Early Season Biking in Summit County

Biking, especially mountain biking is a challenge during the early season in Summit County.

Snow, mud and cold temperatures all conspire against the early season rider to make biking a little tougher than the lower lying areas east and west of the High Country. But there are a few great opportunities to get pedaling in Breckenridge and Summit County.

It’s also important to remember while the snow is melting and the mud is drying to shake the dust off your gear. Check out this great preseason primer on getting your gear ready to go for the new season.

Now that you are good to go, here are a few ideas on what early season trails to hit first in Summit County that will get you in shape and keep the trails in great shape as you roll into summer.

Any Bike Path

Over 38 miles of paved bike paths are available and maintained by Summit County. There is a full range of routes for all ability levels. Paths range in elevation from 8,777 feet to over 10,000 feet and rides can range from a few miles to 20+ mile rides. One of our favorite rides is around Lake Dillon. Clocking in at 20 miles, it is a beginner ride that covers a large portion of the county and easily accessible from multiple points. A great place to start is at Farmer’s Corner going up Swan Mountain Road. There is plenty of parking at the bottom of the road and the eastbound section of Swan Mountain Road is the largest hill climb in the route. This is the only section that is not a full bike path. There is a bike lane on this section and it hooks up with the bike path going down the other side at the top of the road. The rest of the ride takes you down into Summit Cove and then along the lake to Dillon. Across the Dillon Dam to Frisco and ultimately back to Farmer’s Corner on the west side of the lake. The Summit County website is a great resource for the bike path.

Frisco Peninsula Trail System

The Frisco Peninsula is probably the first of the dirt trails to open in Summit County and offer miles of singletrack and a variety of trails crisscrossing the peninsula. The trails can be a little tricky but are generally thought of as easy to intermediate. The Lakeshore Trail offers stunning views of the Ten Mile Range, Gore Range and the Front Range. Getting to the Frisco Peninsula Recreation Area is easy and there is plenty of parking. Click here for a great resource on the Peninsula Trail system.

Oro Grande Trail – Dillon

The Oro Grande Trail is more of a forest road that is on the flank of the west side of Tenderfoot Mountain. It runs from County Road 51 in Dillon (the top of Dillon Hill) to the landfill road near the beginning of Keystone. It is a great “up and down” and since it is on the southwest facing slope the trail is dry by May. Click here to get a rundown on the trail.

Biking is just one of the activities to do in Breckenridge in the spring.

Fly fishing, rafting, hiking, and most importantly saving money are just a few of the surprising number of spring activities to choose from. For the best deals on Spring Lodging visit www.breckenridgedisountlodging.com.