Have you ever dreamt of a place where clear, blue skies are accented by pristine lakes and snow-covered mountains? Perhaps a place where crisp, mountain air pours down from 12,000 feet to cool off a hot summer day? Imagine wetland bogs above 9,000 feet harnessing abundant wildlife and groves of aspen trees that darken the forest floor. The early morning air is chilly, but quickly warmed by the rising sun. If you have been searching for such a place, look no further. Frisco, Colo., is the answer.
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No matter what means of recreation you wish to pursue, Frisco has it. Frisco is surrounded by National Forest lands on three sides and Summit County is comprised of 75 percent public lands! You can flatwater SUP on Dillon Lake, mountain bike the Peaks Trail, and access the high country in the same day.
The Peaks Trail is truly a gem of the region and can literally be accessed from downtown Frisco. By following the Peaks Trail you can hike, bike, or run to Breckenridge in 9 miles and then, either, ride or run back for a total of 18 miles or catch the bus in Breck, and head back to Frisco. The Peaks Trail also runs congruently with the Colorado Trail (CT) and Continental Divide Trail (CDT) for about a mile. Break off of the Peaks Trail in either direction on the CT/CDT and the possibilities are endless.
A popular trek on foot or by bike would be to leave Frisco, hike or ride about 4 miles on the Peaks Trail until the CT/CDT breaks off towards Copper Mountain. Follow the CT/CDT for another 9 miles up and over the Ten Mile Range between Peaks 5 and 6 for outstanding views of Copper Peak and the heart of the Rockies. The last 4 miles are a steep descent to Copper Mountain Ski Resort. You can catch either take the concrete path from Copper back to Frisco, turn around and do what you just did again, or catch the bus from Copper back to Frisco.
Stay
Since we don’t typically stay at motel/hotel type accommodations, we can only list them as any Google search would. We’ll leave that to you to research. However, if you are interested in primitive camping down a long bumpy dirt road then you’ve come to the right place. About 5 miles outside of Frisco sits CR 1000, one of the prettiest, most comfortable nights of sleep you could ever bargain for. And actually, they’ll be no bargaining required because the primitive sights are free!
You can easily access CR 1000 from Summit Blvd. Be cautious at first because the first mile shares a paved bike path before breaking off to the left taking you up closer to Rainbow Lake. From the Rainbow Lake trailhead primitive camping spots are littered through out the road. It’s important to remember the further up the road you go, the steeper and more unforgiving the travelling becomes. There are sites that are easy to access and enjoy. Please be respectful of the place, pack out all trash, and remember that it’s because of proper camping ethics that we all have the privilege to stay here. Oh, and another thing. The Peaks Trail runs right along CR 1000 for about 1.5 miles for easy access to some of Colorado’s most beautiful backcountry access.
Eat
There are tons of places to eat in Frisco. We would have to highly recommend finding eats on Main Street for the sure beauty you will find there. One could start their day by heading to Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters. Great coffee and, of course, Wi-Fi to use. Vinny’s Restaurant has a fine mix of farm-fresh ingredients and pub food served in a relaxing environment. Looking for wood-fired pizza after a stout ride or run? Head to Boatyard American Grill and sit out on the patio. The patio is right on Main Street and the food is awesome.
Like what you see in this post? Check out the portable and easy-to-use LifeStraw Go Water Bottle, apparel and shoes from La Sportiva, the Damascus Elite hiker sock from Farm to Feet, the always comfortable Crazy Creek chair, and the most useful GPS made, the DeLorme InReach Explorer.
