Chasing the changing aspen leaves in Breckenridge

Whether you want to hike, bike or just enjoy the views from Main Street, this historic mining town makes for a magical laid-back, early fall getaway.

There comes a point every summer—or in our case, fall—when it’s still hot as Hades, and we Texans start plotting our escape to cooler weather, even if it’s just for a few days. (Our first “cool front” graced us this week, dropping our highs into the 70s, but just days before, we were still melting under 100-degree heat.)

A stand of aspens near the Sawmill Museum

Breckenridge, Colorado, might just be the perfect fall escape, especially if hiking and biking are on the agenda. Sure, everyone knows Breck is a skier’s paradise, but the off-season? That’s when this historic mining town really shows you a good time.

I started plotting my escape when I realized my teenage daughter had a three-day weekend in late September. My criteria were simple: easy travel, cooler temps, outdoor activities, things for teens to do (with and without parental supervision), and a chance to catch the aspen leaves changing.

Check, check, check, check and check.

But I had a few concerns about visiting Breckenridge in fall:

1. How bad would the crowds be?

2. Would there be enough to entertain teens who tire of hikes after what seems like 20 minutes? (My daughter brought her bestie, and my adult son and his girlfriend joined Hubs and me.)

3. Would we catch the aspens turning golden?

All of these were legit concerns. Breck’s proximity to Denver means it’s a popular weekend destination for locals wanting to escape the city heat. (I keep reading about crowds of tourists overtaking rural towns during fall foliage season, and I so do not want to be those people.) There’s also a window between September and November when the major summer activities in this Victorian town close down until ski season. During our visit, the bike park, gondola, and alpine coaster were all out of commission. The only event on the calendar was the Breckenridge Film Festival, which, to be honest, had such a small presence you wouldn’t have even noticed it.

While this made for perfect timing crowd-wise (we weren’t arriving on a Friday or leaving on a Sunday), it still felt like a gamble. And catching the aspens changing? Even more so. Still luck—and Mother Nature—were on our side.

The view from Boreas Pass

At nearly 10,000 feet, Breckenridge is one of the first places in the country to experience fall colors. While some spots boast more dramatic leaf-peeping, Breck’s got those aspen groves turning the mountain slopes into a riot of glorious yellows, oranges, and greens.

Aspen Alley

This moment is blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, because even if the timing is right, one early cold snap can knock those delicate leaves off the trees. We experienced just that midway through our visit. For this reason, I didn’t want to get my hopes too high, even as I obsessively checked interactive fall maps and local leaf-peeping forecasts.

Glorious aspens along Boreas Pass

Still, we got everything we wanted—and more. Peak leaf season was in full swing, with the most popular trails busy with hikers and mountain bikers. Boreas Pass, a bumpy dirt road best tackled with a 4WD, is renowned for its golden aspens and stunning mountain views. Typically open to cars from May through October, we made our way up from town in the late morning and turned around just past the Continental Divide. The views were worth every pothole, and we joined a small stream of drivers, bikers, and hikers, all there to soak in the sights. While Boreas is breathtaking in the fall, it’s even more magical—and challenging—in winter, when the only way to get through is by fat bike or on foot. (Ask me how I know …)

Aspen Alley

After the drive, we parked at the Boreas Pass Loop trailhead and tackled the downhill portion of the 2.6-mile, out-and-bike Aspen Alley hike (it’s also popular with mountain bikers). The trail ends at the Sawmill Museum, offering a little snippet of Breck’s mining history. As the name suggests, Aspen Alley is an aspen lover’s dream.

Relics of Breckenridge’s mining history on Aspen Alley

Even with heavy traffic, the views were worth it, with shimmering golden leaves overhead and new scenery at every switchback. Unlike the old days, when I would have been gunning to conquer the trail as fast as possible, I hung back from the rest of our crew to take in the aspens’ majesty.

The older I get, the more the aspens affect me—in the best way. Truth be told, I didn’t see my first aspen until my early 40s, which may be why I hold them in such reverence. I’m convinced these trees have healing powers; just being near them makes me feel grounded in the presence. And when their leaves shimmer in the breeze, I feel their energy flowing through me. My experience may sound woo-woo, but a stand of aspens is considered a single organism, with its life force rooted in an extensive underground system, which is perhaps why I feel their presence so intensely.

We found them again the next day, when Hubs and I mountain biked the Peaks Trail. We rented full-suspension bikes from Carvers Ski & Bike Rentals, where the super friendly staff tried to nudge us toward downhill riding in town. But here’s the thing: When we ride bikes on vacation, we always opt for the big views.

Sweeping views from atop Peaks Trail

The Peaks Trail delivered. It’s a Breck classic, winding through thick pine forests, over wooden boardwalks above mossy swamps, and past meandering creeks.

Hubs at the end of one of the trail’s many boardwalks

In winter, this is a snow-covered wonderland for hikers and snowshoers. In summer and fall, it’s a mountain biker’s playground, as long as you can handle the initial slog uphill. The first quarter of the ride is a steady climb peppered with rock gardens and the occasional step-up. But if you power through, you’re rewarded with jaw-dropping views of the valley below. The aspens dotted among the evergreens added pops of gold, and closer to Frisco, you’ll be fully immersed in them—but keep your eyes on the trail as the descent gets rocky!

This ride can be a 15-mile out-and-back adventure, or you can loop back on the rec path that connects Breck and Frisco. We didn’t plan very well on our visit as a cold front blew in just as were finishing, so we ended up waiting for an Uber to take me back to our SUV at the trailhead, and then I headed back to collect Hubs and the bikes.

The best of Tin Plate Pizza

The perks of off-season? Plenty. Dinner reservations are a breeze, and outdoor dining is readily available. On a gorgeous Friday night with temps in the 60s, we snagged a picnic table at Tin Plate Pizza, set in a cozy, a converted, late 1880s mining cabin, known for its New York-style pizza and mostly locally sourced ingredients. The menu revolves around its 8-year-old sourdough starter, imported from Brooklyn, which appears in everything from the starter bread to pizza crusts—even the chocolate chip cookies and tiramisu (the latter might have been the best I’ve ever had)!

Morning pastry selection at La Francis

Several mornings, we fueled up with croissants the size of our faces at La Française, and grabbed equally massive sandwiches for our hikes. Le Turkey & Brie and Le Turkey Bacon were family favorites. So was the chocolate cream beignet.

Historic Main Street

Main Street was still bustling, but less so, especially after dark, which was just fine by us. During the day, there was plenty of souvenir shopping and unique finds, with lots of sales on summer items, and almost no wait at Breck’s coziest coffee shop, the Crown, which also offers light bites and boozy coffee concoctions.

A dusting of snow on the Blue Lakes Trail

Believe it or not, Breck gets 300 days of sunshine a year, and fall is a safe bet for good weather. July and August are the rainiest seasons. The storm we got caught in on Saturday afternoon dropped the temps into the 40s overnight, and we woke to snow on the mountaintops the next morning.

Naturally, we seized the moment, heading to Blue Lakes Trail for a short, sweet hike offering views of snow-capped peaks, a bridal veil waterfall, and a series of reflective ponds. It was the perfect end to a perfect weekend, making the return to the sweltering Texas heat almost bearable.

If you visit Breckenridge in fall …

Getting there: Breck is 104 miles from Denver International Airport. Frontier, United, and Southwest all offer nonstop flights from Austin-Bergstrom. Rent a 4WD if you’re planning to hike, bike, or sightsee anywhere in the mountains.

Stay: Breck has more rental homes than hotels. Stay in or near downtown for easy access to shops and restaurants. We loved our cozy townhouse at Village Point, just a five-minute walk from Main Street.

Do: Hike and bike! Top trails for fall colors include Boreas Pass, Aspen Alley, and French Gulch.

Insider tip: For a quieter experience during leaf-peeping season, visit midweek and avoid the weekend crowds.

Info: https://gobreck.com/

Now it’s your turn. Where’s your favorite fall getaway? I’ve got Acadia National Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on my fall bucket list!