See My Video; Fall Colors are Like Jazz
Here you go: My Three Favorite Fall Color Trips in The Summit
One in the car, one walking and one on your bike.
Driving from Breckenridge to Como
The drive from Breckenridge over Boreas Pass to Como during peak fall colors feels like slipping into a quieter century. As you leave town and begin the gentle climb, the aspens gather in bright, trembling clusters—first in pockets, then in full golden corridors that glow against the deep greens of spruce and fir. The old railroad grade keeps the road easy and rolling, giving you long, unhurried views across the Tenmile Range where entire hillsides shimmer like they’ve been brushed with sunlight. My wife thinks it looks like lava flowing down the hill. Every pullout feels like a postcard waiting to happen.
Near the summit, the world opens up. The historic railroad stop and the wide alpine meadows give the drive a nostalgic, almost cinematic setting, especially with the aspens turning copper and amber at higher elevations. As you descend toward Como, the landscape shifts into broader, more open country—sage, grassland, and scattered groves of gold that look almost surreal against the vast South Park basin. It’s one of those drives where the colors don’t just decorate the scenery; they transform it, making the whole route feel like a slow, beautiful exhale before dropping into the historic charm of Como.
Hiking in the Dillon Nature Preserve
The hike from the Dillon Nature Preserve parking lot up to the Ridge Trail feels like one of those quiet, rewarding routes that sneaks up on you. It begins gently, winding through tall lodgepole pines with filtered light and the soft hush of the forest. The trail climbs steadily but never harshly, giving you time to settle into the rhythm of the walk. As you gain elevation, the trees thin and the views begin to open—first small glimpses of Dillon Reservoir through the branches, then wider windows that hint at what’s coming.
Once you reach the Ridge Trail, the world expands. The path rolls along the crest with sweeping views of the Tenmile and Gore Ranges, the reservoir shining below, and the town of Dillon tucked along the shoreline. Following the ridge out to the point is the payoff: a quiet overlook where the lake spreads out beneath you like a deep-blue bowl and the mountains stack in layered blues and grays, while littered with bright gold and red patches of aspens. It’s a spot that feels both exposed and peaceful, perfect for sitting a few minutes, letting the breeze move past, and taking in one of the most underrated vistas in Summit County.
Biking from W Main St to Summit High School
Biking from the West Main Street lot in Frisco to Summit High School during fall colors feels like the rec path has slipped into its most beautiful version of itself. The ride starts with that familiar glide along the Tenmile Path, but in autumn the trip along the south side of town is accented by a canopy of aspens that have turned every shade of gold—bright lemon near the water, deeper amber higher on the hillsides. Their leaves flicker in the breeze as you pedal past.
As you curve toward Farmers Korner, the path threads through pockets of forest where the air smells crisp and sweet, and fallen leaves crunch lightly under your tires. The gentle rollers feel easier with the colors carrying you along—rusty willows in the meadows, golden tunnels of aspen, and the Gore Range rising in cool blue contrast. The final stretch toward Summit High School opens into wide, quiet space along the lakeshore where the mountains stand behind a patchwork of yellows and oranges. The reflections on the reservoir double the effect, like you’re riding between two layers of light. It’s the kind of fall ride that makes even a familiar route feel new again, like the season itself is riding alongside you.