27 Best Things to Do in Leadville, CO (in 2023)
👉 Jump to: Best Things | In Winter | In Summer | In The Off-Season
Set in Lake County, Leadville is one of my favorite Colorado gems because it’s quirky and authentic. You won’t find ritzy resorts here, but many comfortable places to stay for a weekend getaway. There are plenty of things to do in Leadville, CO, especially for those who are history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts.
Leadville museums share the town’s Wild West past involving bars, brothels, and brawling. On a self-guided walking tour, you can experience historic sites within ghost towns and on downtown Harrison Avenue. For some fresh mountain air, consider hiking, mountain biking, downhill skiing, and horseback riding through aspen groves.
As a long-time local, I’m here to help you decide what to do in Leadville, CO, regardless of the season. Let’s dive in!
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Best Things to Do in Leadville
Leadville National Fish Hatchery
See hundreds of fish that stock waters all throughout Colorado
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-0189 | Website | Hours: 7 am – 3:30 pm daily | Entrance: Free
The fish hatchery is one of the most fun things to do in Leadville with kids! Here, fish are raised to stock areas all over Colorado. You can buy fish food for a quarter, which is worth it! There’s also an easy nature trail for families and hiking trails with access to Mt. Massive and the Colorado Trail.
Mount Elbert
Hike to the summit of Colorado’s tallest mountain
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-0749 | Website
Hiking a 14er is definitely one of those must-do things in Colorado, and Mount Elbert is a great one to tackle. Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The views and the hike through the San Isabel National Forest are definitely worth it, but this is a serious undertaking – you’ll climb almost 4,500 feet in 5 miles to get to the top.
🛎️ Need a Place to Stay in Leadville? Leadville is almost two hours from Denver, so if you have an action-packed day or two planned, stay in a hotel or rental in town!
Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad
Take a scenic train ride through a beautiful forest
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-3936 | Website | Tickets: $50, adults, $25 under 12, 3 and under free
On one of the best train rides in Colorado, you’ll get gorgeous views of the San Isabel National Forest and the Arkansas River Valley. The Southern Railroad also has a Holiday Express train in winter, and the fall rides with autumn foliage are one of the most amazing things to do in Leadville, Colorado!
📚 Related Reading: This is my absolute favorite Leadville-related book. It ends with a wacky donkey half-marathon that runs through town every August and it’s a funny, heartwarming story.
Things to Do Leadville In Winter
Skiing and Snowboarding
Take to the slopes and ski through deep powder
📍 Google Maps: Ski Cooper, Copper Mtn | Phone: Ski Cooper – (719) 486-2277; Copper Mtn – (866) 841-2481 | Ski Cooper Website; Copper Mtn Website | Lift Tickets: Ski Cooper – $50-90, adults, $35-70 under 14; Copper Mtn – $99-169, adults, $84-119 under 13
Come wintertime, skiing and snowboarding are some of the most popular things to do near Leadville, CO! For its affordable and family-friendly atmosphere, Ski Cooper is our favorite spot and ranks as one of the best ski resorts close to Denver. Copper Mountain has a wider amount of terrain and is maybe better for those seeking a more upscale experience.
📚 Related Reading: Check out the rest of my recs for the top ski resorts in Colorado, and see which might be best for you!
Tennessee Nordic Center
Snowshoe or cross-country ski on snowy trails
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-8114 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily | Trail Pass: $25, adults, $16 under 13
Tennessee Nordic Center has rentals plus groomed, well-marked trails. It’s next to Ski Cooper, so if some of your party want to downhill and some want to cross-country ski, everyone’s happy!
Dutch Henry Hill
Tube or sled downhill and enjoy the thrilling ride!
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-8210 | Website | Hours: Dawn to Dusk Daily | Tube Rental Fees: $5 for residents, $10 for non-residents
This local hill is groomed for sledding and tubing, and is one of the fun, cheap things to do in Leadville! Bring your own sled and slide free or rent a tube for $10.
Huck Finn Ice Rink
Skate around the highest ice rink in Colorado
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 839-5476 | Website | Hours: 4 pm – 8 pm Mon, Tue, Thu; 4 pm – 9 pm Wed-Fri; 12 pm – 9 pm Sat; 12 pm – 6 pm Sun | Entrance: $5, adults, $4 youths
Skate at the highest man-made rink in Colorado! You can bring food and drinks to eat off the rink, but there’s a snack bar as well as hockey equipment and a fire pit.
Ice Fishing
Try this unique sport by visiting some of Colorado’s largest glacial lakes
📍 Google Maps | Website | 1-Day Fishing License: $17.35, adults, free under 18
Twin Lakes is a popular place for ice fishing, and all the shanties on the lake look like a small town in winter! Turquoise Lake and Crystal Lake are also great ice fishing options nearby.
Dog Sledding
Experience adorable, exciting fun
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-9899 | Website | Hours: Call For Reservations | Tours: $140, adults, $120 under 9 | 👉 Browse Tours on Viator
For a truly out-of-the-box experience, try dog sledding! You’ll get great scenery and, of course, adorably fluffy dogs.
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Things to Do In Summer
Independence Pass
Take a scenic drive featuring amazing views and interesting stops
📍 Google Maps | Website | Hours: Best from sunrise to sunset
Independence Pass runs from Twin Lakes to Aspen. There’s so much to do, I could write a whole separate article just on that drive! There is lots of wildlife to see, and many places to stop. The Grottos Trail is definitely worth a visit, and Maroon Bells in Aspen is an awesome destination!
📚 Related Reading: This is one of the many amazing things to see in Colorado! Check out more ideas here.
Hopemore Underground Mine Tour
Experience one of the last underground mine tours in Colorado
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-0301
This is one of the last underground mine tours in the state. Owner Bob Calder leads people 600 feet underground in a mining shaft cage to get a feel for what work was like for a miner. Tours last about an hour and Bob demonstrates old mining equipment and tells tales of Leadville’s history.
Interlaken Resort
Hike to the remains of a historic hotel
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 553-1400 | Website
Interlaken Resort was a popular mountain hotel in the late 1800s. Now, you can see some of the buildings on the site. You also get beautiful views of Twin Lakes and the mountains. The hike is easy – 4.6 miles out and back with a few hills.
Hagerman Tunnel Trail
Trek along an old railroad bed in the San Isabel National Forest
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 553-1400 | Website
Follow a railroad bed on this 7-mile hike, which ends at what was once the highest railroad tunnel in the world. You’ll hike through the San Isabel National Forest and pass several lakes along with seeing beautiful mountain views.
Paddle Sports
Rent a paddleboard or kayak and get out on the water!
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 420-0200 | Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily summer | Rentals: Starting at $28
Getting out on the water is unquestionably one of the best things to do in Leadville. There are several lakes where you can paddleboard and kayak near Leadville.
If you need a board or kayak, check out Twin Lakes SUP & Cycle. They are located in Twin Lakes, and can also supply boards and bikes to Turquoise Lake too. They also have a variety of other rental accessories, including bikes and fishing gear.
Mineral Belt Trail
Peddle your way through Leadville
📍 Google Maps | Website
The Mineral Belt Trail runs 11.6 miles through Leadville, and you can pick it up anywhere in town including at the Dutch Henry Trailhead. About six miles of the trail pass through the historic mining district and you can see remnants of mining equipment and mines. Bike, run or walk the trail in summer, and snowshoe or cross-country ski in winter.
The Matchless Mine
Tour this site to get a glimpse into Leadville history
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-1229 | Website | Entrance: $12, guided tour, $6 unguided tour
The tale of Horace and Baby Doe Tabor is a scandalous and fascinating one. The Matchless Mine produced $7.5 million worth of silver, yet in the end, Baby Doe froze to death, penniless and alone. Learn more about the history of the couple, and the history of Leadville on this tour.
Mayflower Gulch Trail
Hike an old mining route and see the structures that remain
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (970) 945-2521 | Website | Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
A beautiful trail that rises from 10,990 to 12,000 feet and follows a Boston Mining Company route. You’ll see parts of the mining cabins at the end. There are also wildflowers in summer, and lovely fall foliage beginning in early September, along with beautiful views of the Rocky Mountains.
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Fishing
Hook a big one!
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 739-7000 | Hours: Sunrise to Sunset | Entrance: free
There are tons of places to fish and it’s one of the great things to do in Leadville! Hayden Meadows Recreation Area is a great spot for kids, and we’ve never not caught a fish there. You can also fish at Turquoise or Twin Lakes, or try fly fishing the Arkansas River.
Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin
Learn about old-time Leadville at one of the town’s best history museums
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-0487 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Thurs-Sat, 12 pm – 4 pm Sun in season | Entrance: $6, adults, $3.50 under 17
You can tour this mansion that was once a boarding house and the place to socialize in Leadville. Dexter’s Cabin nearby is a 1879 log cabin built by one of Colorado’s first millionaires.
Note: The Healy House Museum closes for the winter season (at least through the end of April).
The Tabor Opera House
See a concert and experience old Leadville glamor
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-8409 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm daily, Closed Mondays in season
You can take in a concert or tour the Tabor Opera House, which was once considered the finest theater between St. Louis and San Francisco.
👉 Pro Tip: The opera house has been closed for its first major rehabilitation since 1879, but it will reopen in spring of 2022.
Things to Do in the Off Season
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum
Learn an important part of Colorado history
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-1229 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 4 pm Tue-Sat, 10 am – 2 pm Sun, Closed Mondays | Entrance: $12, adults, $10 for students, seniors, & military
This small-town museum is surprisingly impressive, with replica mining tunnels, a running model train display, and dioramas and other exhibits to teach you about Colorado’s mining history.
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Temple Israel
See a historic frontier synagogue
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (303) 709-7050 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm daily | Entrance: Free
The temple, which was built in 1884, is open to the public and has about 300 artifacts teaching about Leadville’s Jewish history.
Top of the Rockies Ziplines
Zip through gorgeous scenery
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-7354 | Website | Hours: Call to make reservations | Zipline Tickets: $125, adults; $100, children under 13, other adventure packages available
You can zipline year-round at the Top of the Rockies! In spring and summer, you can zipline or combine that with a train trip. In winter, you can zipline and take a snowmobile tour.
The Silver Dollar Saloon
Grab a drink where the famous once did
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-9914 | Website | Hours:12 pm – 1 am daily
This historic bar has hosted Doc Holiday, the Unsinkable Molly Brown, Oscar Wilde, and other famous drinkers. The original mahogany bar is gorgeous and the drinks are good (ask me how I know…)
👉 Pro Tip: It’s worth looking up the history of the saloon before stopping in so you know what you’re seeing!
Lake County Public Library
Browse new releases or learn about old history
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-0569 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm M & W, 10 am – 5 pm Tu, Th, F, 12 pm – 4 pm Sat, Closed Sun
You can browse the latest bestsellers at the library, but they also have storytimes both in the building and sometimes at spots around Leadville. If you’re interested in local history, make an appointment to see the non-circulating collection in the gorgeous Leadville Room.
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Melanzana
Join thru-hikers in shopping for must-have outdoor gear
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (719) 486-3245 | Website | Hours: 10 am – 6 pm daily, by appointment only
I’ve heard stories of thru-hikers walking off the Colorado Trail and straight to Melanzana to stock up before continuing their hike. The store sells handmade outdoor gear that’s loved for its moisture-wicking, lightweight goodness. Post-COVID, they’re only allowing shopping by appointment, so plan ahead.
Downtown Leadville
Go antiquing and browse the boutiques
Harrison is the main street in Leadville, and you can spend hours there browsing and grabbing coffee, a meal, or ice cream. There’s a large antique mall at one end, plenty of souvenir shops, and fun places like a paint-your-own pottery studio if the weather outside is bad.
👉 Read Next: Where to Stay in Leadville
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Now, you understand why visiting Leadville ranks as one of the best things to do in the USA this summer. And really, it’s a great place to visit any season!
Whether you want to spend the day tackling a 14er, catching some fish for a meal later, or learning more about history, there’s something for everyone in one of Colorado’s best mountain towns! Enjoy all the things to do in Leadville, CO, and happy exploring.
