Discover Outdoor Bliss in Summit County

Summit County’s high-country attractions make Colorado everything it should be.

By Chris Duthie

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It is fairly common knowledge that Summit County—located a mere 90-minute drive from Denver via I-70—is a hotbed for golf.

A four-season destination of elevated splendor, Summit County is rife with superlative golf properties including 27-hole Breckenridge Golf Club (designed by Jack Nicklaus); Keystone Resort’s Keystone Ranch Golf Club (Robert Trent Jones Jr.) and The River Course at Keystone; Silverthorne’s Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks (Tom Lehman/Hurdzan/Fry); Copper Mountain’s Copper Creek Golf Course (Pete and Perry Dye) and, in neighboring Lake County, Leadville’s nine-hole Mount Massive Golf Course.

But for heaven’s sake, don’t just pack the clubs. This wild-country playground demands a trailer-load of outdoor toys to take full advantage of the river rafting, boating, mountain biking, ATVing, fly-fishing, ziplining, chairlift riding, timberline hiking, camping and more.

And it goes without saying that the region’s signature special events are, in fact, very special.

Looking for examples? Here is a slew of Summit summer must-dos:

1) Attend the Breckenridge Music Festival. Founded in 1981, this month-long festival (starting June 17) features a resident ensemble of 45 professional musicians whose performances range from traditional to modern. For something way out of the ordinary, don’t miss Keystone’s Bacon and Bourbon Festival (June 23-24), which in addition to live music offers “thousands of pounds of bacon and bacon-inspired cuisine” for pork-leaning foodies.

2) Go see the top of the world. At the top of Loveland Pass (elevation 11,990 feet) and Hoosier Pass (11,542 feet) are fabulous Continental Divide photo-ops. It’s pretty special to think that, up here, the water flows on one side to the Pacific Ocean and on the other to the Atlantic. In addition to temperatures that often mandate a windbreaker, get ready for breath-stealing panoramas frequented by bears, moose and mountain goats.

3) Dip your toes into Dillon Reservoir. Fed by Blue River, the lake offers 27 miles of shoreline encompassing 3,233 acres, enticing heat-defeating recreation including sailing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, SUPing, fishing and paved-path biking, all of which is underscored by 344 campsites and a full-service marina.

4) Explore Colorado’s gold- and silver-mining legacy. Where better place than in the rejuvenated mining town of Leadville, where visitors can pair explorations by attending the annual Leadville BBQ and Brew Festival (June 22-23), followed by the annual Boom Days Celebration (Aug. 3-5) that treats attendees with a food and craft fair, pancake breakfast, burro races, gunslingers, parade and more free family fun.

5) Crank up the thrills. Even the most adroit riders and skaters are tested at the Breckenridge Mountain Bike Freeride Park and the Silverthorne Skate Park. Breck’s bike park features exhilarating Alpine trails, lessons and rentals; Silverthorne’s is part of a seven-acre multi-use park that includes tennis, basketball, sand volleyball, children’s playground and picnic shelters. 

For more about Summit County, go online to the Colorado Welcome Center at Silverthorne, the Frisco Visitor Center, or GoBreck.com.

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[easyazon_infoblock align=”right” identifier=”B0014UG3WE” locale=”US” tag=”coloradoavidg-20″]RELATED LINKS

Dillon is Summit County at its Best

Colorado Getaways: Summit County

5 Reasons to Love Summit County

9 Reasons Why Summit County is Awesome

2018 CAGGYs: The Best in Colorado Golf

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Chris Duthie is a Durango-based contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer. Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.