Visiting the Snake River is one of the best things to do in Keystone

19 Best Things to Do in Keystone, Colorado (2023)

Keystone Ski Resort probably tops your list of the best things to do in Keystone, Colorado. It definitely should, but there’s so much more stuff to do around Keystone (even if you don’t ski!).

As a Colorado local, I find that winter is great for Keystone activities like snow tubing and ice skating on Keystone Lake, while summer brings boating, mountain biking, hiking, and more. 

In this article, I’ll break down 19 fun ideas for what to do in Keystone – with ideas for all seasons and types of travelers. If you like this post and still need to sort your accommodations, be sure to also bookmark my epic guide to where to stay in Keystone, Colorado.

Disclosure: Travel Lemming is an independent reader-supported blog. You can support us by purchasing via the affiliate links on this page, which may earn us commissions. See our Advertising Policy for further explanation. Thank you!

19 Best Things to Do in Keystone, Colorado

Keystone Ski Resort 

Visit one of Colorado’s top resorts, offering ski areas for all skill levels

Overlooking view of the snowy mountain in Keystone Ski Resort
(photo: Steve Boice / Shutterstock)

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (855) 603-0049 | Website | Hours: 8:30 am – 4 pm daily, occasional night-skiing | Lift Tickets: $138 & up, adults, $80 & up under 13 | 👉 Book Ski Gear Rentals

Of course, Keystone Ski Resort is #1 on our list of fun things to do in Keystone – it’s one of the best ski resorts Colorado has to offer! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the slopes, Keystone Resort is one of the best places to be for beginner areas and black diamond runs alike.

The resort tries hard to be a ski area that caters to families, with perks like gear wagons to cart all the things kids need for a day on the hills. You can even night ski on weekends and holidays.

👉 Pro Tip: Just up Loveland Pass, A-Basin is a ski resort that makes for a great day trip from Keystone, CO. For more nearby skiing, check out our list of ski resorts near Denver

River Run Village

Get acclimated with a leisurely stroll

View of people roaming around in River Run Village
(photo: Marcela Abrach / Shutterstock)

📍 Google Maps

If you’re not sure what to do in Keystone, CO while you get adjusted to the altitude, head to River Run Village. With plenty of shops, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, the village at Keystone Resort is an excellent place to unwind, relax, and pick up any needed ski gear.

Snow Tubing

Fly down the hill on an inflatable tube

Two kids enjoying their snow tubing activity in Keystone
Tubing is a great family activity!

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4386 | Hours: 10:15 am – 3 pm daily | Entrance: $59 adults, under 42” not allowed

Tubing down these mountaintop lanes is an awesome winter activity, and one of the most fun things to do in Keystone, Colorado with kids.

You’ll have a blast flying down the hill on the inflatable tubes, and they even have a magic carpet that’ll tow your tubes up to the top of the hill for you – no trudging up the hill with them! Check-in for snow tubing is right next to the ski gondola.

👉 Pro Tip: Reservations are required for tubing. You can make them on the website

Ice Skating 

Glide across Dercum Square and Keystone Lake, both popular spots for ice skaters

Overlooking view of people enjoying ice skating in Keystone

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-7103 | Website | Hours: 10:30 am – 7 pm daily | Entrance: $15, adults, $10 under 13, free 4 and under & seniors, Skate rental: $15, adults, $10 under 13, $5 4 and under & seniors

For a great afternoon activity and skiing alternative, check out the two outdoor ice skating rinks in Keystone, CO. Dercum Square is in River Run Village at Keystone Resort, but try ice skating on Keystone Lake for a more unique experience.   

Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing

Get a great outdoor workout

Shoeprints on a snow in Keystone

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4275 | Hours: 9 am – 4 pm daily 

If cross-country skiing or snowshoeing are more your speed than downhill skiing, then check out the Keystone Nordic Center. They offer lessons and guided tours so you can explore with confidence and improve quickly.

👉 Pro Tip: You’ll need reservations for lessons and tours so be sure to book before you go! 

Mountaintop Family Adventure 

Ride a snowcat

The Breckenridge Ski Resort from Keystone Mountain
(photo: JV Designs / Shutterstock)

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4386 | Tickets: Start at $48 | 👉 Browse Tours on Viator

An enclosed truck-sized cab designed to move on top of the snow, riding in a snowcat at Mountaintop Family Adventure is fun for kids and grownups alike. They also have gondolas, so expect to walk away with amazing panoramic photos of both the scenery and your family having the time of their lives.

Sleigh Ride

Go dashing through the snow

People enjoying a sleigh ride in Keystone, Colorado

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4386 | Tickets: $50, adults, $40 ages 3-12, $10 under 3 

Keystone’s horse-drawn sleighs take you through the Soda Creek Valley and over to a homestead where you can sip hot cider and hear about Colorado’s Wild West past. The ride takes about 2 hours from start to finish, and is one of the most fun things to do in Keystone, CO.

Snowmobile Tour

Zip through frozen forests

People enjoying snowmobile during winter in Keystone

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4386 | Hours: Tours are at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm | Cost: Starts at $160 | 👉 Book a Snowmobile Tour

Looking for gorgeous views of the Rocky Mountains? Then check out the guided snowmobile tours by Keystone Resort.

Their tours take you through the woods on an exhilarating ride with options for both beginner and advanced snowmobilers. Everyone who wants to drive a snowmobile must be at least 15 with a valid driver’s license. 

👉 Pro Tip: When you’re done snowmobiling, stop by the nearby town of Leadville to dive into mining history and grab a drink or a bite to eat. See my list of the best stuff to do in Leadville for more ideas!

Boating 

Get out on the water

View of a sailboat at Lake Frisco

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Book a Kayaking Tour

A 5-acre lake in the middle of the resort, Keystone Lake is the perfect place for summer visitors to rent paddle boats, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, or canoes.

If you’d like to venture a little farther from the resort, Dillon Reservoir in Frisco rents boats, stand-up paddleboards, and kayaks and you can head out on a much bigger lake.

Keystone Bike Park

Jump and shred at this mountain bike park

View of a man biking in Keystone Bike Park

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (800) 354-4386 | Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Thurs-Sun

Keystone Bike Park has everything from a skills park at the base to downhill rides (with a gondola). Just like skiing, they have green trails for beginners and everything up to double black for the daredevils. 

🛏️ Looking for a Keystone hotel? The Keystone Lodge and Spa or the River Run Village by Keystone Resort are two of the best options.

Take a Hike

Find great mountain scenery

Scenic view from Pass Lake in Keystone, Colorado

📍 Google Maps

If hitting the trails is a fave activity of yours, then you’ll be happy to hear there are tons of hikes near Keystone. Take the River Run Gondola at Keystone Resort up to the Dercum Mountain trailhead, or check out nearby hikes like Pass Lake, Tenderfoot Mountain, or ​​Sapphire Point at Swan Mountain.

👉 Pro Tip: You’ll find more hiking and plenty of other things to do in Breckenridge – just ten minutes away!

Mountaintop Yoga

Stretch out sore muscles

A woman doing a yoga on top of a mountain in Keystone, Colorado

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4FUN | Hours: Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. | Class: $32 class only, $50 class + lift pass 

Yoga is one of the best ways I’ve found to stretch out sore muscles after a strenuous day of outdoor activities… or to prepare for one!

Whether you do solo yoga or head over to the Mountain Service Center for a group experience, you can’t go wrong spending a morning in mountain and tree poses surrounded by actual mountains and trees.

👉 Read Next: 59 Fun Things to Do in Denver

Horseback Riding 

Take to the trails

View of horses roaming in Keystone, Colorado

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-3550

Try a one or two-hour trail ride through the Rocky Mountain scenery with Keystone Stables. Horseback riding is available for people 8 years and up, though younger kids can take a pony ride right on-site at Keystone Stables. Of course, everyone is allowed to just come say “hi” to the horses at any time.

Fishing 

Catch some dinner

View of a man holding a fishing rod in Keystone, Colorado

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 668-4334

Summit County has tons of streams and places to fish, but if you’d rather take a boat out on a nice big lake, then Dillon Reservoir is just a short drive away. You can rent boats at the marina or partner up with a fishing outfitter for a guided trip. 

With plenty of water access, it’s one of the best things to do near Keystone, CO in the summer months.

Off-Roading 

Tackle the road less traveled

View of an off-road trail in Keystone, Colorado

There are lots of 4-wheel-drive trails to explore in the mountains near Keystone. I recommend renting a Jeep in Frisco and then tackling Keystone Gulch before driving up a ski run. There are many more 4WD trails around Breckenridge as well.

Shopping

Shop quaint village shops or large outlet stores

View of people ready for snowboarding in a ski resort
(photo: Arina P Habich / Shutterstock)

📍 Google Maps | Hours: 8 am – 6 pm daily, Open until 8 pm on night skiing nights

The shops on Main Street at River Run Village are known for carrying ski and snowboard gear as well as souvenirs and other fun items.

These retailers are all within walking distance, but if you want to do some more serious shopping, then the Outlets at Silverthorne are about 20 minutes away and have popular clothing brands, home goods, and more.

Gondola Ride 

Get a scenic birds-eye view

A Gondola Ride and the clear blue sky in Keystone
(photo: Steve Boice / Shutterstock)

📍 Google Maps | Summer Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Thursday & Sunday, 10 am – 7 pm Friday & Saturday | Entrance: $46, adults, $28 under 13

Being a skier isn’t a requirement for riding a gondola! Whether you just want to take a scenic ride or take the gondola to the top to eat, this is a great way to relax and get some great views. You’ll need to purchase a lift pass unless you have reservations at one of the restaurants at the top.

Keystone Spa

Get a massage or have a soak

📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 496-4118 | Hours: 9 am – 6 pm daily 

Taking a day to indulge at the Keystone Spa on-site at the Keystone Resort is the perfect way to unwind after long days of adventuring. Along with massages, wraps, and facials, there is a hot tub, steam room, sauna, and pool.

Town of Frisco

Check out a nearby mountain town

View from the Downtown of Town Frisco

📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Tours

Frisco may not have a ski resort, but it does have an adventure park and plenty of hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, and other things to do in Frisco (check out Dillon Reservoir for the best water activities). It’s a great place to pop in for a few hours or for a day of outdoor fun!

📚 Related Reading: If you want to extend your visit, check out our recommendations for the best places to stay in Frisco!

***

Thanks for reading my picks for the best things to do in Keystone, Colorado! If Keystone is just one of several places you’re visiting in Colorado, be sure to check out our full travel guide to Colorado for more activities around the Centennial State. 

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate (you can leave feedback after clicking submit)

Help us help you travel better!

Your feedback really helps ...

What did you like about this post? Or how can we improve it to help you travel better?

One Comment

Leave a Reply

All comments are moderated for compliance with our community guidelines. Most importantly be kind & be helpful!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.