Ski towns are better in the summer/fall than they are in the winter (Denver: hotel, school)

[Phil P]

I'm amazed at how affordable ski area VRBOs are in May-June and late August - September! I'm currently staying at Copper Mountain for a little over 2 weeks and it's amazing up here! Though skiing's out of the question, there's plenty of other recreation options. Compared to ski season, the weather is so much nicer, days are longer, and it's prettier in the summer / fall. May is a bit iffy with some options for winter rec up high and summer down low, but by June, all summer activities are available, you just might have to drive to a drier range (Sawatch this year) to get above treeline.

I imagine things will really pick up from the 4th of July through the beginning of school, but the shoulders between then are excellent times to come up to any of the ski towns and spend a long weekend or even a week (especially if you can wfh a couple days). I feel like this is one benefit of living in CO that everyone should take advantage of if they can.

Copper is the best (close area) for hiking. Winter Park and Keystone are great for cycling and all around activities. Breck, eh, I'd do Winter Park or Keystone instead... I never realized how pretty Vail and Beaver Creek till I saw them this summer. Up high it's all green (a dark green), but more moisture and lower elevation from being on the west side of the ranges make for excellent wildflowers and deciduous scenery. Even Aspen, Snowmass, and Crested Butte are affordable in the shoulders if you can take a longer trip to make the drive worthwhile.

[brightdoglover]

Don't forget Telluride/Ouray. Dropping hotel prices for sure up in Tride. Stuff is open with restrictions. Weather is magnificent.

[MidModUSA]

Great post! Actually planning 4th of July trip now and the deals on lodging are amazing. What are some of the best family resorts with summer activities within 1.5 hours drive of Denver?

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Don't forget Telluride/Ouray. Dropping hotel prices for sure up in Tride. Stuff is open with restrictions. Weather is magnificent.

The San Juans are always amazing if you can justify the trip down there with the length of your stay! That area has always been a little more year round though as there's less development around skiing, there's a bigger hunting and fishing presence, it's warmer, and is already renown for the falls. The shoulder seasons are smoothed more there than they are in the central part of the state.

Originally Posted by MidModUSA

Great post! Actually planning 4th of July trip now and the deals on lodging are amazing. What are some of the best family resorts with summer activities within 1.5 hours drive of Denver?

Everything should be opening up by the 4th, you'll probably have to have a mask inside, but things will be open. I'd recommend Winter Park as a good central destination. There's not as many aspens, but the mountain scenery and flowers are just as good! The area is solidly affordable, mostly middle class development, and there's all the recreation that any other ski area base has. It's not as sexy or tucked into a cute valley as other resorts but the surrounding recreation is as good or better. I'd recommend stopping at Berthoud Pass on your way in or out and hiking up the west side to the Vasquez peak area as one of the itineraries on the trip. Also you don't have that wave of Denver coming in over the weekend as much in Grand county as there is to the lake Dillon area and you should avoid traffic better.

[BarryK123]

"Ski towns are better in the summer/fall than they are in the winter"

Not if you're there to ski.

[Dogmama50]

I live in a ski town, summer is my favorite time of the year. Long days, no bugs, cool nights, it's pretty much perfect.

[Good Red Road]

Originally Posted by Phil P

I never realized how pretty Vail and Beaver Creek till I saw them this summer. Up high it's all green (a dark green), but more moisture and lower elevation from being on the west side of the ranges make for excellent wildflowers and deciduous scenery. Even Aspen, Snowmass, and Crested Butte are affordable in the shoulders if you can take a longer trip to make the drive worthwhile.

Yep, people worry about the extra snow in the wintertime, but the summers make living in the mountains all worthwhile.

[COcheesehead]

Crested Butte and Telluride are by far some of the most spectacular towns in summer in Colorado. Telluride is world class.

[Brill]

I still need to make it to Telluride in the summer. Only been there for skiing. Was hoping to do it this year along with black canyon, but not going to happen.

[Westerner92]

The best thing about summer is that your VRBO fits on your back or in your car.