Winter Park: Mountains, Trails and Local History

When planning a stay in Winter Park, the mountains, hiking trails and local history offer different themes to explore. Winter Park Resort represents the mountain theme with its ski area, elevation figures and Panoramic Hike; hiking options range from short loops to multi-day excursions. The art trail and local history add to the picture of the destination. If you’re looking for a hotel, it may help to decide first whether you want your stay to center on the resort, a longer hike or a varied day of activities.

Ski Area and Panoramic Hike

Winter Park Resort is the longest continuously operating ski area in Colorado and has an 85-year history. The resort’s mountain ranges from a base elevation of 9,000 feet to a summit at 12,060 feet. The Panoramic Hike also reaches an elevation of 12,060 feet and offers 360-degree views of Fraser Valley and the Continental Divide. The same elevation figure refers to two different things: the mountain’s summit in one case, and the height reached by the hike in the other.

Hiking Trails, Rivers and Bike Park

Hiking options in Winter Park range from day hikes to multi-day backpacking trips with overnight stays. This gives you different timeframes to choose from: a day of hiking or a multi-day trip. The trails in the area are multi-use trails for hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, cross-country skiers and snowshoers.

At Confluence Park, a 3/8-mile educational loop trail runs along the confluence of the Vasquez River and Fraser River. As a short loop, it differs in length from day hikes and multi-day backpacking trips. Headwaters River Journey is a water and wildlife museum on the Fraser River. Visitors can round off their visit with a hike or picnic along the Fraser River Trail.

Trestle Bike Park is located at Winter Park Resort in Winter Park, Colorado. It has more than 40 miles of lift-served mountain bike trails; the stated length may change over time. The Winter Park Information Center in Downtown Winter Park provides printed maps.

Art and Local History

The Winter Park Art Trail is a free art trail along the Fraser River Trail and includes 35 installed works of art; this number may change seasonally. The art trail begins at Winter Park Resort and continues toward the Headwaters Center. Its route description thus connects two named landmarks with an art offering along the Fraser River Trail.

The name Winter Park also has a history: the village of Hideaway Park was incorporated in 1978 and renamed Winter Park. The town’s main park is called Hideaway Park and was named in honor of the original village. The name Hideaway Park therefore appears in two different contexts: as the village’s former name and as the name of the park that commemorates it.

Local Transit for Trip Planning

The Lift provides free local transit year-round between Winter Park Resort, Downtown Winter Park, Fraser and Granby. Schedules and routes may vary seasonally, so check which services are listed for your travel dates before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Hot Sulphur Springs, Granby, Kremmling, Tabernash, Grand Lake

To the main travel overview: Grand.