Why Summit County Scales Heights of Fun

High-Country Destination is a Summertime Eden

Chris Duthie

While winter recreation is indelibly linked to Colorado’s expansive Summit County, this high-altitude and highly popular destination also specializes in making summers both brilliant and memorable. In fact, cooler weather destinations like Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Keystone and Silverthorne are de rigueur favorites for golf, hiking, fishing, rafting, camping, horseback riding, backpacking, biking and just about anything outdoors.

Looking to beat the heat? Here are five reasons why Summit County should be on everyone’s summer-escape hot list:

1. Great Golf: Staged among alpine backdrops of 13,000- and 14,000-foot mountain peaks, golfers are lured by breath-stealing scenery as well as top-rated routings. The area offers four of the state’s favorite tracks, including Keystone Resort’s River Course (above, designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry) and Ranch Course (Robert Trent Jones Jr.), 27-hole Breckenridge Golf Club (below, Jack Nicklaus) and Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (top of page, Hurdzan/Fry and Tom Lehman).

2. Delectable Dining: Ranging from festive Mexican to upscale steakhouses, you won’t go hungry in Summit County. Top bistros include highly rated Hearthstone Restaurant in Breckenridge, CB Grille at Copper Mountain, Butterhorn Bakery & Café in Frisco, Kickapoo Tavern in Keystone and Sunshine Café in Silverthorne. And after a day on Dillon Reservoir, do the requisite fish taco feast at the Island Grill at Frisco Bay.

3. Engaging Events: Include in your vacation plans reserved seating for La Cage Aux Folles (now through July 31 in Dillon), the season-ending performances of the National Repertory Orchestra (July 29 and 31 in Breckenridge); and the cowbell-clanging third and forth stages of the USA Pro Challenge (Aug. 20-21 in Copper Mountain and Breckenridge).

4. Heart-Thumping Recreation: Not all in Summit County is about ultra-long tee shots. Full-day itineraries include 3,300-acre Dillon Reservoir (watersport rentals available at Frisco Bay Marina); fly fishing for trophy trout on the Blue River with Cutthroat Anglers; road biking 12,095-foot-high Independence Pass, the forth-highest paved road in Colorado; hiking some of America’s most splendid backcountry, including forays to Mohawk Lakes near Breckenridge and Upper Cataract Lake near Silverthorne, and taking the family to Frisco’s no-fees-whatsoever Adventure Park.

5. Grand Accommodations: From neighborly bed-and-breakfasts to luxuriously appointed resorts, Summit County delivers. Can’t-miss recommendations include the resplendent surrounds of Keystone Resort; magnificent Beaver Run Resort & Conference Center in Breckenridge; and the turnkey lodging services available from Breckenridge Grand Vacations.

Summit County is less than a two-hour drive from the Denver metro area via I–70. For more information, click here.

RELATED LINKS

Summer is Sublime in the Colorado Rockies

Explore Breckenridge’s Beaver Run Resort

9 Reasons Why Summit County is Awesome

Tee it High in Summit County

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.