Guided Hikes & Historic Walks
Guided Hikes & Historic Walks near Frisco, Dillon & Breckenridge, Colorado
Summit County has so many hiking trails it will be difficult to decide which one to take. From late June to mid August you will be treated to spectacular wildflower meadows. There are several hikes with expansive views of Lake Dillon from different starting points around the lake. There are old mines to be seen where miners toiled in harsh mountain conditions. There are the awe-inspiring peaks of the Continental Divide that winds through the county. Or you might want to see a lake covered with lily pads. You could pass beaver ponds, lodges and dams and if you are there at the right time of the day you might even see a beaver swimming. As long as you go out early you will probably have clear blue skies, nice cool temperatures and a lot of sunshine. Let one of the guides of High Country Activities introduce you to Summit County’s wealth of natural splendor as they escort you on a guided hike in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Learn more about Breckenridge with a guided historic walk or get a little spooky on a guided ghost tour of the historic district.
Call now to book your tour 970.389.8214
Tour Option 1 | Dillon Dam Easy Stroll
Meet your guide at the Dillon Marina and begin your leisurely stroll around Lake Dillon. Children who can walk at least two miles (a suggested age of 7) or are in strollers or back packs will enjoy this excursion too. You will pass the Lake Dillon Amphitheater and then cross the dam that holds back the waters of the Blue River, the Snake River and Ten Mile Creek. Here there are stunning views of the Continental Divide, Mount Baldie and Mount Gruyot. After crossing the dam you will enter the forest. First you will take a detour for a historic view. Your second viewing area away from the main trail and your turn around is the Osprey Viewing Area. There is a telescope for watching the nesting osprey on nearby Sentinel Island.
Cost: $15 Adult, $10 Child 7-12, Free Child in stroller or backpack
Tour Time: By Appointment
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended to bring: good walking shoes, hat with strap, jacket, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.
Important Notes: A minimum of 4 adults required for hike to go out.
Tour Option 2 | Old Dillon Reservoir Easy Hike
Meet at the trailhead on the Dam road. This is a great wildflower hike, and is a good first hike for children 7 and above. It is not suitable for strollers but is an easy hike to carry a child in a backpack. Apart from the wildflowers, there are stunning views across Lake Dillon of Swan Mountain and Tenderfoot Mountain as well as the Continental Divide. Buffalo Mountain in the Eagles Nest Wilderness area is visible in the other direction.
Cost: $15 Adult, $10 Child 7-12, Free Child in backpack
Tour Time: By Appointment
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended to bring: good walking shoes, hat with strap, jacket, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.
Important Notes: A minimum of 4 adults required for hike to go out.
Tour Option 3 | Masontown Easy – Moderate Mine Hike
This tour starts in Frisco under the impressive Mount Royal. It is a great family hike for parents to share some mining history with their children. Those in fairly good shape would be able to carry a child in a backpack, but should be aware of the challenges of hiking at altitude. On the way to Masontown where you will find the ruins of a mill, bricks from a smelter, and cabin foundations, you will pass 10 lode mine tunnel sites. Masontown was the mill town for the Victoria and Eureka mines. You will also experience great views of Lake Dillon.
Cost: $15 Adult, $10 Child 7-12, Free Child in backpack
Tour Time: By Appointment
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended to bring: good walking shoes, hat with strap, jacket, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.
Important Notes: A minimum of 4 adults required for hike to go out.
Tour Option 4 | Lily Pad Lakes Moderate Hike
This tour takes you though the forest descending to a lake covered with lily pads, with bright yellow blooms in season. This hike is good for children 7 and above. Those in fairly good shape would be able to carry a child in a backpack, but should be aware of the challenges of hiking at altitude. You should bring bug spray on this hike. Next to the Lily Pad lake is the largest beaver pond in the county, complete with impressive dam and beaver lodge.
Cost: $15 Adult, $10 Child 7-12, Free Child in backpack
Tour Time: By Appointment
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended to bring: good walking shoes, hat with strap, jacket, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.
Important Notes: A minimum of 4 adults required for hike to go out.
Tour Option 5 | Lily Pad Lakes Advanced Hike
Approach Lily Pad Lake from the south by way of the Meadow Creek trail starting in Frisco. This hike requires good physical conditioning, as there is quite a gain in altitude. Children 7 and above should have some experience of hiking. You will first follow the creek on a fairly steep ascent from the trailhead. Next come the wildflower meadows and the incredible views of Lake Dillon and the Town of Frisco below. After entering the Eagles Nest Wilderness area, you ascend through the forest and cross the creek below an enormous beaver dam. If you care to venture around the beaver lake, you will see the feeding area for the beavers and their lodge. You might even see a beaver swimming across the lake. Above this lake is Lily Pad Lake with its flamboyant yellow blooms.
Cost: $20 Adult, $15 Child 7-12, Free Child in backpack
Tour Time: By Appointment
Duration: 2 hours
Recommended to bring: good walking shoes, hat with strap, jacket, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, camera.
Important Notes: A minimum of 4 adults required for hike to go out.
Tour Option 1 | Wild West Walking Tour of Breckenridge
Step back in time with this walking historic tour and learn about Breckenridge’s gold rush and the citizens that shaped the Old West. This tour has it all: partly historic – go back to the beginnings of the town; partly strange – disappearances, kidnappings, and strange events from 1961 to the present; and partly ghostly – the darker side of the wild west with the chilling tales of ghosts that remain; this tour will give you a complete overview of this fascinating town.
Cost: $16.00 Adults, $12.00 Children 4 – 12
Tour Time: 10:30 AM Monday to Friday
Duration: 90 minutes
Recommended to bring: Good walking shoes, jacket
Important Notes: A minimum of 2 adults required for hike to go out, meet your costumed guide at the Yacht Club restaurant, 180 West Jefferson, Breckenridge, cost is payable in cash.
Tour Option 2 | Strange But True – Breckenridge Historic Walking Tour
Enjoy the historic district of Breckenridge and learn the “strange but true” tales of this historic town. Everything from suspected kidnappings to contract killings, and strange disappearances including that of the Breckenridge Navy. Hear about the weird and unusual events that occurred in Breckenridge from 1961, when the ski area opened, until present day. All true stories with a twist!
Cost: $16.00 Adults, $12.00 Children 8 – 12
Tour Time: 2:00 PM, Monday – Friday
Duration: 90 minutes
Recommended to bring: Good walking shoes, jacket
Important Notes: A minimum of 2 adults required for hike to go out, meet at Two Wild Sisters jewelry store, 100 N. Main Street, Breckenridge, cost is payable in cash.
Tour Option 3 | Breckenridge Tea Tour
Join Mrs. Engle, the banker’s wife from 1910, or May Nicholson, the madam, complete in authentic century garb, will escort you on this historic tour. They will take you on Breckenridge’s only living history tour through downtown. Hear the stories and catch up on the gossip of those Victorian ladies and gentlemen from 1910. Finish with English tea and scones in an historic tea house.
Cost: $20.00 Adults $15 Child 4 – 12
Tour Time: 1:00 PM, Monday, Wednesday & Saturday June 1 – October 1
Duration: 90 minutes
Recommended to bring: Good walking shoes, jacket
Important Notes: A minimum of 2 adults required for the hike to go out, meet your costumed guide outside the Welcome Center, 203 South Main Street, Breckenridge, cost is payable in cash.
Tour Option 4 | Breckenridge Ghostly Tales Walking Tour
This is the original Breckenridge haunted walking tour. Explore the darker side of the Wild West past of this friendly town, with chilling tales of the ghosts that remain. Hear ghastly tales of deathly love, murder and mayhem at a variety of sites. Ghost hunting equipment is provided and the tour has added new sites and an updated tour route.
Cost: $18 Adults, $12.00 Children 4 – 12
Tour Time: 7:00 PM, Daily
Duration: 90 minutes
Recommended to bring: Good walking shoes, jacket
Important Notes: A minimum of 2 adults required for the hike to go out, meet your costumed guide at the Yacht Club restaurant, 180 West Jefferson, Breckenridge, cost is payable in cash.
