Breckenridge to Vail Pass Summit - Breckenridge, CO

Vail Pass is one of the rare passes in Colorado that can be reached on a bike without playing high speed vehicle roulette. A bike path, running between Vail and Breckendrige, allows easy access over the pass and provides a great ride through amazing scenery while providing a great workout.

Breckenridge has evolved from its roots as a mining town, slowly turning the scars of gold mining into a proper ski town that is usually more affordable, and more easily accessible, than Aspen, Telluride or Vail. With abundant restaurants, bars and coffee shops, Breck is a great place to start and end the climb to Vail Pass.

The ride starts in downtown Breckenridge winds west along the bike path, which is paved the entire way. Once the ride hits Frisco, the mostly flat terrain gradually begins to climb almost 1000 feet before topping out at the summit of Vail Pass, which sits at about 10,600 feet. Along the way, the path provides great views of the Breckenridge and Copper Mountain ski resorts and the surrounding peaks, as well as views of Dillon Lake. Be prepared for extremely variable weather; this is, after all, Colorado.

Distance: 21.65 miles one way / 43.30 miles round trip

Directions: Starting at N. Main Street and Lincoln Ave. in downtown Breckendridge, head West and take a left on Watson Road and then a right on to the bike path. Stay on the bike path for about 16 miles until it ends in a parking lot near a Shell gas station. From there hop on the road that crosses CO-Highway 91 into the Copper Mountain village (you should be on Copper Road).

Continue west, past the round-a-bout and on to Beeler Pl. You will see an entrance for the bike path on the right. Hop on that and take it an additional 4.10 miles to the parking lot at the summit of Vail Pass. Return via the same route.


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Hoosier Pass - Breckenridge, CO

To the south of Breckenridge lies Co-9, a two lane road that winds its way to the top of the valley that frames the southern view from town. The summit of the pass sits at 11,541 ft., and provides a great viewpoint of some of the peaks and valleys that surround the summit county area.

As a ride, Hoosier Pass is somewhat short, only 10.3 miles from downtown Breck to the summit of the pass, but in that 10 miles you climb almost 2,200 feet (Breckenridge sits at 9,603ft), which makes the Pass a great workout that will not take all day. From downtown Breck, head south (the ski mountain will be on your right), on Main Street which will eventually turn into CO-9. You will know you are headed in the right direction when you pass the Breckenridge Brewery on your left.


Sidenote: The Breck Brewery is one of my favorite places in town. It has the typical brewery food ( their black bean burger is one of the best I have ever had), but what really sets it apart is the beer. They produce some of the most distinctive beers that I have come across. The Vanilla Porter is my favorite. The brewery is definitely worth checking out while in town.

Following Co-9 out of town, you will pass the town/neighborhood of Blue River on your left. The road remains pretty gradual until it starts hitting the switchbacks. From what I can remember, the road is in decent condition, but there is not much of a shoulder. However, most of the drivers seem cognizant of bikers on the road. We did have an encounter with a driver who honked and screamed at us, apparently angry that he had to move a foot or two to the left of his lane. Or maybe he didn't like all of the spandex.


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Breckenridge, CO

Growing up in Colorado, I have had the opportunity to check out a lot of the cities and towns in the State. One of my favorites is Breckenridge, in Summit County Colorado. Summit County is known for the sheer number of ski resorts it hosts, among them Vail and Copper Mountain. Breckenridge has the ski resort vibe going on, but it is also a great town with a lot of great things to do.

Like Aspen and Telluride, Breckenridge began as a mining town. When the mines stopped producing, the range of peaks to the south became the economic anchor of the town. Due to the large number of mines, the valley floor that Breckenridge sits in used to be covered in huge piles of stone, the result of dredging in the mines. The town has spent years reclaiming the valley floor, and from what I remember growing up, the progress has been amazing.

The Blue River winds through town, and has been the focal point for a lot of the reclamation projects the town has undergone. Along the river winds a multi-use path that runs 16 miles up to Copper Mountain resort, and from there connects to another paved trail that runs to Vail. Great for running and biking. Breck is also surrounded by some great rides, among them Hoosier Pass, Vail Pass, and Loveland Pass, all of which climb to at least 10,000+ feet. And of course the town is host to some great skiing and snowboarding during the winter.