bugsy running on lone rock beach with the airstream and f-150 in the background

One night in Breckenridge, CO–Big Trip #3

We visited Breckenridge in October 2020, as part of Big Trip #3.

hiking in Breckenridge
hiking down from the summit of Mount Victoria

After visiting the charming ski towns of Telluride and Crested Butte, we were excited to experience one more before turning for home. Breckenridge isn’t like those two pretty, quaint, happy little towns! It’s much glitzier; everything seems shiny and bigger and buzzier. We much preferred Telluride and CB, but are happy we stopped in Breckenridge on the way to Denver to see what it’s all about.

Campground

Bugsy and the Airstream at Tiger Run RV resort

We stayed at Tiger Run Resort, a HUGE, pricey park with RV spots, cabins, playground, pool, fitness center, clubhouse… basically every RV park amenity you can think of. It was lovely, but overkill for people like us who generally don’t use a park’s public spaces. The drive into downtown was about ten minutes–with some of that time just getting out of the park. Did I mention it’s huge?

downtown Breckenridge

A local told us later about a $5 satellite parking lot in town where you can sneaky camp, and boondocking on Boreas Pass Rd up the mountain at the end of town.

Hiking

There are lots of hiking options in Breckenridge, but we only had time for two short hikes–one the afternoon we arrived, and one the following morning. Both of these hikes are dog-friendly.

Colorado trail in Breckenridge

The Colorado Trail stretches 567 miles from Denver to Durango, and there’s a trailhead at the edge of the RV resort. While this section doesn’t have much of a wow factor, the location was ideal. You can make your hike as long as you’d like, and the trail connects to a network that would be great for trail running.

view from Mount Victoria hike

The hike to the summit of Mount Victoria has some really tough climbs! The views of the neighboring mountains and the reservoir are nice at the top, but you see lots of civilization and not enough wilderness. This is a hard-plus 6ish mile hike.

To do: Lower Crystal Lake looks like a pretty 4.6-mile hike close to town.

Eating and drinking

We got in as much research as possible in a short visit!

the patio at Breckenridge Brewing

We started the evening at the far end of the main drag, at Breckenridge Brewing, and worked our way back up Main Street. It’s a popular place, but they have a big yard that safely accommodated everyone. I really liked the tropical sour.

martinis at Blue River Bistro

The local who told us about the alternative camping locations also told us about the super happy hour deals at Blue River Bistro. They have a long cocktail list and a few tables and heaters out front. It’s a fun spot to watch activity on Main Street.

Broken Compass Brewing merchandise

We ended the evening at Broken Compass Brewing. So dog-friendly! Dogs everywhere, and merch with the slogan “Drink Beer Pet Dogs.” (Think we bought anything??) I sampled a yummy sour and ginger pale, and J liked the IPA enough to get a growler.

hiking the Colorado Trail in Breckenridge
hiking the Colorado Trail

Breckenridge was a fun stop with lots to do, and it’s convenient to Denver, but it lacks the charm of the smaller ski towns a little farther afield.

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One response to “One night in Breckenridge, CO–Big Trip #3”

  1. […] over to Breckenridge, we stopped for a drink at Broken Compass Brewing. We knew about it because Airstream Dog had mentioned it was extremely pet-friendly, so it seemed like a great place to stop for a little […]

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