There are posh boutiques, fine dining, stunning views, and even more stunning prices. You could spend more on a weekend out than the ski bum washing your dishes earns in a month.

But you don’t have to break the bank for a mountain town experience this summer. Get away from the ski lifts and condos, and you’ll find wonderful small towns, places where the mountain-town spirit lives in a (relatively) affordable way.

Here are 10 mountain towns to put on your summer travel list, whether as a destination or just a place to grab a meal on your way through.

Buena Vista

This town in the upper Arkansas River Valley used to be hardscrabble town you drove through on the way to Salida or Leadville. But no more.

Buena Vista invested heavily in developing the area around the river, adding restaurants and shops, a rock-climbing wall and water park.

Where to stay: The Surf Hotel and Chateau, with a bar and restaurant right along the river.

Where to eat: Eddyline Brewing, with two locations and different menus.

What to do: Take a drive on stunning Cottonwood Pass, bring a (non-motorized) boat to Cottonwood Lake or hike one of the many 14,000 peaks in the Collegiate range.

Del Norte

This sleepy hamlet in the San Luis Valley, which was left dormant after the closure of Summitville mine, recently boomed with massive development in restaurants and shops.

The town also has a new play park on the Rio Grande for tubing and surfing, and each August, it hosts the hugely popular Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival.

Del Norte is no longer just where you turn right to ski Wolf Creek.

Where to stay: The Windsor, a restored Victorian hotel with a fine-dining restaurant. Dog owners will enjoy the Mellow Moon Lodge, where two dogs of any size can stay for a weekly fee of $25 per dog.

Where to eat: The Colorado Grill and Taphouse offers a variety of pub fare and comfort food. Three Barrel Brewing is known for its wood-fired pizza.

What to do: Mountain bike the trails around town, go rock-climbing or hiking at nearby Penitente Canyon or cool off on a hot day in the Rio Grande.

Georgetown

Some 40,000 vehicles a day pass this quaint former mining town on Interstate 70, but there’s more to do here than stop for gas and a restroom.

With a booming summer scene and dramatic mountain views, it’s a perfect day trip.

Georgetown is also the starting point for the road up Guanella Pass, an easy drive high into the tundra above.

Where to stay: Rose Street Bed and Breakfast is an easy stroll to the shops and restaurants. For hotel-style accommodations, try the new Microtel Inn and Suites east of town.

Where to eat: Cooper’s on the Creek offers a pleasant patio, pub fare and comfort food.

What to do: Drive Guanella Pass and take a hike up 14,065-foot Mount Bierstadt, known as one of the easiest 14,000-foot peaks to try. Ride into history on the Georgetown Loop Railroad or take a guided rafting trip on Clear Creek.

GranbyThis northern Colorado town is no longer just known as the place where a guy built a home-made tank and ravaged it. (really, look it up)

Located within an easy drive of lakes, hot springs, skiing, and hiking, Granby is a perfect base camp for a few days, where you can enjoy the outdoors while avoiding the crowds of nearby Grand Lake.

Where to stay: Inn at Silver Creek is an “adventure hotel” with a bar, restaurant, outdoor pool and golf course.

Where to eat: Maverick’s Grille offers a “Colorado-inspired” menu with a western-themed decor.

What to do: Boat, fish or paddle on massive Lake Granby, take a trip to nearby Hot Sulphur Springs, a historic spa resort or explore the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park on stunning Trail Ridge Road.

Mancos

You might not expect to find a thriving art scene in the desert of the Four Corners region, but pull off from U.S. 160, and that’s what you’ll find.

The town boasts eight art galleries, a historic opera house and a vibrant local business scene.

Mancos makes an ideal stopover on the way to Mesa Verde National, just five miles away.

Where to stay: With few lodging options, your best bet is the Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde or Durango.

Where to eat: The Boathouse on Grand is open for dinner only Thursday-Sunday, with a constantly rotating menu based on local ingredients.

What to do: Sign up for a tour of the Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde, take a walking tour of the arts district or go boating or fishing at Mancos State Park.

Paonia

This pretty town deep in central Colorado’s mountains isn’t on the road to anywhere.

Thanks to a mild climate, it is the heart of Colorado’s wine country.

In summer and fall, the Kebler Pass Road is open, making for a gorgeous drive into the West Elk Mountains to Crested Butte.

Where to stay: The Hitching Post Hotel and Farm Store offers an eclectic old-west feel.

Where to eat: Root and Vine Market is a winery with a breakfast and lunch cafe.

What to do: Take a winery tour in the Napa Valley of Colorado, drive to the north rim of stunning Black Canyon in Gunnison National Park, or visit in early July for Paonia Cherry Days, the longest-running community festival in Colorado.

Platoro

Now, we’re way off the beaten path. This town is 30 miles down winding dirt roads, deep in the South San Juan Mountains, and only exists because of the nearby Platoro Reservoir.

It’s more of a collection of rental cottages than an actual town, but the gorgeous landscape and proximity to outdoor activities will draw you back. It even has a couple of restaurants far from civilization.

Where to stay: The Sky Line Lodge and Cabins resembles a rustic hunting lodge and has its own restaurant.

Where to eat: See above. It’s the only game in town.

What to do: Take a hike into the South San Juan Wilderness, an area so remote it was home to the last grizzly bears in Colorado. Go boating or fishing on the gorgeous Platoro Reservoir or take an ATV drive to the top of Stunner Pass.

Ridgway

The area between Ouray and Durango in Colorado, known as the “American Alps,” swarms with tourists during the summer.

But Ridgway, about 10 miles from the mountains, offers a calmer experience. You can spend a day hiking or driving in these beautiful mountains and still relax.

Where to stay: Orvis Hot Springs offers a selection of rooms and campsites in a beautifully landscaped space with multiple hot pools.

Where to eat: The Colorado Boy offers good pizza and better locally-made craft beer.

What to do: Take a self-guided tour of the many old mines on gorgeous Red Mountain Pass. Soak at Orvis or drive into Ouray for the large hot springs pool. Hike the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail.

Trinidad

This former coal-mining town in extreme southern Colorado has reinvented itself as a tourist destination, with a thriving downtown (and perhaps the largest per-capita number of cannabis stores in Colorado.)

There are great mountain biking trails and several lakes.

Where to stay: All the hotels are chains, so take your pick.

Where to eat: For over 20 years, Rino’s Italian Restaurant and Steakhouse has entertained diners with its musical waitstaff.

What to do: Take a tour of downtown on the free trolley. Go boating, hiking or fishing at Trinidad Lake State Park. Visit the site of the Ludlow Massacre, where innocent women and children were killed in the 1914 labor wars.

Walden

This town in the remote expanse of North Park is ideal for “getting away from it all.”

Its wide-open country makes it the best place in Colorado to view moose and other wildlife, and hunters flock here in the fall to hunt deer and elk.

Rivers and lakes are known for stellar fishing, and the nearby Mount Zirkel Wilderness is one of Colorado’s last hidden gems.

Where to stay: Bring a tent or camper.

Where to eat: Four Winds Pizza

What to do: Hike to Rainbow Lake in the nearby Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Go moose-watching in State Forest State Park (they have a “Moose Visitor Center.”) Go fly-fishing on the Illinois River.

From 1858 until the silver crash of 1893, towns popped up almost overnight where gold or silver was found. Just as quickly, the vast majority were abandoned when the ore ran out, often in places so difficult to reach even today that you’ll wonder how the miners managed daily life.

Most of these hamlets are gone, but the mountains are littered with their crumbling remains – cabins, bunkhouses, stores and mining structures. They stand as a testament to the pioneers’ ingenuity and monuments to their often-broken dreams.

Visiting these places is akin to stepping back in time. Some you can reach on dirt roads passable in the family sedan. Others require a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Still others remain deep in the wilderness, reachable by lacing up a pair of sturdy hiking boots. Each has its own unique story of success and then failure.

This is your guide to touring some of Colorado’s best-preserved ghost towns. Keep in mind that old mines are dangerous and can be home to explosive or poisonous gases. People have died falling into shafts, so explore with care and don’t get too close.

Bachelor Loop, Creede

The last great mining boom in Colorado was centered in the San Juan Mountains. Silver was struck here in 1890, and within two years there were dozens of mines and boom towns around what is today the town of Creede. The frenzy of activity was short-lived. In 1893 the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed to resolidify the gold standard; the federal government stopped buying silver and the mines collapsed.

Unlike many of Colorado’s old mining towns, Creede itself is still there, a tourist hotspot. The Creede Repertory Theatre draws enthusiasts from across the country each summer. You can drive the scenic 17-mile Bachelor Loop above town and take a trip past some of the best-preserved mine sites in Colorado. There are several interpretive signs and stops of interest. Those with four-wheel-drive can take side roads deeper into the terrain. Cyclists are encouraged to take the loop counter-clockwise, tackling most of the climbing in the first 4 miles.

Crystal Mill

This picturesque old mill, perched on the side of a waterfall, is one of the most Instagrammed spots in Colorado. The mill was built in 1893 to support the Sheep Mountain Tunnel mine near the present town of Marble. It generated compressed air that powered tools used by the miners. The mine limped on until 1917 when it closed. A few people still spend summers in cabins in the nearby hamlet of Crystal, once home to about 500 people.

You need a sturdy vehicle – preferably four-wheel-drive or off-highway – to get to the mill from Marble. Otherwise it’s a 4-mile hike each way along the road. The site’s beauty is worth every step. Heed all signs marking private property. (Note: It costs $10 to access the private property from which some of the most iconic photos are taken.)

Ghost Town Hollow

You’ll need a pair of hiking shoes to reach the remnants of this settlement at about 11,800 feet elevation on Pikes Peak. The cabin foundations and old boilers are all that remain of an effort to blast a tunnel into the heart of the mountain in search of valuable metals. A fatal explosion terminated the endeavor, and the mine entrance was sealed about a dozen years ago to keep people out.

To get there drive the Pikes Peak Highway ($5-$15 per person age 6 or older; discounts per carload) to mile marker 14 and park at the Elk Park trailhead. It’s an easy 1.4-mile downhill hike to an intersection. Turn right at the sign for the Oil Creek Tunnel and it’s a half-mile uphill to the ghost town.

Holy Cross City

This town gets its name from nearby Mount of the Holy Cross. The town itself was once home to 300 people and had a post office and hotel, but it was abandoned by the 1890s. Semi-intact buildings and rusted boilers and other equipment remain. You can get there by driving the original road built in 1883, now known as Holy Cross Jeep Trail 759. Note that the U.S. Forest Service says it is one of the more difficult four-wheel-drive roads in Colorado due to rocks and boulders.

You can hike the road, 4 miles each way, to each the site. For a quieter experience hike from the Fancy Lakes Trailhead into the Holy Cross Wilderness and turn right at the sign for the ghost town, a round-trip distance of 7.5 miles. If time permits take a detour to Fancy Lake, a gorgeous alpine lake that makes a great stop for lunch or an overnight camp.

Independence

Independence Pass is one of the highest and prettiest paved roads in Colorado, connecting Aspen with the rest of the world to the east in the warmer months. The name comes from this town founded in 1879 high in the snowy tundra at about 11,000 feet. By 1882 the town had a population of 1,500, 40 businesses and three post offices. When the gold ran out most people fled this harsh climate.

A few hung on until 1899, when one of the worst snowstorms in Colorado history cut them off and they faced starvation. Homes were dismantled to make skis and residents fled Independence, never to return. The remaining buildings – eight largely intact – have been preserved by the Aspen Historical Society. Interpretive signs share the town’s history.

You can’t miss the ghost town while driving on Independence Pass; it’s right along the highway.

Mayflower Gulch

Pull out your hiking shoes. This hike, which starts off Fremont Pass between Leadville and Copper Mountain, leads into a stunning mountain cirque littered with mining remains. The trail follows the road built in the 1890s when miners created the Boston Mine. Some $500,000 in gold and silver were produced and a robust village formed. But before long it was abandoned as the ore was deemed to be impure.

It’s a popular hike, an easy 3 miles to the old town itself. You can continue on a fine trail higher into the basin to discover more mining buildings.

Red Mountain Pass

There are too many mines and ghost towns to name on this stunning mountain pass between the towns of Ouray and Silverton. They are built along perilous cliffs, with equipment spanning dizzying chasms. Most of the mining occurred between 1882 and 1893, and the towns and hamlets are victims of the same silver crash that closed so many mines.

You can see most of the buildings from the road, U.S. 550, but you may want to park and wander around the townsite of Ironton, where some residents clung on until the 1970s. The trails and preserved buildings are the result of work by the Red Mountain Task Force, which purchased 8,500 acres to preserve and installed interpretive signs that share the area’s history with visitors.

St. Elmo

It’s rare to find an open general store in a ghost town, but you will in St. Elmo near Mount Princeton, southwest of Buena Vista. In its heyday around 1890, some 2,000 people lived in the town. Many of them worked in roughly 150 mines dotting the hillsides. The railroad was extended below the Continental Divide into the Gunnison Valley, making the town an important railroad hub.

St. Elmo followed the typical trajectory of former mining towns: years of decline and then near desertion when the railroad stopped. Legend has it the last of St. Elmo’s full-time residents rode the last train out of town in 1926.

Tourism revived the area and many buildings were preserved. The St. Elmo General store is open throughout summer. Visitors can buy antiques, souvenirs and refreshments.

Passenger cars can easily reach the ghost town on County Road 162. Area roads get rougher after that, though sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicles can continue to Tincup Pass. There are hiking and mountain biking trails in the area.

Summitville

This town, built at 11,000 feet elevation, offers a different side of Colorado’s mining history. One of the earliest booms in the San Juan Mountains began here in 1876 in the rugged country south of the towns of Del Norte and South Fork. By 1890 there were as many as 1,500 residents and nine mills. Slow decline followed as the mills were shuttered and the post office closed in 1912.

It’s a long drive to reach this site, 30 miles up Park Creek Road from U.S. 160, but passenger cars can make it in dry weather.

Unlike other ghost towns, Summitville had a second act, and Colorado is still paying for it. A Canadian company established a pit mine here, but mismanaged it, spreading toxic chemicals to area watersheds. Today the area is a Superfund site and is known as one of the worst environmental disasters in the state’s  history.

The mining buildings are well-preserved, but so is the modern water treatment station, which is full of brackish, toxic water that should serve as a reminder of the downside of the mining booms that helped build Colorado.