Breckenridge in October
 

We are heading to Breckenridge in the middle of October and looking for suggestions of what you might recommend in the way of scenic drives that time of year? We have been there in August and September before but not mid-October. I gather that the road up Mt. Evans is closed now for the winter.

Will the road through RMNP be closed at the higher elevations or does it just depend on the weather at the time?

We have also done the loop drive to Aspen, going west to Glenwood Springs, heading to Aspen and coming back through Independence Pass. It looks like the pass closes for the winter in late October or early November. If we decide to take a day trip to Aspen (visiting Maroon Bells and having lunch in Aspen), do you think it would be OK to take the pass?

Any other recommendations for visiting Breckenridge this time of year? We will have a week there.

Thanks for any help you can give us!

If you are interested in fly fishing, it is great in that area. There's a nice outfitter in Silverthorne.
Be prepared! We were there for in mid-October (after son's wedding in Denver). Saturday in Denver was 75* and clear blue skies. Sunday was 6" of snow in Denver, more in Breck and 17*!!

The status of both Trail Ridge Road and Independence Pass are in the "hard to predict" category during mid-October. You'll have to keep an eye on the situation and have a Plan B in hand in case one or both is closed.

A closure could be temporary, the road might reopen for a short time before finally closing for the season. Here's the official state website on road conditions:
http://www.cotrip.org/home.htm
http://www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm

You could be lucky and land in one of our beautiful October high pressure weather patterns and have no trouble all week. But one never knows.

Good luck!

By the end of Oct the skis areas will be struggling to open but it depends on the weather. How open those passes are is completely weather dependent - day to day.

To the point, as of right now it snowing on Trail Ridge Road:

<i>Trail Ridge Road: TEMPORARILY CLOSED at Rainbow Curve on the east side (12 miles from east entrances) and Farview Curve on the west side (14 miles from Grand Lake Entrance). It will reopen when weather and road conditions permit.</i>

http://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/road_status.htm

Thank you all for your input and the links for checking on road conditions day by day. Very helpful!

We will hope for some lovely weather at least some of the days we are there.

Copper Mountain is making snow, and hoping to be open for Halloween.

It snowed on Independence Pass the other day, too.

You just never know what Colorado weather holds in store-- any time of year.

I think you can just play it by ear. Once in Breckenridge, no matter the weather, it will be beautiful.

Check cotrip.org or download the app, to be able to check weather and road conditions.

Snowing hard in the central mountains today. It will be 80 in Denver later this week. Typical fall weather.

Yes, snowing in Winter Park right now. Supposed to get some rain in Denver mid-afternoon.

If you are truly coming mid Oct, then you lost the dice roll. Trail Ridge road is closed and most likely Independence Pass (Aspen)is also although I have not checked.

It's still gorgeous here, though. Drive to Aspen via Glenwood Canyon, and skip Independence Pass. You will have plenty of options for things to do.

Thank you all for your help with the current weather in the Breckenridge area. We are quite willing to access RMNP from the west one day and from the east side another - have done this before. And I know that the drive to Aspen via Glenwood Canyon is lovely.

It would have been lovely to visit earlier in the autumn but mid-October was the only time we could get away with my husband's work. And we wanted to make use of RCI points about to expire.

As an aside, there was a pottery store in Frisco where I bought my favorite mugs. It had closed (or moved) when we stopped by in 2013. Does anyone have a favorite place to buy pottery in Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen or Boulder? Thanks again for your help!

In Boulder, the Arts and Crafts Cooperative on the Pearl St mall has lovely things. http://www.boulderartsandcrafts.com/

Good recommendation, marty. Nice pottery and other unique things there.

We are in Breckenridge now and enjoying our trip so far. Looks like most of the aspen have dropped their leaves - especially at the higher altitudes - but the remaining color is still lovely. We took a different route to Breckenridge this time, driving from the Denver airport to Fairplay and up through the Hoosier Pass, coming into Breckenridge from the south.

Stayed in town our first full day, enjoying the shops and eating dinner at Modis. Yesterday we did the round trip to Maroon Bells Wilderness near Aspen. Went through Glenwood Springs on the way there and came back over the Independence Pass. Hiked for a couple of hours in Maroon Bells with many stops for photos. There were warnings about moose being active in the area and signs that the beaver have been quite active, but we didn't spot any wildlife. The roads we took back to Breckenridge were dry for the most part - we went through periodic light rain - and a fleece vest or jacket were sufficient outerwear until we were up on the Continental Divide at Independence Pass. Great photo ops all along the way "home" with the golden afternoon light and dramatic skies.

My question is this. We would like to go to RMNP once or twice while we are here. When approaching RMNP from Breckenridge, we have usually entered from the west (going through Granby) and turned around part way unless we were on our way back to Denver. (We have also taken the drive from Denver north through Estes Park when staying in Denver.) What route would you suggest for driving all of the Trail Ridge Road - weather permitting - given that we are staying in Breckenridge? We have not taken the Peak to Peak route before. Would you recommend that option? Or some other route? We realize that it will be a long day.

Thank you!

Looks like double trouble today. CDOT computers are down for maintenance so could not get a reading if Trail Ridge road was open. It has been closed from time to time recently. Rain and snow is schedule to move through the mountains today so assume there would be snow on Trail Ridge and it could be closed. If you get through Trail Ridge you will still encounter some road delays on the east side cause by the floods last year at this time.

If you have never been on Peak to Peak take it early. Some of the best color (if still available) is often along this route. If Trail Ridge is not open, you could return via Boulder canyon and Boulder for a little variety.

PS Did you do the Mineral Belt trail in Leadville? Probably not a good choice today (Tues) but it a great 12 mile loop.

Fmpden, we did not do the Mineral Belt trail in Leadville as it was a long day already. We have driven the Boreas Pass before and may go along that road today. Looks like the rain/snow may arrive later in the afternoon.

The Peak to Peak road is sounding like a good option for approaching RMNP and we have never taken it before. My earlier research on the RMNP website was that portions of the east side are closed due to the flooding and road work but that Trail Ridge Road is open all the way through. But I know that can change in a moment and I will try to get updated info before making the trip. if only the west part of a trail Ridge Road is open we would be contented to take our "normal" route north of Frisco to Granby and the west entrance, going part way on Trail Ridge Road, then turning around. Have seen moose and list of elk there in the past (as well as hearing elk bugling). And there is always something to photograph....

Thanks for your help!

The whole road network on the east side if open. There are some delays but generally in good shape. CDOT web site says that they will be down till about 3pm today so updated road info is limited. Obviously, the rangers are the park entry point will know the status of Trail Ridge. Even it is open, it will snowing at that level so you may not want to drive in those conditions.

should be east side is open