There’s no denying it – Breckenridge has made its mark on Popular culture. Starting in the 20th Century, the little Rocky Mountain town began to make appearances in film, sports, and other prevalent activities. Breckenridge continues to leave a mark as a charming place that encompasses mountain culture and draws in visitors from across the world.
We love our dogs here in Breckenridge, and we know you do, too! As a valued member of the family, bringing Fido on your vacation is a no-brainer. Lucky for you, Breckenridge is a dog’s paradise with miles of hiking trails, outdoor patios and even Fido-friendly accommodations. We’ve gathered everything you need to know so you and your pooch can have a howling good time.
Dog Hiking in Breckenridge
Breckenridge is a stunning mountain destination—home to hundreds of miles of trail systems that are virtually all dog friendly, meaning you and Fido can have your pick. While the paws-ibilities are endless, these are some of our favorite hikes around Breckenridge:
Easy: Sawmill Trail, Burro Trail, Sallie Barber Mine Trail
Moderate: Peaks Trail, Baker’s Tank, Francie’s Cabin via Spruce Creek Trail
Hard: McCullough Gulch Trail, Wheeler Trail
Riding on the BreckConnect Gondola
Ride the Gondola
The BreckConnect Gondola is a great FREE activity not only for the family but also your pooch! During the summer and winter seasons, the gondola runs from town up to the base areas of Peak 7 and Peak 8. Take your pup for a gondola ride and hop off at the base of Peak 8 to enjoy a cocktail from Ullr Café on the outdoor patio.
Head to the Dog Park
If your pup loves playing with other dogs, head over to the Carter Park Dog Park to let them run off leash in an acre of fenced space. There is even a separate, fenced-in small dog area for our tiny four-legged friends. You’ll meet all the local dogs here—this is a favorite spot!
Enjoy Outdoor Patios
No need to skip Main Street—you can bring your doggo along with you for après cocktails around town! Restaurants like Kenosha and the Canteen Taphouse have large outdoor patios that welcome dogs. Broken Compass Brewing offers two dog-friendly locations; or, if you’d rather head inside, Rocky Mountain Underground and Après allow your well-behaved pup indoors. The list doesn’t stop here, there are more dog-friendly patios to explore!
Dogs Playing at the Carter Park Dog Park
Comfy accommodations for you and your four-legged friend await at the Breck Inn. Located just a mile north of Main Street, the Breck Inn offers cozy, standard hotel rooms along with complimentary breakfast options. Make sure to call ahead as pet rooms are limited! As a bonus, 10% of all dog fees are donated to the Summit County Animal Control and Shelter.
The Dog House
If your pup needs a place to stay or you just need a little doggie daycare, check out the Dog House. The Dog House offers overnight boarding, doggie daycare and large indoor play areas so dogs can spend the majority of their days in play groups according to their size and temperament.
Animal Lovers Pet Supply
Even your dog deserves to go home with some souvenirs! Located next to the Dog House, Animal Lovers Pet Supply has a diverse selection of toys and treats. They also offer grooming and self-service dog wash stations so you can give your pup a good clean after a day of adventuring.
For Pets’ Sake
This is not necessarily for your dog, but more for you! This thrift shop on Main Street funds the Animal Rescue of the Rockies. Stop in with your pooch and explore the selection of gently used clothing, jewelry, housewares and more.
Good Pups on Main Street
Leash Laws
If you are within the town limits of Breckenridge, dogs are required to be on a leash. Outside of the town limits, you can have your dog off leash under voice command. For the full rundown of dog regulations, you can head to the Town of Breckenridge website.
Where Not to Go
The Riverwalk Center lawn, the fields of Kingdom Park, Cucumber Gulch, and the Breckenridge Golf Course are the only places off-limits to dogs.
Clean Up After Your Dog
Wherever you bring your pup around Breckenridge, please be sure to clean up after them. There are plenty of dog-waste bag stations and trash cans around town so you can help us keep Breckenridge clean.
Capture that perfect holiday card-worthy photo from your time in Breckenridge. These are the top 5 winter photo opp spots.
There are free public transportation, taxi services, and rental car agencies in the community.
Hotel Shuttles: Check with your hotel! Most lodging hotels and condominiums in Breckenridge have complimentary shuttles.
Breckenridge ‘Free Ride’: The Breckenridge ‘Free Ride’ is free bus transportation that takes you all around town. Operating seven days a week, the Breckenridge ‘Free Ride’ is the best choice for getting around town, especially after hours. Click here for more information.
Summit Stage: The Summit Stage is the free county-wide bus transportation that travels to Copper Mountain, Keystone, Dillon, Silverthorne, and Frisco. Summit Stage bus service is available year round and departs from various locations, including the Breckenridge Transit Center located right next to the BreckConnect Gondola. Visit www.summitstage.com for more information.
Uber: From your cell phone, download the app, tap a button and get a ride. Uber is an easy way to get around without any hassle. One tap and a car will come directly to you. Your driver knows exactly where to go and when you get there, just step out. Payment is completely seamless.
Here is a local’s guide to parking in Breckenridge!
This guide is here to help you remain low-key and blend in like a local. Truthfully, I’m not sure we really care what you wear…except for maybe those giant fuzzy boots.
The truth: Wear what you want. We’re just happy you’re experiencing this gem we call home.
Here’s the breakdown of what to wear on your vacation to Breckenridge. Hopefully this can serve as a packing list (check out our winter packing guide here), but don’t fret if you don’t own these things. We have PLENTY of shops and gear outfitters ready to hook you up.
Homegrown style: Wearing anything native to Colorado is key. Brands like Melanzana, Loki, SmartWool and FlyLow Gear are all Colorado-made products sure to win style points. Take a short trip to Leadville and visit the Melanzana store. This homegrown small company designs, cuts, sews and sells everything themselves. How cool is that?!
Footwear: You’ll see everything here from Birkenstocks and Chacos to the fanciest Sorel. Anything in between is fine, so long as you can comfortably walk. Our terrain is mostly dirt trails or icy walkways. We suggest leaving the Moon Boots and stilettos at home.
Layers: Wearing a beanie and down jacket to work in the morning and not knowing how to carry it home in the afternoon is a common struggle in fall and spring. Our weather changes frequently and FAST. So, if you layer properly you shouldn’t have to worry. Brands don’t matter so much in this situation, but your down coat should probably say Patagonia or Arctery’x if you’re into that sort of thing. If you’re hipper than that, you’re probably wearing FlyLow, Kuhl or Trew.
Western wear: Although we aren’t as down with western wear as, say, Steamboat Springs, we’ll dig your Frye boots and that cute Brixton hat (for the ladies). Men, us girls can always dig a cowboy amiright? So, feel free to slide into some Levi’s and throw on your western boots. We won’t hate it; we may even prefer it compared to the snowboard style we’re so used to.
Eye protection: We can’t stress this enough. We don’t care what you wear for eye protection, just WEAR IT. Same goes for sunscreen and lip balm with SPF and/or anything with zinc oxide. Our favorite brand is Dermatone; get the tin, it’s cooler (not literally) and much easier to apply on the face. Walking around at 9,600 feet and skiing over 10,000 feet in the winter brings you that much closer to the sun, and those sunburns can ruin a vacation here too, not just at the beach.
Reusable water bottle: Not only are we saving the planet one reusable bottle at a time, but the tap water in Breckenridge is amazing. Hydration is one of the most important things you can do for your body at altitude. You’ll see all the primo bottles (Klean Kanteen, Hydro Flask and Yeti), but it’s cool if you have your favorite Nalgene from high school covered in stickers.
Don’t forget…
Other than your personal daily essentials, we think we’ve got you covered. Looking forward to seeing you during any season in Breck, and hopefully we won’t even know you’re just visiting!
Book your Breckenridge lodging and enjoy steep promotional deals at The Grand Colorado on Peak 8, Grand Lodge on Peak 7 and Grand Timber Lodge.
Spring has sprung in Breckenridge and that means wildlife is out and about. With the abundance of critters here in Breckenridge, don’t be surprised to see a family of foxes scurrying through town or a moose taking a stroll down the road while you’re visiting. These animals, although majestic and exciting to spot, are on an agenda of their own. Spring is a delicate time for the wildlife here and respecting our trail closures and wilderness areas are critical. Here are some guidelines you should be aware of to protect both the wildlife and yourself!
Don’t feed the wildlife.
Under no circumstance should anyone be feeding a wild animal. A bear’s main goal is to get fat enough to live through the winter, so be very cautious about what you are leaving around. Leave no trace. A bear can smell food up to 5 miles away, and so during the months of mid-March through early November, don’t leave anything that smells of food in your vehicle or outside near your home. Foxes hang around most lodging properties looking for scraps as well as in town. Be mindful that human food is actually unhealthy for these animals and can prevent certain species from foraging for themselves. When wild animals are fed human food, it will likely result in that animal’s death. If you care about our furry friends, please do not feed them. Our best advice: stay back and observe these creatures in their natural habitat.
Mind your dogs.
We aren’t saying you need to leash your dog on a trail where they are able to run free, but please be aware of the rules around you, especially during mud season/spring when the trails and preserves are being carefully monitored to host an atmosphere for these animals. A run in with a moose, mountain lion or porcupine could put you and your dog at serious risk. Not only could we be endangering the habitat for these animals, they could also be potentially dangerous to you and your fur baby.
The types of wildlife you will *most likely* see and general facts about them:
Facts provided by defenders.org
How to interact with the larger wildlife of Breckenridge.
Bear – If you feel as though you may be in bear territory, make noise while you walk. Clap your hands or whistle loudly to help prevent yourself from surprising a bear. Don’t run from a bear! They will think you are prey and could potentially chase you. Also, avoid climbing trees as bears are skilled climbers.
Mountain Lion – They say you don’t see a mountain lion; it sees you first. So, if you are placed in this terrifying situation, the best way to conduct yourself is to stay calm (we know…). Talk firmly and make eye contact. You want to make yourself look as big as possible, so whatever you have on your person, use it to your advantage. NEVER RUN – but step or back away S L O W L Y. We hope you never have to use this advice.
Moose – If a moose charges you, we finally give you permission to RUN. Trying to put something between you and the moose is the best advice we’ve heard. Moose are trying to drive you away, so the faster you can get further away, the better. The moose will feel comfortable as soon as you are a safe distance away and should leave you alone.
So there you have it. A few tips on how to protect the wildlife in Breckenridge, and some fun facts to leave you with a bit more knowledge about these animals. We ask that you try to listen to these rules, and PLEASE: do not feed the wildlife. Enjoy Breckenridge and also, please leave no trace. Use #bestofbreck when you post your camping and outdoor adventure photos of Breckenridge to be featured on our Instagram!
