Summit County is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. The county is largely situated around Lake Dillon, which provides fun water activities during the summer. Winters are epic (literally) with four ski areas. Little known fact – Summit County has the longest life expectancy of any county in the nation. We don’t stop playing because we grow old… we grow old because we stop playing.
With four ski areas, Summit County is built around the ski industry. Arapahoe Basin is a favorite for locals, and it has the highest ski slopes in North America. Most years, A-Basin is open from October to June. Keystone is a family-friendly ski area, which features diverse skiing terrain and kid-focused programming. Breckenridge is a true destination town, complete with a charming main street for shopping and dining. Copper Mountain is best known for having great skiing that is naturally divided by level of difficulty. Easy runs (greens) are to the west, blues (intermediate) are in the center, and blacks (difficult/expert) runs are to the east. rnrnA fun fact – while “Dumb and Dumber” supposedly takes place in Aspen, the beloved comedy was actually filmed at Copper Mountain.
Summit County summers are jam-packed with cool (and tasty) events. Some examples include Frisco’s “Colorado BBQ Challenge”, Keystone’s “Bacon and Beer Fest”, and Copper Mountain’s “Mac and Cheese Fest”. Summit County is also known for outstanding fishing, boating, kayaking, mountain bike riding, and hiking.
Dillon and Silverthorne have several options for visiting breweries. This includes Baker’s Brewery (half bakery, half brewery), Pug Ryan’s, and Dillon Dam Brewery. For beer lovers, Summit County’s most well-known is Breckenridge Brewery. If you prefer something a little stiffer, stop by Breckenridge distillery for their liquor and craft cocktails.
The county is built around the tourism industry and this means fantastic restaurant options. If you are near Keystone, the historic Snake River Saloon is a must. The best restaurants in the county are generally in Breckenridge and Frisco.
Winter is prime time for visiting Summit County. Breckenridge is the #2 most visited ski area in the country (behind Vail). Plenty of snow and sunshine makes for perfect ski conditions. This county was built on the winters.
Summit County is incredibly seasonal. The tourism industry takes a 6-8 week breather after ski season wraps up in early to mid-April. In Keystone and Copper Mountain, it is so slow that the restaurants and bars shut down. Spring is known as the "mud season" and there isn't a whole lot to do.
Summers are highly popular in Summit County. The county is based around Lake Dillon. Residents and tourists spend summers enjoying the outdoors. High temps are in the low to mid-70s with lots of sunshine and brief rain showers. Every summer weekend is packed with festivals.
Early fall can be a great time to visit, but the weather gets unpredictable very quickly. Late September is nice for enjoying temperatures in the mid-60s while seeing the turning of the leaves. As with spring, many of the restaurants and retailers in Copper and Keystone shut down for about six weeks between the summer rush and ski season.