Colorado's Best Ski Mountain Towns

Colorado isn’t known as the nation’s top skiing and snowboarding destination for nothing! Colorado truly has something for every skill level, from family-friendly, gliding beginners’ slopes to the toughest of terrains for only expert snow adventurers. Whether you’re looking for ultra-high-speed downhill skiing, freestyle ski jumps at the terrain park, or the thrill of snowboarding through the frost-covered trees, you will find your adventure here. If you just can’t get enough of those mountainous slopes, pack up your skis and parka and head to one of these amazing ski mountain towns of stunningly scenic Colorado.

If you’re looking for ski areas closest to Denver, check out Breckenridge, Keystone, and Copper Mountains. These towns are located between 72 and 80 miles west of Denver and are popular for home seekers who love the snow and sunny weather. While Keystone, Frisco, and Breckenridge real estate can be competitive, with offers above the asking price and bidding wars, achieving a home in these picturesque towns is well worth the effort if you’re seeking a home with the slopes right in your backyard.

Outside of Denver, many other surrounding towns prove to be a nature lover's paradise. There are more than a handful of ski mountain towns that give outdoor enthusiasts a chance to enjoy all the best winter sports, such as skating, hiking, snowboarding, sledding, and skiing. Here are just a few of them.

When people think of skiing in Colorado, Aspen is typically the first town that comes to mind. About 160 miles from Denver, the town offers the impressive “Power of Four” mountain resorts: Aspen Mountain, the Aspen Highlands, Snowmass, and Buttermilk. A great perk here is a free shuttle that connects all the ski areas, which collectively offer skiers 42 ski lifts spread out over the four-mountain range.

Aspen Mountain, known as Ajax, is a prime spot for expert skiers, with steep, sharp terrain and black diamond runs. Snowmass Village is the largest resort and has the greatest number of ski-in/ski-out lodging of any place in Colorado. Even the most adventurous and experienced skiers will thrill at the 4,400-foot vertical drop.

Newcomers will love the Aspen Highlands, as it’s excellent for beginners through intermediate-level skiers and offers 118 trails and picturesque viewpoints. Buttermilk Mountain features 470 acres of terrain and is great for kids and adults who fall into beginner-intermediate skill levels.

Breckenridge Homes for sale sit about 80 miles west of Denver at about 9,600 feet above sea level, and the area offers winter sports lovers five peaks, 187 trails, and the tallest chairlift in the nation. Its town center is a party-goer’s paradise, and the town is often referred to as “Breck” for short. Its first ski area opened in 1961, and the town has always prided itself on a family-friendly atmosphere that happily counteracts the high-priced ski areas that dot the state. Skiers can take a gondola from town to the ski lifts that dot "Peak 8," where they can tour the Tenmile Mountain Range on a snowboard or skis. As you descend closer to town, the slopes flatten to take you back into town for some yummy food and drinks on the main drag.

Telluride is one of the most remote ski towns in the state, located about a seven-hour drive from Denver and about five hours from Breckenridge, Frisco, and Keystone real estate. Ski trails top out at more than 13,300 feet in the San Juan Mountain range, one of the state's steepest ranges.

Telluride offers weekly festivals throughout winter. Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank in Telluride, and iconic fashion designer Ralph Lauren and media magnate Oprah Winfrey live here, both drawn, indeed, by the Wild-West-meets-high-end-living atmosphere. The town also offers two outdoor ice skating rinks, enabling you to snag a table at a local eatery faster (maybe!) than the skiers who still need to descend from their mountainous heights.

The Vail Valley offers seemingly endless cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails for winter sports enthusiasts. It provides skiers from around the world, including those new to the sport, more than 190 trails covering 5,000-plus acres.

 

The town is reminiscent of a European village, with brick-covered streets, buildings with Bavarian shutters, and "gingerbread" balconies made of wood and Tyrolean-inspired facades. Trails from the ski areas back to the village can be icy and sap your strength, so bring your appetite to one of the brewing companies, pizza parlors, or high-end restaurants for a hearty post-adventure meal.

 

Situated about 80 miles west of Denver and ten miles north of Breckenridge, Frisco Homes for sale were in a mining town that came to life in 1880. Visitors will enjoy its museum and a glass blowing studio at the GatherHouse near Main Street. Those looking at Frisco real estate will like the laid-back vibe here. A local marina also offers year-round fishing for outdoorsy types who aren’t ski bunnies.

 

The Frisco Adventure Park and Frisco Nordic Center offer up 8 kilometers of snowshoe trails, 27 kilometers of cross-country ski trails, and wintry spaces for inner tubing, sledding, and skating. Here, you’ll also have the opportunity to rent equipment and take lessons before hitting the slopes.

 

Keystone Homes for Sale offer avid skiers more than 3,000 acres and 135 long trails, five bowls, and even a snow fort. It allows for all skill levels, including beginners, who will be relieved that about 12% of all its available trails are beginner trails. Also open to tourists and those who own Keystone real estate are snowmobiling trails along the Continental Divide, dog sledding, and ice skating.

Crested Butte features 1,547 acres of ski-able terrain that offers everything from advanced-level steep trails to long “cruisers” that are more like gentle, rolling hills. You can even ski off the butte itself if you don’t mind a little hike. The small town of Crested Butte is reminiscent of Victorian times, with homes and storefronts capturing the charming, old-school style of fancy woodwork, turrets, covered porches, and colorful finishes.