Steamboat Springs, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
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Downtown Steamboat Springs in May 2006 with the ski area in the background
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| Nickname(s):
Ski Town USA
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Location of the City of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado
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 Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Routt County |
| City | Steamboat Springs |
| Incorporated | 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)
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| • 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
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| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-73825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411976 |
| Website | City Website |
Steamboat Springs is a special town in Colorado, United States. It's known for its amazing skiing and beautiful Rocky Mountains scenery. This town is the main city in Routt County and is home to over 13,000 people. Many people call it "Ski Town USA" because it has sent more athletes to the Winter Olympics than any other town in North America!
Steamboat Springs sits in the lovely Yampa River valley. You can find it along U.S. Highway 40, just west of the Continental Divide. It is about 150 miles northwest of Denver. The town is a fantastic place for winter sports and enjoying nature.
Contents
Exploring the History of Steamboat Springs
Long ago, the Utes lived in the Steamboat Springs area. They hunted in the valley during the summer months. In the early 1800s, trappers began to visit the region.
How Steamboat Springs Got Its Name
The town is famous for its natural hot springs. Early trappers heard a strange "chugging" sound coming from one of these springs. They thought it was a steamboat on the river! When they realized it was the spring itself, they named it "Steamboat Spring." This is how the town got its unique name.
Founding and Early Days
James Harvey Crawford was the founder of Steamboat Springs. He first arrived in 1874. His family moved there in 1876. For five years, they were the only permanent residents. The Ute people, who lived in the valley, later moved to a reservation.
The town grew steadily. The first sawmill opened in 1873. Steamboat Springs officially became a town in 1900. The railroad arrived in 1909, helping the town connect with other places. Ranching and mining were important jobs back then, and they still are today.
Skiing Becomes a Big Part of Town
In the snowy Rocky Mountains, skiing was once the main way to travel in winter. Over time, skiing became a popular sport. In 1913, a Norwegian man named Carl Howelsen moved to Steamboat. He taught people about ski jumping.
Howelsen built the first ski jump on a place now called Howelsen Hill. He also started the annual Winter Carnival. This fun festival still happens every winter. It features ski racing, jumping, dog sledding, and even chariot races down the main street!
The Steamboat Ski Resort opened in 1963. It was built by local men, Jim Temple and John Fetcher. This resort is on Mount Werner, just east of town.
The James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge
In 1993, the town council asked residents to name a new bridge over the Yampa River. The winning name, with over 7,700 votes, was the "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge." The famous singer James Brown even came to the dedication ceremony!
Historic Buildings to See
Steamboat Springs has some interesting old buildings.
- The Christian Science Society building was built in 1934. It's made of logs and is now a historic landmark.
- The Crawford House was built in 1894. It was the home of James Harvey Crawford, the town's founder. It is also a historic landmark.
Geography and Climate of Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs covers about 10 square miles. Most of this area is land, with the Yampa River flowing through the middle of town.
Natural Hot Springs
The area is famous for its natural hot springs. These springs are warm pools of water that come from deep underground. The town has several hot springs that are open for everyone to enjoy.
Weather in Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs has a climate with warm summers and snowy winters. The warmest temperature ever recorded was 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in June 1990. The coldest was a chilly -54 degrees Fahrenheit (-48 degrees Celsius) in January 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 Living in Steamboat Springs
| 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 2020, about 13,224 people lived in Steamboat Springs. The town has grown quite a bit over the years. Many families live here, and about a quarter of households have children under 18. The average age of people in Steamboat Springs is around 36.5 years old.
Housing in Steamboat Springs
Finding a place to live in Steamboat Springs can be challenging. Homes and apartments are quite expensive. For example, in 2022, the average price for a single-family home was $829,000. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment was around $2,100.
Learning and Schools
Steamboat Springs has a great school district. It includes several schools for different age groups:
- Soda Creek Elementary School
- Strawberry Park Elementary School
- Steamboat Springs Middle School
- Steamboat Springs High School
- North Routt Community Charter School
- Sleeping Giant School
- Yampa Valley Alternative High School
The town is also home to a campus of Colorado Mountain College. This college is special because it offers a degree in Ski & Snowboard Business. This program teaches students about the business side of snow sports. In 2022, over 2,000 students attended the college.
Fun Sports and Activities
Steamboat Springs is a paradise for sports lovers!
Skiing and Snowboarding
The town is famous for its skiing and snowboarding. The Steamboat Ski Resort offers amazing slopes. Steamboat has even hosted big skiing events like the Alpine Skiing World Cup in 1989 and 1990.
Water Sports on the Yampa River
The Yampa River flows through town and is perfect for water sports. You can go fishing, rafting, tubing, and kayaking. There are even special spots for playboating, where kayakers do tricks.
One famous spot is "Charlie's Hole" (or "C-Hole"). It's named after a local kayaker, Charlie Beavers. He was a talented kayaker who started at age 12.
Yampa River Festival
Every year in early June, Steamboat Springs hosts the Yampa River Festival. This event includes a kayak rodeo, where expert kayakers show off their skills. There's also a downriver race and a fun "Crazy River Dog Contest." In this contest, dogs retrieve sticks from the river, even going through whitewater!
Famous People from Steamboat Springs
Many talented people have lived in or come from Steamboat Springs. Here are a few:
- Debbie Armstrong (born 1963), an Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing.
- Nelson Carmichael (born 1965), an Olympic bronze medalist in mogul skiing.
- James Harvey Crawford (1845–1930), the founder of Steamboat Springs.
- Shannon Dunn-Downing (born 1972), a freestyle snowboarder.
- Arielle Gold (born 1996), an Olympic bronze medalist and World Champion snowboarder.
- Taylor Gold (born 1993), an Olympian snowboarder.
- Billy Kidd (born 1943), an Olympic silver medalist in alpine skiing.
- Todd Lodwick (born 1976), a Nordic combined skier.
- Trey Parker (born 1969), a famous actor, animator, and writer.
- Johnny Spillane (born 1980), a Nordic combined skier.
- Steven Ray Swanson (born 1960), a NASA astronaut.
- Buddy Werner (1936–1964), an Olympic alpine skier.
Getting Around Steamboat Springs
You can travel to and from Steamboat Springs in several ways:
- 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)
Steamboat Springs' Sister Cities
Steamboat Springs has special connections with two other towns around the world:
Saas-Fee, in Valais, Switzerland
San Martín de los Andes, in Neuquén, Argentina
See also
In Spanish: Steamboat Springs para niños
- Fish Creek Falls
- Yampa River Botanic Park
