 (−13.4)	17.6 (−8.0)	26.7 (−2.9)	34.0 (1.1)	39.2 (4.0)	45.8 (7.7)	44.2 (6.8)	35.7 (2.1)	26.1 (−3.3)	16.4 (−8.7)	6.3 (−14.3)	25.4 (−3.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−17.1 (−27.3)	−13.5 (−25.3)	−1.3 (−18.5)	12.2 (−11.0)	22.2 (−5.4)	29.9 (−1.2)	36.5 (2.5)	35.3 (1.8)	24.5 (−4.2)	11.4 (−11.4)	−3.7 (−19.8)	−14.9 (−26.1)	−22.1 (−30.1)
Record low °F (°C)	−54 (−48)	−48 (−44)	−34 (−37)	−15 (−26)	8 (−13)	16 (−9)	21 (−6)	20 (−7)	6 (−14)	−16 (−27)	−28 (−33)	−44 (−42)	−54 (−48)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	2.46 (62)	1.92 (49)	1.58 (40)	2.54 (65)	2.65 (67)	1.58 (40)	1.72 (44)	1.80 (46)	2.32 (59)	2.22 (56)	1.93 (49)	1.96 (50)	24.68 (627)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	46.6 (118)	35.7 (91)	19.5 (50)	13.2 (34)	2.8 (7.1)	0.3 (0.76)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.4 (1.0)	6.9 (18)	23.3 (59)	35.8 (91)	184.5 (469.86)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)	30.5 (77)	35.0 (89)	27.9 (71)	7.5 (19)	1.4 (3.6)	0.2 (0.51)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.3 (0.76)	3.9 (9.9)	9.9 (25)	21.0 (53)	37.7 (96)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	14.8	13.4	10.6	12.5	12.7	8.3	9.4	11.7	9.5	9.3	10.4	13.4	136.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	14.9	14.3	8.7	6.6	1.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.5	3.1	8.8	14.0	72.7
Source: NOAA

People and Homes

Population Facts

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	1,227	—
1920	1,249	1.8%
1930	1,198	−4.1%
1940	1,613	34.6%
1950	1,913	18.6%
1960	1,843	−3.7%
1970	2,340	27.0%
1980	5,098	117.9%
1990	6,695	31.3%
2000	9,815	46.6%
2010	12,088	23.2%
2020	13,224	9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2010, there were 12,088 people living in Steamboat Springs. Most people (94%) were White. About 8.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Steamboat Springs was 36.5 years old. There were slightly more males (54.2%) than females (45.8%).

Housing in Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs has a challenge with housing. It can be hard to find a place to live. The cost of homes has gone up a lot. For example, a single-family home cost about $529,000 in 2019, but by 2022, it was about $829,000. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $2,100.

People in Steamboat Springs have voted against plans to build more housing. This has made it harder to create more affordable homes for workers.

Education and Learning

Steamboat Springs has its own school district, Steamboat Springs School District RE-2.

The city is also home to a campus of Colorado Mountain College. This college is special because it's the only one in the U.S. that offers a degree in Ski & Snowboard Business. This program teaches students about the business side of snow sports.

Sports and Fun Activities

Winter Sports

Steamboat Springs is a great place for skiing. It has hosted big skiing events, like the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 1989 and 1990.

Water Sports on the Yampa River

The Yampa River is perfect for water sports. You can go fishing, rafting, tubing, and kayaking. There's a 4-mile (6.4 km) section of whitewater that ends with two "surfable holes." One is called D-Hole, and the other is Charlie's Hole or C-Hole. Charlie's Hole is named after a local kayaker, Charlie Beavers, who passed away in 2002. He was a very talented kayaker.

Every year in early June, Steamboat Springs holds the Yampa River Festival. This event includes a kayak rodeo, where kayakers compete. There's also a race down the river and a fun "Crazy River Dog Contest" where dogs fetch sticks from the river.

Famous People from Steamboat Springs

Many notable people have lived in or are from Steamboat Springs, especially athletes:

Debbie Armstrong (born 1963), Olympic gold medalist in skiing.
Chris Baumann (born 1987), rugby player.
Nelson Carmichael (born 1965), Olympic bronze medalist in mogul skiing.
James Harvey Crawford (1845–1930), the founder of Steamboat Springs.
Shannon Dunn-Downing (born 1972), freestyle snowboarder.
Taylor Fletcher (born 1990), Nordic combined skier.
Arielle Gold (born 1996), Olympic bronze medalist snowboarder.
Taylor Gold (born 1993), Olympian snowboarder.
Carroll Hardy (born 1933), former Major League Baseball player.
Billy Kidd (born 1943), Olympic silver medalist in skiing.
Caroline Lalive (born 1979), alpine skier and two-time Olympian.
Todd Lodwick (born 1976), Nordic combined skier.
Verne Lundquist (born 1940), television sportscaster.
Travis Mayer (born 1982), Olympic silver medalist in freestyle skiing.
Carey McWilliams (1905–1980), author and editor.
Robin Olds (1922–2007), famous fighter pilot.
Trey Parker (born 1969), co-creator of South Park.
Tyler Johnson (born 1986), Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer.
Ryan Max Riley (born 1979), freestyle skier.
Reese Roper (born 1973), singer and songwriter.
Ryan Serhant (born 1984), real estate broker and TV personality.
Andrew Sisco (born 1983), baseball player.
Johnny Spillane (born 1980), Nordic combined skier.
Steven Ray Swanson (born 1960), NASA astronaut.
Alvin P. Wegeman (1927–2015), Nordic combined skier.
Buddy Werner (1936–1964), Olympic alpine skier.
Gordon Wren (1919–1999), ski jumper.

Getting Around Steamboat Springs

You can travel to and from Steamboat Springs using:

Bustang (bus service)
Colorado State Highway 131
Steamboat Springs Airport (for smaller planes)
U.S. Route 40 in Colorado
Yampa Valley Airport (for commercial flights)

Sister Cities

Steamboat Springs has two sister cities:

Saas-Fee, Valais, Switzerland
San Martín de los Andes, Neuquén, Argentina

Images for kids

Steamboat Springs has old buildings and new resort areas, especially near the ski resort.
The Steamboat Spring, with a sign explaining its history.
The Routt County Courthouse in Steamboat Springs.
A child sledding behind a horse during the Winter Carnival.
Soda Creek joining the Yampa River, near the Bud Werner Memorial Library.
The ski resort at Steamboat Springs.
Kayakers enjoying Charlie's Hole on the Yampa River.