Winter Activities

Summit County is the heart of Colorado skiing — four world-class resorts within a short drive, with terrain for first-timers to experts and some of the most reliable snow in North America.

Ready to leave the resort boundary? Summit County's professional guide services lead backcountry ski and splitboard tours with AIARE-certified guides who handle avalanche assessment, terrain selection, and safety so you can focus on the powder. Tours range across the Tenmile Range, Gore Range, and Continental Divide, with options for every ability — plus avalanche-education courses.

Rocky Mountain Guides

Leading backcountry ski tours in Summit County since 1992, with daily departures from Breckenridge, Keystone, and Frisco. AIARE-certified guides, avalanche risk management, and permits across the Tenmile & Gore ranges and the Continental Divide.

📞 (970) 409-9555

Colorado Adventure Guides

Silverthorne-based guides scout the best snow and assess conditions while delivering safe, exhilarating backcountry tours in the Breckenridge, Copper, and Vail area, along with AIARE avalanche courses.

📞 (970) 893-8007

Colorado Backcountry Guide Service

Guided backcountry skiing and hut trips throughout the Colorado high country, with customizable tours for all skill levels.

📞 (970) 209-7594

Tour operators guide visitors through wilderness terrain with trails for scenic riders and challenging backcountry routes. Beginners receive guidance on machine operation; experienced riders have access to extensive local trail systems.

Tour Operators

• Breckenridge Snowmobiling
• Good Times Adventures
• High Country Tours
• Tiger Run Tours
• White Mountain Tours

Featured Trails

• Webster Pass Road — 3.66 miles one-way, 1,493 ft elevation gain, moderate
• Deer Creek Road — 3.33 miles to summit, 1,772 ft elevation gain, moderate

Pricing & Fees

Pricing varies by machine size, duration, and group size. Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area requires $6 per person (children 13 and under free). Guided tours range from 1–3 hours to full day, including lunch/dinner options.

Keystone — Adventure Point

State-of-the-art conveyor lift allows unlimited rides on a large hill, available day and night. Sessions run on the hour and half-hour for 1-hour durations. Minimum height 42 inches.

Copper Mountain

Four lanes with banked curves, jumps, and a long run-out, featuring "The Stinger" surface lift. Double-tubes available. Free parking at Alpine Lot with free shuttle service. Critterland available for children under 36 inches.

Frisco — Adventure Park

Features a tubing hill plus ski & ride slope/terrain park, Nordic Center, and sleigh rides.

Keystone

Keystone is the only location in Summit County to offer lighted night skiing. The River Run Gondola provides access to Summit House, connecting to the tubing hill, A51 Terrain Park, and Colorado's largest night skiing area.

A51 Terrain Park

Features Gold Rush Alley rails, Park Lane variety features, and Main Street monster kickers. The park lift is open evenings. The Adventure Point tubing hill is also available at night with conveyor belt return.

The World’s Largest Mountaintop Snow Fort sits at the top of Dercum Mountain at Keystone Resort — over 35 feet tall and covering a quarter-acre, with an ice cave, slides and tunnels, a snow maze, and larger-than-life ice sculptures.

Reach it by riding the River Run Gondola to the Dercum Summit (elevation 11,600+ ft). Exploring the fort is completely free — you just need an Epic Pass, Keystone lift ticket, or a scenic gondola foot-passenger ticket to get up the mountain. A snow tubing session or a Scenic Lift + Lunch ticket also includes access.

It’s a centerpiece of Keystone’s Kidtopia program, with daily family activities (face painting, a free daily cookie hour, and more) running roughly mid-December through mid-April.

Keystone winter activities & Kidtopia info →

Year-round action sports training facility in Center Village. One of Copper Mountain's biggest attractions—especially for kids, teens, skiers, snowboarders, BMX riders, skateboarders, and freestyle athletes—is Woodward Copper, a year-round action sports training facility located in Center Village. It combines indoor training, terrain parks, camps, coaching, and progression programs in a way that's unique among Colorado ski resorts. Woodward Copper info → 📞 (888) 350-1544

The Barn (Indoor Training Facility)

The centerpiece is the 19,400-square-foot Woodward Barn, a fully heated indoor training complex featuring:

• Olympic-grade trampolines
• Foam-pit training zones
• Skateboard and scooter areas
• BMX zones
• Pump track
• Spring floor and tumble track
• ParkSki™ and Burton ParkBoard™ ski/snowboard training systems
• Super Trampoline for aerial training and progression

Who It's For

Woodward offers programs for:

• First-time athletes
• Recreational skiers and riders
• Competitive freestyle athletes
• Adults and children
• Summer camps and seasonal programs

Many activities require no prior experience, making it family-friendly as well as athlete-focused.

Summer at Woodward

During summer, Woodward shifts heavily toward:

• Skateboarding
• BMX
• Mountain biking
• Scooter riding
• Trampoline and acrobatics training
• Camps and drop-in sessions

The Barn typically operates with afternoon and evening sessions during summer.

Winter at Woodward

In winter, Woodward integrates directly with Copper's terrain parks and the lift-served freestyle areas. The resort's Woodward Express lift services terrain designed for freestyle progression, from beginner park features to advanced jumps and rails.

Location

Woodward Copper is located near Center Village at Copper Mountain, about:

• 5–10 minutes walking from West Village lodging
• 5 minutes from Union Creek lodging
• 10 minutes from most Center Village hotels and condos

Why Families Like It

Kids can spend time skiing during the day and then visit the Barn for trampolines, foam pits, and action-sports activities in the afternoon. It provides entertainment even if weather conditions aren't ideal.

Keystone Lake

The largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor skating rink in North America — five acres of ice at Lakeside Village. Open 9 a.m.–9 p.m. with pick-up hockey games, holiday lights, and festive music.

Dercum Square Ice Rink — River Run

7,200-square-foot facility with day and night skating, open 11 a.m.–8 p.m. seven days a week (weather permitting). Free skating; skate rental required.

Breckenridge — Steven C. West Arena

189 Boreas Pass Rd., open 8 a.m.–12 a.m. Year-round facility with summer camps for hockey and figure skating.

Copper Mountain — West Lake

Located in the center of The Village at Copper. Open 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Rental fee $10 per session at Chub's.

Colorado's 17 Nordic resorts feature 547 kilometers of expertly groomed cross-country skiing trails, with 300+ inches of average annual snowfall and 300 days of sunshine — nearly six months of skiable conditions.

Frisco Nordic Center

Located two miles south of I-70 on Highway 9 on a peninsula extending into Lake Dillon. Large log day lodge with friendly staff.

Breckenridge Nordic Center

About ten miles south of Frisco on Highway 9. Higher elevation means more snow and a longer season. Newly remodeled day lodge with snacks and fireplace. Guided tours available through 'S NO Wonder Tours.

Gold Run Nordic Center

City of Breckenridge owned facility at the golf course north of town. Mix of open and wooded areas with backcountry trail access.

Keystone Nordic Center

Located at West Keystone, 155 River Course Drive. More than 9 miles of groomed trails plus access to 35+ miles of packed White River National Forest trails. 📞 (970) 496-4275

Strap on snowshoes and explore Summit County's snow-covered forests, meadows, and lakeshores at your own pace. The county's Nordic centers offer groomed and backcountry snowshoe trails plus rentals, lessons, and guided tours — and a single $14 day trail pass is honored at the Breckenridge, Gold Run, and Frisco centers.

Breckenridge Nordic Center

A half-mile from Main Street on Ski Hill Road, with nearly 30 miles of trails winding through the Cucumber Gulch Nature Preserve. Snowshoe rentals, lessons, snow-cat tours, and a snack bar on site.

📞 (970) 453-6855

Gold Run Nordic Center

Set at the Breckenridge golf course with panoramic Tenmile Range views and a cozy log lodge with a stone fireplace. Dedicated snowshoe trails plus rentals, lessons, and daily guided tours the whole family can enjoy.

📞 (970) 547-7889

Frisco Nordic Center

On Highway 9 about a mile from Frisco toward Breckenridge, with snowshoe trails leading to picnic spots along the shoreline of Dillon Reservoir. Rentals, lessons, and guided outings from the log lodge.

📞 (970) 668-2570

Keystone Nordic Center

Rentals, lessons, and guided snowshoe tours on 17 km of local trails at 155 River Course Drive, with access to 40+ more miles in the surrounding White River National Forest.

📞 (970) 496-4275

Snow biking — or ski biking — puts you on a bike frame mounted on skis instead of wheels. It's easy to learn, exciting to ride, and lift-served: after a short lesson on controlling the bike and loading the chairlift, you ride the lifts just like a skier. Bring or rent ski/snowboard boots.

Keystone — Adventure Point

A great way to get an introduction to a new and exciting sport. A certification lesson from coaches is required before rental use — ideal for beginner skiers or snowboarders. Guests must provide their own ski boots. Age 13 and older. Operating roughly late November through early April (dates and hours vary).

Roger's Snowbike® Rentals — Breckenridge, Copper, Vail & Beaver Creek

Colorado's most trusted snowbike outfitter, based inside the Ridden Ski Shop at 520 S. Main St. in Breckenridge. They'll teach you to control the snowbike and load the chairlifts in minutes — and the same bike can be ridden at Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Vail, or Beaver Creek. Boots, clothing, helmets, and gloves are available to rent, and no prior snow-sport experience is required.

Primary locations are Lake Dillon and Green Mountain Reservoir. Peak season runs January through April. Recommended minimum ice thickness: 2 feet.

Popular Spots

• Lake Dillon — Snake River inlet near Summit Cove; Blue River inlet near Farmer's Corner; 8–20 feet depth
• Green Mountain Reservoir — 8–20 feet for rainbows/browns; 30–50 feet for jigging lake trout

What to Bring

• Ice auger for drilling holes
• Ice fishing rod and reel with bright-colored ice jigs
• Bait: meal worms, wax worms, night crawlers, or sucker meat
• Ice fishing tent (recommended for cold or windy conditions)

Regulations

• Ice fishing holes: Maximum 10 inches diameter
• Fires must be enclosed in a container
• Portable shelters must be removed at end of day

Guided Ice Fishing Trips

New to ice fishing or want the gear handled for you? These Summit County outfitters run fully guided trips on Dillon and Green Mountain reservoirs — heated shelters, tackle, bait, and electronics provided — typically from just after Thanksgiving into April, ice conditions permitting.

• Alpine Fishing Adventures — Private, fully guided trips on Dillon & Green Mountain reservoirs from a base near Frisco; heated huts, tackle, bait, seating & sonar included. 📞 (303) 885-6292
• Big Ed's Fishing Ventures — Summit County's longest-running ice-fishing outfitter; family-friendly guided half-day trips out of Dillon. 📞 (970) 389-1720
• Silver Flask Fishing — Guided ice fishing on Lake Dillon in heated shelters, sunrise to sunset, with all gear and instruction provided. 📞 (920) 268-9918

Glide through the backcountry behind a team of energetic huskies — a step back in time to a traditional mode of mountain travel, and a hit with families. On most tours, up to six guests take turns mushing the team, riding in the sled, and relaxing in the guide's sleigh.

Dog Sledding Operators

• Good Times Adventures — Established 1986 and the only dog-sledding (and snowmobile) outfitter actually in Summit County, on Tiger Road near Breckenridge. A guided ~6-mile tour of about an hour where guests take turns driving the team; runs daily in peak season. 📞 (970) 453-7604
• Snow Mountain Ranch — YMCA of the Rockies — A scenic day trip near Winter Park: a kennel of 80 Siberian and Alaskan huskies (with Redemption Dog Sled Tours) on a private trail system, about 15 minutes from downtown Winter Park. 📞 (888) 573-9622 (Nordic Center, Nov–Apr)
• Alpine Adventures Dogsledding — Family dog-powered tours in the Colorado high country (Leadville) for those willing to make the drive. 📞 (719) 486-9899

Bundle up under warm blankets for a horse-drawn sleigh ride through a snowy mountain landscape — a romantic outing or a memorable family adventure. Several Summit County outfitters run scenic daytime rides and lantern-lit dinner sleigh rides with a hearty home-cooked meal and live entertainment in a heated backcountry tent.

Sleigh Ride Operators

• Two Below Zero — Family-run for 30+ years; award-winning three-course dinner sleigh rides on the Frisco Peninsula at the Frisco Adventure Park. 📞 970-453-1520
• Nordic Sleigh Rides — On Tiger Road in Breckenridge; 1-hour romantic rides for two, 2-hour scenic rides for all ages, and a sleigh-ride dinner with live show. 📞 970-453-2005
• Breckenridge Stables — Scenic Peak 9 sleigh rides right at the base of Breckenridge (620 Village Rd).
• Keystone Resort — Scenic sleigh-ride dinners and rides through the historic Keystone Ranch area.
• Golden Horseshoe Sleigh Rides — Horse-drawn rides with or without dinner up the Swan River Valley near Breckenridge, against the White River National Forest.

Ride wide-tire bikes over groomed snow. Boreas Pass Road in Breckenridge — an old railroad grade with sweeping views — is one of the most popular fat-bike routes and is groomed through the winter. The Town of Dillon's "Lake Loops" on Dillon Reservoir is a groomed multi-use course for fat biking, skate skiing, and snowshoeing. Rentals and guided tours are available through local shops.

No lift ticket required — Summit County has several free sledding hills for classic snow-day fun. Bring your own sled (or rent one from a local shop) and pick your hill. You sled at your own risk, so stay off groomed ski and Nordic trails.

Free Sledding Hills

• Carter Park — Breckenridge — A local favorite with a steeper hill next to the dog park at the south end of High Street (300 S. High St). Limited free parking is shared with the dog park; paid overflow at the Klack Placer Lot.
• Rainbow Park — Silverthorne — Great for little ones: short, gentle slopes (the soccer field becomes an easy hill) plus two playgrounds, right by the Silverthorne Recreation Center (430 Rainbow Dr).
• Dillon Nature Preserve — Dillon — A steep main hill for bigger thrills, with flatter, less-crowded runs a short walk northwest along the trail — all in a scenic Lake Dillon setting.

On-Hill Sledding at the Resorts

Prefer groomed lanes and an easy ride back up? The resort hills use magic-carpet or conveyor lifts so you can lap all day:

• Frisco Adventure Park — A complimentary bring-your-own-sled hill alongside the tubing lanes, with a magic carpet to the top. Tubing runs about $20–$25/hr (Frisco/Summit County resident discounts); reservations required.
• Keystone — Adventure Point — Lift-served tubing on a big hill with a "magic fingers" conveyor return through a music tunnel; day and night sessions. (See the Tubing box.)
• Copper Mountain — Four banked tubing lanes with "The Stinger" surface lift — book a day ahead to save about 20%. (See the Tubing box.)

Ride to the top for big mountain views — no skis required. Three Summit County resorts make it easy to sightsee by gondola or scenic chairlift.

Breckenridge — BreckConnect Gondola

The free BreckConnect Gondola links downtown Breckenridge to the base of Peaks 7 and 8, with sweeping views of the Tenmile Range along the way. No lift ticket required to ride.

Copper Mountain — American Eagle

Copper's American Eagle is a modern combination lift (6-person chairs and 8-person gondola cabins) out of Center Village. Scenic rides climb above the tree line for panoramic views — each way is roughly 15 minutes, and you can ride back down or hike. Operating hours depend on weather, so check the latest lift status before you go.

Keystone — River Run & Outpost Gondolas

Keystone is the only Summit County resort with two gondolas. The River Run Gondola carries sightseers and tubers from River Run Village (9,280 ft) to the top of Dercum Mountain (11,640 ft) in about 11 minutes, where you'll find dining at Summit House and snow play. From there, the Outpost Gondola continues another ~8 minutes over to North Peak. Scenic rides run daily 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (plus after 4:30 p.m. on night-skiing evenings); a ticket is required unless you have a reservation at a mountaintop restaurant such as Alpenglow Stube or Der Fondue Chessel.

Summit County doesn't have its own hot springs, but several soothing soaks are within an easy drive — the perfect way to relax after a day on the slopes.

• Hot Sulphur Springs Resort — Roughly 90 minutes from Breckenridge (under an hour from Silverthorne via the Lower Blue); 20+ all-natural mineral pools with no added chemicals.
• Glenwood Hot Springs Resort — About 1.5–2 hours west on I-70; home to the world's largest hot-springs pool.
• Iron Mountain Hot Springs — In Glenwood Springs; dozens of mineral pools right beside the Colorado River.

Summit County is the perfect basecamp for exploring Colorado. These towns are all more than 20 minutes away yet reachable within a roughly three-hour drive — great for a day trip. Click any town to visit its official guide.

Vail — World-renowned resort town with a charming Bavarian-style pedestrian village, Colorado’s largest ski mountain, and summer hiking, golf, and the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens.
🚗 ~30 min · 📏 ~27 miles · 📍 39.6403° N, 106.3742° W

Georgetown — A beautifully preserved Victorian silver-mining town famous for the Georgetown Loop Railroad and the bighorn sheep often spotted along I-70.
🚗 ~40 min · 📏 ~33 miles · 📍 39.7061° N, 105.6967° W

Leadville — At 10,152 feet, the highest incorporated city in North America — a National Historic Landmark mining town with Victorian storefronts, the Tabor Opera House, and a scenic railroad.
🚗 ~40 min · 📏 ~37 miles · 📍 39.2508° N, 106.2925° W

Idaho Springs — A historic gold-rush town in Clear Creek Canyon known for natural hot springs, the Argo Mill & Tunnel, Beau Jo’s pizza, and the gateway to the Mount Blue Sky byway.
🚗 ~45 min · 📏 ~40 miles · 📍 39.7425° N, 105.5136° W

Fairplay — A quiet South Park mining town and the home of South Park City, a restored 1880s frontier-town museum with more than 40 historic buildings.
🚗 ~50 min · 📏 ~38 miles · 📍 39.2247° N, 106.0019° W

Winter Park & Fraser — A laid-back ski-and-bike town with Colorado’s longest-running ski resort, the Trestle Bike Park, and easy access to the Fraser River Valley.
🚗 ~1 hr 15 min · 📏 ~55 miles · 📍 39.8917° N, 105.7631° W

Golden — A historic foothills town on Clear Creek, home to the Coors Brewery, the Colorado School of Mines, and the Lookout Mountain scenic drive.
🚗 ~1 hr 15 min · 📏 ~65 miles · 📍 39.7555° N, 105.2211° W

Denver — Colorado’s capital and largest city, packed with museums, professional sports, breweries, dining, and the nearby Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
🚗 ~1 hr 15 min · 📏 ~70 miles · 📍 39.7392° N, 104.9903° W

Buena Vista — A small Arkansas River town beneath the Collegiate Peaks, known for whitewater rafting, hot springs, and the South Main riverfront district.
🚗 ~1 hr 30 min · 📏 ~75 miles · 📍 38.8422° N, 106.1311° W

Glenwood Springs — Home to the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool, the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, and the famed Hanging Lake trail.
🚗 ~1 hr 30 min · 📏 ~90 miles · 📍 39.5505° N, 107.3248° W

Aspen — An iconic upscale resort town with four ski mountains, the dramatic Maroon Bells, and a world-class arts and dining scene.
🚗 ~1 hr 45 min · 📏 ~95 miles · 📍 39.1911° N, 106.8175° W

Boulder — A vibrant college town beneath the Flatirons, with the pedestrian Pearl Street Mall, craft breweries, and miles of foothill trails.
🚗 ~1 hr 45 min · 📏 ~85 miles · 📍 40.0150° N, 105.2705° W

Grand Lake — A historic boardwalk town on Colorado’s largest natural lake and the quiet western gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.
🚗 ~1 hr 45 min · 📏 ~85 miles · 📍 40.2519° N, 105.8233° W

Estes Park — The bustling eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, famous for elk in town, the historic Stanley Hotel, and a riverwalk shopping district.
🚗 ~2 hr 30 min · 📏 ~105 miles · 📍 40.3772° N, 105.5217° W

Steamboat Springs — “Ski Town USA,” celebrated for its Champagne Powder snow, natural hot springs, and authentic Western ranching culture.
🚗 ~2 hr 30 min · 📏 ~105 miles · 📍 40.4850° N, 106.8317° W

Colorado Springs — A Front Range city at the foot of Pikes Peak, home to Garden of the Gods, the Cog Railway, and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center.
🚗 ~2 hr 30 min · 📏 ~130 miles · 📍 38.8339° N, 104.8214° W