Breathe in the fresh air. Take in the glorious views. Watch the sunset over the peaks. This could be you every day if you attended a college or university in or near the mountains. Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of them right here!
Location is a huge factor for many students when conducting their college research, and why shouldn’t it be? You’re going to be there for at least four years, so you should go somewhere you feel comfortable and happy. I
f the wilderness is your thing, then check out these colleges that are all within less than an hour of a mountain (or a few). The best part is you can explore them further by clicking on any name or logo to visit the school’s CollegeXpress profile or press the green “Connect me” button to request information directly from this page—then they’ll reach out to you via email with more information. Happy college hunting!
Colorado Christian University
Colorado Christian University is an interdenominational Christian university in Lakewood, Colorado—just 10 miles from Denver. CCU’s 26-acre campus provides easy access to downtown Denver, offering arts and sports scenes, and extreme outdoor adventure opportunities in the Rocky Mountains. The University’s 8,579 students pursue 100 majors, minors, and emphases while also benefitting from ministry hours, first-year discipleship groups, and student-led mission trips.
Colorado Mountain College
Colorado Mountain College offers a high-altitude education across 11 campuses in the heart of the Rockies. Known for its "dual-mission" approach, the college provides small class sizes and hands-on learning in fields like business, sustainability, and nursing. It is a smart pick for budget-conscious adventurers, maintaining some of the lowest tuition rates in Colorado while earning a top-20 ranking for public schools in the West. The lifestyle here is built around the outdoors—think hiking, skiing, and field labs across 7,500 square miles of mountain terrain. Whether you’re at a residential campus like Leadville or a commuter hub in Aspen, CMC blends a tight-knit community feel with practical, career-ready degrees.
Covenant College
Covenant College is a private Christian liberal arts institution on a 400-acre campus in Lookout Mountain, Georgia—just 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. The College’s iconic stone campus (including a literal castle) sits at an elevation of 2,300 feet, offering a famous "seven-state view" and immediate access to some of the best climbing, hiking, and hang gliding in the Southeast. Covenant’s 1,000 students can choose from over 50 areas of study while enjoying a close-knit community that takes "mountain life" seriously—from "Jazz on the Overlook" dances to exploring the college's own network of wooded trails
Connect me with Covenant College!
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—Prescott
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott campus is located in a mile-high city surrounded by the stunning Bradshaw Mountains. This natural gateway to the Southwest offers immediate access to world-class mountain biking and hiking in the Prescott National Forest. With nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, students enjoy ideal flying conditions for the University’s legendary aviation programs and a dramatic backdrop for cutting-edge aerospace facilities. It is a unique environment where elite STEM education meets high-altitude adventure.
Connect me with ERAU—Prescott!
Fort Lewis College
Fort Lewis College, perched at 6,872 feet in Durango, overlooks the San Juan Mountains and Animas River. With 2.3 million acres of public lands serving as a natural laboratory, learning happens as much outdoors as it does in the classroom. This diverse community of 3,300 students enjoys small classes where PhD faculty know everyone by name. Whether you’re interested in Engineering, Environmental Studies, or Health Sciences, FLC offers boundless experiential learning in a classic Colorado setting. It’s the perfect spot for those seeking a close-knit environment with easy mountain access.
Lees-McRae College
Lees-McRae College is a private institution nestled in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of Banner Elk, North Carolina. As the highest-elevation campus on the East Coast at 4,000 feet, it serves as a natural laboratory for unique programs like Wildlife Biology and Nursing. The college’s 1,000 students enjoy a close-knit community with easy access to outdoor adventures, including a competitive rock climbing team and extensive hiking trails right on campus.
University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a comprehensive public university in Boulder, Colorado—27 miles northwest of Denver. CU Boulder’s 600-acre campus sits at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, offering unique opportunities for research in focus areas such as Bioscience and Environmental Sciences, plus opportunities through the Outdoor Program for group adventure trips. The University’s 31,820 students can choose from 150 fields of study as well as more than 300 campus and community organizations.
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is a public comprehensive land-grant institution in Moscow, Idaho—90 miles southeast of Spokane, Washington. U of I’s 1,354-acre campus and University farm are situated directly between the rolling Palouse hills and Moscow Mountain. The University’s 10,791 students benefit from 94 bachelor’s programs to choose from and opportunities to get in the lab or studio for hands-on research from their first semester on campus.
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno is a public land-grant research institution in Reno, Nevada. Nestled near the Sierra Nevada mountains, the 200-acre campus is just 45 minutes from Lake Tahoe and 35 minutes from the Carson Range, offering students unparalleled access to skiing, hiking, and outdoor adventure. More than 13,000 undergraduates are enrolled in over 150 academic programs and benefit from strong University and community partnerships in the Reno area.
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont is a public comprehensive institution in Burlington, Vermont—just 90 miles south of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. UVM’s 460-acre hilltop campus overlooks Burlington to Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains beyond, offering the forests, farms, and spirit of Vermont as a vast learning opportunity. The University’s 10,700 undergraduates choose from over 100 bachelor’s programs and benefit from unique learning opportunities like 500 study abroad programs in 70 countries.
Not sold on attending college in the mountains? Check out these awesome schools by the beach instead!
