Things to Do in Breckenridge, Colorado

The first ski trails were cut on the lower part of Peak 8 in December 1961. The resort later spread to Peaks 9, 10, 7 and 6, the last in 2013, and now covers about 2,880 acres. The free BreckConnect Gondola runs from town to the Peak 8 base.

★ Good to know Parking is in the North and South Gondola lots, not at the Peak 8 base, so plan to ride the gondola or the bus up.

In summer, the Peak 8 base turns into Epic Discovery, with alpine slides, the Gold Runner Coaster, ropes and challenge courses, a kids’ zipline, mini golf and bungee trampolines. The Colorado SuperChair carries hikers and mountain bikers higher up, to the Vista Haus and a climbing wall.

★ Good to know The summer season runs roughly mid-June through Labor Day, and afternoon thunderstorms can pause lifts, so go in the morning.

Main Street is lined with clapboard and log buildings from the mining years, now full of shops and restaurants. Start at the Welcome Center at 203 S. Main St., which has a free museum covering gold mining, narrow-gauge railroads and the birth of the ski industry. Its interactive timeline runs from the formation of the Rockies to the opening of Peak 6.

★ Good to know Admission to the Welcome Center Museum is free, with a suggested donation.

Breckenridge History runs both, and both are free. Barney Ford was born into slavery in 1822 and became one of Colorado’s most prominent businessmen; his 1882 Victorian home at 111 E. Washington Ave. has been restored. Edwin Carter came for gold in 1868 and turned to collecting wildlife; his cabin museum is at 111 N. Ridge St., and his specimens became the nucleus of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

★ Good to know Both are closed Mondays, and the Barney Ford house is seen on guided tours that start on the hour.

Danish artist Thomas Dambo built this 15-foot troll out of recycled wood for the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts. He now sits on the short Trollstigen Trail. The trailhead is in the southeast corner of the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot, next to the Illinois Gulch Trailhead.

★ Good to know The Trollstigen Trail isn’t maintained in winter, so wear traction if you go when there’s snow.

Quandary Peak, just south of town, is Summit County’s only fourteener, topping out at 14,265 feet. The standard trail is 6.6 miles out and back and takes most hikers four to seven hours. Next door, the McCullough Gulch trail is a 2.9-mile round trip past waterfalls and wildflower meadows.

★ Good to know From mid-June to mid-September, you need a parking reservation or a shuttle ticket from the South Gondola Parking Structure; book at hikequandary.com and start early to beat afternoon storms.

These three free outdoor sites fill in the mining and railroad story. The Washington Mine and Milling Exhibit at 465 Illinois Gulch Road shows the equipment used to process ore. High Line Railroad Park at 189 Boreas Pass Road has Engine No. 9, a narrow-gauge locomotive, plus a rotary snowplow and a train playground.

★ Good to know All three are self-guided and open during daylight hours, weather permitting.

Breck Create runs the town’s arts district and its hands-on classes, from beginner glassblowing to silversmithing and stained glass. It also produces the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, the event that brought Isak Heartstone to town. In summer, the National Repertory Orchestra plays at the Riverwalk Center by the Blue River.

★ Good to know Classes are small and sell out, so check the Breck Create calendar before your trip.