Winter Park was originally established on its proximity to the Moffat Tunnel. Make no mistake, today, the city is completely built around the awesome skiing at Winter Park Resort. Throughout the winter ski season, Winter Park has many more visitors than residents. This could change as the town seems to be kicking off a population boom. Winter Park is only 65 miles from Denver, making it one of the closest big ski resorts to the state’s capital.
Winter Park is a destination town for those who love winter sports. The major draw is Winter Park Resort. The resort has diverse terrain and is great for all skiers. The more advanced skiers/riders can head over to Mary Jane mountain, which is part of the resort.rnrnFor a smaller (and cheaper) option, consider heading a 30-minute drive down the road to Ski Granby Ranch. This is great for families with easy parking and easy skiing. rnrnThe area also has some other great snow sports for the adrenaline junkies. Try snowmobiling over the continental divide. Another cool experience is a short drive to the Historic Fraser Tubing Hill.rn
The Ski Train is a passenger train that takes travelers from Union Station in Denver to Winter Park Ski Resort. With I-70 jam-packed with ski season traffic, the train offers a rare opportunity to skip the bumper-to-bumper and enjoy the historical route.
Winter Park has been working on also becoming a summer park. The base of the mountain has miniature golf and an alpine slide. The resort is growing in popularity for summer weddings. Be sure to take a look at the summer event calendar. Plan a getaway around any of the festivals including the Jazz Festival, Beer Festival, and the newly launched “Winter Park Uncorked” wine festival.
The best time to visit Winter Park is in the winter (duh). The town has more tourists than residents during the winter months. Winter Park is very cold, and its neighboring town (Fraser) is known as the "icebox of America". Average daily low temps fall below zero for most of winter.
After the ski area closes in mid-April, the town largely shuts down. This slow season is more dramatic than larger Colorado ski towns. Spring is the mud season and not a good time to visit.
Winter Park summers are short, but fun while they last. Temperatures typically top out in the low 70s with lots of sunshine.
Early fall is OK at best. By October, the temps are dropping and the weather can be unpredictable. There simply isn't a lot to do outside of summers and winters.