15 Things to Do in Leadville, Colorado in Winter
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At 10,152ft elevation, Leadville, Colorado is the highest incorporated city in North America and a great adventure hub for outdoors enthusiasts. In the summer the alpine hiking or biking trail options are endless, and people come from all over the world to whitewater raft in Buena Vista just a short drive away. The Leadville 100 ultra-marathon takes place here, and Mount Elbert, the highest mountain in Colorado, is the next village over in Twin Lakes. As an Old West pioneer town first settled in 1860, there is also plenty of interesting history to explore here and in the surrounding mountains. There’s silver in them-thar-hills (and lead, and copper, and gold)!
Tourists may not realize that Leadville is also a great winter adventure destination. We all know about nearby ski resorts Vail, Beaver Creek, and Breckenridge, but at its towering elevation, Leadville makes for quite the winter wonderland. It’s a much more low-key basecamp than any resort compound. Here, you have the chance to truly experience what it’s like to live in a charming, remote mountain boomtown.
An important thing to understand about Leadville is that for locals, nearby towns like Buena Vista and Twin Lakes are all part of the same paradigm. You may reside in one of them, but you’ll just as often drive to the others for supplies or entertainment. In this list I’ve been a bit lenient about what constitutes “Leadville” and am including activities in the surrounding Summit, Lake, and Chaffee Counties.
If you’re brave enough to face the altitude and icy conditions, check out the following things to do in Leadville, Colorado in winter!
Have Dinner in a Yurt
Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, Cookhouse, & Sleep Yurts is located at the base of Ski Cooper just a 15 minute drive from Leadville. Cross-country skiers and snowshoers stop by the cafe at the Nordic Center for a hot drink or meal in the afternoons (not to be confused with the Tennessee Pass Cafe, which is located in town on Harrison Avenue). This is where gear can also be rented and lessons reserved. However, the real fun begins when the sun goes down.
With prior reservations at the Cookhouse, you can snowshoe a mile through the forest up to a cozy yurt at 10,800ft where dining tables await. Enjoy a multi-course meal and splurge on wine if so inclined! When I went, the fancy entree options included elk, duck, pheasant, and a vegetarian pasta. A local musician with cool, long white hair and sunglasses strummed away at guitar as we ate, reminding us that we were still in quirky Leadville and not, in fact, on the moon.
If you don’t have your own snowshoes or headlamp, these can be borrowed from the Nordic Center when you arrive. I have gone on night hikes before, but this was my first time doing a nighttime snowshoe. It was magical to watch the moonlight dance through the trees and make patterns on the snow. You could even make out the white tips of the mountains against the starry sky in the distance.
Location: E Tennessee Rd, Leadville, CO 80461
Snowshoe to a Ghost Town
Interlaken is an out-and-back hiking trail located in Twin Lakes, Colorado, about a 25 minute drive from Leadville. It leads to an array of abandoned cabins that used to make up the grounds of an old Victorian resort opened in 1879. It is now a National Historic Landmark, so you’ll be able to read informational plaques about its history. If you like ghost towns, you’ll love a ghost resort!
Wealthy vacationers used to take a boat across the lake to reach the remote cabins on the other side. Today, you would hike to get there (or kayak in the summer). The trail crosses parts of the Colorado Trail/Continental Divide Trail. You’ll be walking lakeside for the full 5 miles roundtrip and will cross through an aspen grove right before reaching Interlaken. Keep an eye out for the osprey nest just as you reach the aspens!
If you go in winter, you should wear microspikes or snowshoes. If you were to slip the wrong way, you might shoot off onto the icy lake, so don’t skimp on the traction devices!
Location: trailhead here
Another cool option is to visit St. Elmo ghost town near Buena Vista, Colorado, which is accessible year-around and makes for a fun snowshoeing destination. Originally active between about 1880-1927, St. Elmo is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, 43 buildings remain and a few people do actually live there again. There’s a general store (not open in winter) and guest house. The guest house provides snowshoes for their guests free of charge, so if you stay there you can spend a little extra time exploring the surrounding trails without worrying about returning a rental.
Location: County Rd 162, Nathrop, CO
Other ghost towns in the Leadville area include Vicksburg, Winfield, Oro City, Climax, and Camp Hale, though I can’t speak to their snowshoeability. I’ve been to the cabin at Mayflower Gulch in the summer and wouldn’t have thought the steep ascent would make for a great snowshoeing excursion, but apparently it is actually quite popular in winter! As a side note, if you’re into Bigfoot hunting (or Abominable Snowman/Yeti hunting in winter), Mayflower Gulch may be a good place to start.
*Update: as of Oct 12, 2022, Camp Hale has been designated a National Monument!
Sled at Dutch Henry Sledding Hill
The sledding hill in Leadville is open each year from December to March. There are multiple lanes to sled down, some faster than others – each member of my family has a treasured story of picking a too-fast lane and careening haphazardly into the atmosphere!
This is one of the best ways to find some local holiday cheer. Every time I’ve ever gone to the sledding hill it’s been a blast to see everyone smiling, laughing, and flying around the lanes. Just remember you have to walk all the way back up to the top to go again after each descent!
It’s completely free if you have your own tube or sled, though you can rent tubes there if needed. When you’ve had your fill, you are only a short distance from the main street of Leadville (Harrison Avenue/Hwy 24) where you can find some hot cocoa or cider to warm your bones.
Location: 999 S Highway 24, Leadville, CO 80461
Skate at Huck Finn Ice Rink
I’m not a skater myself so I’ve never been, but I hear tell of a 30,000 square foot ice rink in Leadville that’s open December to February! According to their website it is the largest, highest man-made rink in Colorado. You can bring your own skates or rent them there. There’s also hockey equipment, a snack bar, and fire pit.
Location: 445 Maple Street, Leadville, CO 80461
Watch Ski Joring
I had never heard of ski joring before going to Leadville, so this was quite the surprise! During the ski joring event, Harrison Avenue is completely covered with snow and blocked off from traffic. Skiers are pulled at a fast pace behind a horse and rider through an obstacle course, where their job is to soar over ramps and around gates while trying to catch rings hanging in the air on a baton straight out of a medieval jousting tournament. It is an absolute blast to watch, and the whole town gathers around to cheer the riders and skiers on. Of course, there are plenty of snacks for the spectators!
I always joke to my family that we should have our dogs pull us along on cross-country skis, but it turns out ski joring can indeed be done with dogs instead of horses. I was this close to inventing a sport.
If you end up going in the summer you’ll obviously miss out on this event, but the trade-off is fair – you might get to attend Leadville Boom Days instead!
Location: Harrison Avenue, Leadville, CO 80461
Walk Harrison Avenue
The main street of Leadville where you’ll find quirky shops and restaurants is called Harrison Avenue. Walking up and down Harrison never gets old! There’s always something plucked from pioneer history to discover at the Leadville Antique Mall and I’m fascinated by the fossils at the Rock Hut. Melanzana Outdoor Clothing is world renowned for its soft, breathable hoodies and pullovers handmade right there in Leadville using Polartec fabrics.
Historic buildings from Leadville’s mining days somehow merge seamlessly with these modern businesses. The Tabor Opera House, the haunted Delaware Hotel, and the Silver Dollar Saloon will all take you back in time to when Leadville was a swinging Old West mecca, the second-most populous city in Colorado during the Silver Boom. Read more about Leadville’s storied history and famous characters like Doc Holliday here.
I always comment that the homes look like gingerbread houses because of the quaint architectural designs and palette of colors. Leadville looks like a model Christmas display town year-around!
Location: Harrison Avenue, Leadville, CO 80461
Fall in Puppy Love while Dogsledding
Alpine Adventures in Leadville offers two types of dogsledding tours daily throughout the winter season! The 1 hour 20 minute “tagsled” tour involves two dogsleds pulled by a large group of 10-12 dogs. One is driven by the guide and pulls two riders, and one is driven by a guest with one rider.
The group tour is also 1 hour 20 minutes but involves only one dogsled. One guest drives the sled and one guest rides in the basket. The rest of the group will ride in a sleigh which is pulled by the guide on a snowmobile. Periodically, the driver of the dogsled will switch out so that everyone gets a chance to try it.
Reviews say that the dogs LOVE to run and that guests will be introduced to each Alaskan husky during the tour, learning about their personalities and their roles on the team, and that the sled you ride in when not driving the team is comfortable and cozy. For dog lovers, what could be better?
Location: 21767 US-24, Leadville, CO 80461
Ride Snowmobiles
There are a handful of tour operators and rental places to choose from for snowmobiling around Leadville, including Elk Mountain Adventure Tours and Leadville ATV Tours. We went with White Mountain Snowmobile Tours 7 miles north of Leadville, which is Colorado’s highest snowmobile company at elevations of 11,000-12,000ft! They have different tour categories so you can find the right fit depending on whether you’re looking for a gentle scenic ride or a more adrenaline-filled excursion. They also offer ziplining at this location, so you could make a whole day of it!
Location: 6492 Highway 91, Leadville, CO 80461
Go Ice Fishing
Twin Lakes, Turquoise Lake, and Crystal Lakes are popular ice fishing destinations for the truly insane. If you don’t mind getting up early to freeze your butt off with the trout, join their ranks! Personally I enjoy peering out over the lake from above with binoculars to see how many tent shelters I can count out on the ice in the morning, while sipping a warm coffee.
Don’t forget you’ll need to buy a Colorado Fishing License.
Location: Twin Lakes, CO 81251
Learn a New Sport at Ski Cooper
Ski Cooper is a much more relaxed, easy-going, and affordable skiing and snowboarding destination than the nearby behemoth resorts of Vail or Breckenridge. As someone who is terrified of both sports, Ski Cooper would be my preferred location to learn. I have no desire to slam into people left and right or to wait in long lines for the privilege of embarrassing myself.
One of their main selling points is that the snow is all-natural rather than manmade – “the softest snow around!”
Ski Cooper actually served as the training site for the soldiers of the famed 10th Mountain Division in the 1940s. There are often events to celebrate Veteran’s Day or Memorial Day where 10th Mountain veterans and the Colorado National Guard come together for a ski-down, memorial ceremony, après-ski, and dinner.
Near the Leadville area you might also consider Copper Mountain Ski Resort, which is on the way to Frisco. If skiing isn’t your thing, Copper Mountain also has a really impressive Snow Maze to get lost in!
Location: 232 Co Rd 29, Leadville, CO 80461
Take a Holiday Express Scenic Train Ride
The Leadville, Colorado, & Southern Railroad does 2.5 hour scenic train rides in the warmer months, which are especially gorgeous when the leaves are changing in the fall. Dogs are even allowed to ride during this time, which is a great excuse to come back with your pup (Leadville is very pet-friendly in general). In the wintertime, however, it becomes the Holiday Express! With heated lounge cars and hot drinks, it may be one of the warmer ways to see the sights this time of year.
Leadville’s train depot was built in the 1890s in response to the Silver Boom and is now repurposed as a special way to experience the alpine scenery. The ride will take you 1000ft higher than Leadville itself, providing views of Mt Massive and Mt Elbert.
The old railways are still lending to daily life in Colorado in a variety of new ways. Nearby Hagerman Tunnel is a cool hiking destination where a railroad tunnel has morphed into an ice cave over the years (the driving road to get to the trailhead is not always passable in winter, though). There’s also a hike in Buena Vista where you walk along an original railroad path. Eventually you are forced to stop at a dead end where the trail hits the edge of a cliff, but you can see across the way where the railroad must have picked back up on the other side.
Like the Leadville Railroad, the cute Georgetown train about an hour away also offers festive holiday rides. Every year Georgetown has a holiday market, so a full day trip there might be in order.
Location: 326 East 7th Street, Leadville, CO 80461
Snowshoe or XC Ski the Mineral Belt
The Mineral Belt Trail is a hiking and biking destination year-around. It is long but flat, so it’s not particularly strenuous in the warmer months, but strap on your snowshoes or cross-country skis in the winter and it’s a whole different experience! Regardless of when you go, the scenery is beautiful, leashed dogs are allowed, and local pioneer mining history is laid before you in the form of educational plaques and abandoned ruins.
There are plenty of other locations for cross-country skiing near Leadville – check out LeadvilleCrossCountrySki.com.
Personally my favorite hikes are interspersed with history like this. I loved hiking Hadrian’s Wall in England where I could follow alongside the Roman ruins, or the West Highland Way in Scotland where I learned about the Jacobite Rebellion. We don’t have to go overseas, though (and might have issues doing so during the pandemic), to find such intrigue.
Location: trailhead here
Find your own Christmas Tree!
If you celebrate Christmas, you likely buy a sad decrepit tree each year from your local supermarket. In Leadville, for $10 you can get a permit to go out in the forest and cut down your own tree! It’s time to truly earn your holiday cheer, folks! The idea of contributing to tree death makes me feel better if we at least have to put a bit of effort into it.
There are rules about what forested areas you can and cannot interfere with, so be sure to download a map of the allowed locations when you get your permit.
Location: maps here
Soak at Mount Princeton Hot Springs
After a long day of frolicking in the snow or beating your body up at the lifts, there’s nothing better than a warm soak in soothing hot springs! A 45 minute drive from Leadville will bring you to Mount Princeton Hot Springs Resort where you can soak during a day visit or book a multi-night stay at the lodge.
There’s a regular pool, but there’s also natural creekside hot springs and even a water slide. If you’re looking for more of a spa day, you can book a massage or take a yoga class.
Location: 15870 Co Rd 162, Nathrop, CO 81236
Explore the Ice Castles
*2023/2024 update – the Ice Castles are back!!! They will be located in Cripple Creek instead of Dillon this winter, a 2 hour drive from Leadville, home of the annual Cripple Creek Ice Festival.
*2021/2022 winter season update – no Ice Castles this year 🙁 Hopefully it will return next year in a new location.
If you’re up for a little drive, head 40 minutes to Dillon, Colorado’s Town Park in the wintertime to explore the impressive Ice Castles! These larger-than-life interactive ice sculptures are located in only a few states around the country, and Dillon is lucky to host the Colorado version.
Walking through the magical maze of beautifully crafted ice feels like stepping into a live action Frozen movie. It looks especially beautiful lit up at night!
The experience is built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists. The castles include breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains and much more.
– Ice Castles
Be sure to dress very warm. You might find surprise ice slides to venture down, thrones to relax on, or tunnels to climb through. Gloves are a must, especially if you plan on crawling around under arches or going down a slide.
There is likely to be a line to get in, and you’ll need to reserve a ticket in advance.
Location: 339 E Irene Avenue, Cripple Creek, CO 80813
Have you ever been to Leadville? I’d love to hear about your favorite store or restaurant on Harrison Avenue, your favorite hiking trail, or your most harrowing 2 Fast 2 Furious experience on the sledding hill! What do you think it would have been like to live here back in the mining days?
🏨 Find budget hostels near Leadville here, and standard hotel options here.
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