Skip the Beach and Head to the Mountains This Summer!

Skip the Beach and Head to the Mountains This Summer!

Standard summer vacations, especially for those on the coasts, normally mean packing flip flops and heading to the beach. But with overcrowded beaches becoming the norm, instead of beach chairs, Snowmass Village, Colorado invites you to pack hiking boots and plan a mountain vacation instead.

Summer in Snowmass brings long sunny days (over 300 per year), no humidity, and mild temperatures that are perfect for hiking up wildflower-strewn trails or thundering down them on a mountain bike. A day that begins ballooning above the valley may turn into dancing at an outdoor concert or land you at the Snowmass Rodeo, the longest continuously running rodeo in Colorado.

  • Explore Lost Forest. Tucked in among the trees and rocks at Elk Camp on Snowmass Ski Area, the action-packed adventure center includes an alpine coaster, a climbing wall, a zip line, a rope course, multi-use activity areas, biking trails and more. Surrounded by wild beauty, you’ll find your next wild adventure with ease.
  • Embrace Colorado’s western culture at the Snowmass Rodeo. Taking place every Wednesday evening in the summer, June 12 through August 21, visitors can enjoy a true Western experience, with exciting competitions like saddle bronc, bull riding, team roping and barrel racing. Children can participate in the calf scramble and mutton busting. Families can also enjoy an authentic cowboy barbeque, chicken poop bingo, campfire singalong, and learn a trick or two, such as roping!
  • Soar through the mountains on a hot air balloon. Early morning sunrise rides take visitors up nearly 2,500 feet over the Snowmass landscape, providing expansive views of Mount Daly, Capitol Peak and the Elk Mountains. Wildlife, such as elk, deer and foxes, are often visible from the balloon! Whether it’s a family adventure, a romantic escape or a special occasion, hot air ballooning promises to the be highlight of any summer vacation.
  • Bike on over 90 miles of trails. Snowmass is home to some of Colorado’s best cross country trails, including the Snowmass Loop, which consists of 28 miles and 4,408 total feet of vertical single track combining over 10 trails. Additionally, Snowmass Bike Park offers something for downhill mountain bike riders of all experience levels. Starting at the top of the Elk Camp Gondola down to Snowmass Base Village, bikers can experience 3,000 vertical feet of purpose-built trails. If you’re newer to biking, no need to fret, as Snowmass Bike Park features a number of bike clinics to help guests hone their downhill skills. Guests can visit www.bikesnowmass.com to plan a ride with Strava assisted technology.
  • Dance the night away at a Snowmass Free Concert. A Snowmass summer tradition, the Snowmass Free Concert Series is a must-do summer music event. Beginning June 13, every Thursday (and two bonus Saturdays), locals and visitors alike gather on Fanny Hill to enjoy some of the country’s best live bands in a relaxed atmosphere with a spectacular mountain backdrop. The Snowmass Free Concert Series celebrates 28 years this summer season.