Breckenridge Ski Resort

Breckenridge Ski Resort spreads across five peaks of the Tenmile Range, Peaks 6 to 10, directly above the old mining town of Breckenridge in Summit County. It opened on 16 December 1961 on Peak 8 and has been owned by Vail Resorts since 1997. It is one of the most visited ski areas in the United States.

The numbers are big: about 2,900 skiable acres, 35 lifts and nearly 3,400 feet of vertical. The Imperial Express chairlift on Peak 8 reaches about 12,840 feet, usually billed as the highest chairlift in North America, and the hike-to summit of Peak 8 is close to 13,000 feet. At that altitude, visitors from low ground often feel the thin air on their first day; take it easy and drink plenty of water. The resort was among the first big ski areas to allow snowboarding, in the mid-1980s.

Breckenridge is on the Epic Pass, with unlimited days, and an Epic Day Pass bought before the season is usually much cheaper than a ticket at the window. For 2026/27 the resort is scheduled to open on 6 November 2026; it usually stays open until late May.

You do not need to drive to the lifts. The free BreckConnect Gondola, opened in the 2006/07 season, runs from the edge of downtown to Peak 7 and Peak 8, and free town buses link the gondola, the base areas and the outlying lodging. Parking near the base is paid and managed through an app; the large free lot on Airport Road has a free bus to the gondola.

Breckenridge is about 80 miles from Denver, via I-70 to Frisco (exit 203) and Highway 9 south, and about 100 miles from Denver International Airport. Weekend traffic on I-70 can double the driving time, so leave early or late.