Enjoy the wide-open spaces at this family friendly ski area! Skip the lift lines and pretense at Cooper. Enjoy terrain for all abilities! Come ski in the heart of the Rockies!
Ten Winter Activities
in Leadville - Twin Lakes
At 10,000 feet winter arrives early and stays late! Leadville and Twin Lakes, Colorado is the best place to go for your favorite winter activities! The snow is light and plentiful, and the view of nearby summits are spectacular. Come play with us this winter!
#1 Alpine Ski or Ride at Cooper
Take a lesson to learn to ski/snowboard or improve your skills, small groups sizes and knowledgable staff make learning fun! Ski and snowboard rentals are available on mountain or in Leadville at Bill’s Rentals and Alpine Ski & Sport.
Listen to live music and grab a bite to eat at one of Cooper's top-notch food establishments. Check out Cooper's website for music and event schedule.
Another great ski area, Copper Mountain, is only 25 minutes away making Leadville a great home base for all alpine activities.
#2 Snow Zooming and Zipping!
Explore Leadville’s historic mining district, Turquoise Lake or “ride the divide” on a snowmobile or UTV!
Visit Leadville ATV or Leadville Offroad Adventures (formerly Elk Mountain) for a snowmobile tour or closed cabin UTV ride! Or try out White Mountain Snowmobile Tours with the option to combine winter ziplining!
Got your own sled? Turquoise Lake and Leadville's East Side Mining District are a great place to get out and zoom! Grooming thanks to the High Riders Snowmobile Club!
Fly above snow-covered trees at 12,800 feet on the Top of the Rockies Zip Line!
They offer zipline/snowmobile tours too!
#3 Visit A Back Country Hut or Yurt
There are many ways to get off the grid in the winter! You can ski, snowshoe or event fat bike to a back country location.
Nordic ski, fat bike or snowshoe one forested mile to a delicious gourmet meal then stay a while in their sleep yurts, giving you the time you need to explore over 16 miles of groomed trails at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, Cookhouse and Sleep Yurts.
For those looking more for the back country experience, check out the hut and yurt options in the area.
10th Mountain Division Huts has 38 backcountry huts in the Colorado Rockies that are connected by 350 miles of suggested routes. They provide a unique opportunity for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing while staying in secure, comfortable shelter. Many people gather groups of friends and family to share the experience together. *Reservations are needed*
Leadville Backcountry Yurts also offers the off the grid experience in beautiful mountain landscape.
#4 Ride the Rails
Stay warm and cozy inside comfy heated lounge cars as you travel through a winter wonderland. The Leadville Railroad runs through the winter with speciality trips including: Holiday Express, Winter Express, Valentine's Sweetheart Train, St. Patrick's Day Train and the Easter Express!
Photo Credit @scene_mcbride
#5 Do Some Sliding
Twirl under the sun or stars at Leadville’s open-air skating rink. At 30,000 square feet, the Huck Finn Ice Rink in Leadville is one of the largest man-made rinks in Colorado! The facility features skate rentals, a snack bar, a warming hut, and a great sound system.
Huck Finn Ice Rink - CLOSED FOR SEASON
5th and Leiter, Leadville, CO 80461 (719) 486-7484
Warmer temperatures have led to an early closure for the skating rink.
The Dutch Henry sledding hill in Leadville, Colorado, is open from December to March, weather permitting. Sled as much as you want, then take a break in the small warming hut. The hill is open from dawn to dusk daily, conditions permitting, and sledding is free. You can rent tubes on weekends at the hill or at Bill’s Rentals 7 days a week!
McWethy and Highway 24, Leadville, CO 80461 (719) 486-7484
The Nordic Center has a free tubling slope and is a great way to slide the snow and then stop inside the cafe to get hot food and beverages.
#6 Join the Dog Pack
Go dogsledding! Let happy huskies pull you past phenomenal views of forests and Colorado’s highest peaks.
Go to Alpine Adventures Dogsledding for dog powered fun!
#7 Nordic (Cross Country) Ski
Lake County has nearly 100 miles of trails near Leadville are groomed regularly from late fall to early spring for winter travel. Glide through smooth tracks or tromp atop the snow. For overnight adventure, plan a hut trip or camp in a yurt.
We Have 6 Groomed Trail Systems!
- East Side Mining District - Groomed county roads winding through Leadville’s mining structures, with spectacular above-treeline views. Fat bike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, snowshoe. Trails groomed by High Riders Snowmobile Club
- Mineral Belt Trail - A 12-mile groomed loop around town, through the historic Leadville Mining District and evergreen forests. Fat bike, cross-country ski, snowshoe. Groomed by Lake Couny PROS Department
- Mt. Massive Golf Course Ski and Snowshoe Trails - Lake County's Recreation Department manages 17km of groomed trails wind gently in and out of forested areas and along the fairways. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing only. Groomed by Lake County PROS Department
- Tennessee Pass Nordic Center - More than 16 miles of groomed set track and wide skate lanes on the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center trails. Views of the stunning Sawatch Range. Fat bike, cross-country ski, snowshoe. While you're there stop by their cafe for casual meal and warm drinks or make reservations for fine dining at the Cookhouse. View grooming report.
- Timberline Trails at Colorado Mountain College - A rolling system of groomed trails through the forest. Cross-country ski, fat biking and snowshoe. Groomed by Cloud City Wheelers - see grooming report here
- Turquoise Lake Road- A 14-mile loop of groomed roadway around the lake, with spectacular views of peaks, canyons, and the frozen lake itself. Fat bike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, snowshoes. Groomed by Lake County PROS Department
VISIT NORDIC PULSE FOR GROOMING REPORTS
#8 Get Out For A Hike
Take a snowshoe trek above treeline, to a lakeside ghost resort, or through Leadville’s historic mining district with stunning views. Visit COTREX for trail information
Great options include –
• Interlaken Trail in Twin Lakes
• Halfmoon Road
• Leadville Fish Hatchery Trail Systems
• Colorado Trail / Continental Divide Trail
• 10th Mountain Division Hut Trails
#9 Go Ride A Bike
With nearly 100 miles of groomed trails and plenty of sunny days, Leadville winters are made for fat biking fun.
Choose the Mineral Belt Trail or the East Side Mining District or for above-treeline views of the surrounding mountain ranges. These groomers wind past mining structures and snowy hillsides, all under a deep blue winter sky.
For forested scenery, loop ice-covered Turquoise Lake along the closed road, or curve through the pines at Timberline Trails behind Colorado Mountain College, both groomed regularly.
Go to the top of the continental divide for 16-miles groomed network at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, featuring rolling, wooded trails or winter-white meadows.
Cloud City Wheelers hosts a series of Winter MTB Races between January and April - join an event or come to cheer them on. Check out the calendar for dates!
Fat Bike Rentals available at Cycles of Life or Tennessee Pass Nordic Center
#9 Stay Indoors
Stay warm indoors shopping, eating or learning about Leadville's rich history!
National Mining Hall of Fame & Museum
Did you know that Leadville, Colorado, is home to a national museum? The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum is perched in North America’s highest-elevation town. Visitors often say they are surprised by the depth of this unsung museum, which tells the past, present, and future of the nation’s mining.
There, you can learn about mining through geology, science, historic preservation, and even art. You can also find fascinating facts about Leadville’s mining history. Plan to spend at least one and one-half hours touring the museum. Its expansive collections enrich 25,000 square feet of space. And it’s well worth your time.
Built in 1884, Temple Israel is the oldest of the area’s frontier synagogues. After a fire in 2006, the building was historically restored to near original condition. It now serves as a museum and research institution that documents the lives of Jewish pioneers during Leadville’s mining boom era.
Free to visit! Get into a conversation with the Temple Israel's knowledgable staff to learn more about Leadville's history!
Visit the Shops and Resturants on Historic Harrison Avenue and Twin Lakes Village
Stroll historic Harrison Avenue, for uncrowded holiday shopping and one-of-a-kind gifts. Art, antiques, apparel, made-in-Colorado gifts, minerals, books, and much more await. Find the best outdoor gear, carefully chosen by people who use the same kind themselves in Leadville’s mountains.
Stop in a coffee shop or market for a warm drink and a pastry or grab a hot toddy at a saloon. Savor lunch and dinner at one of Leadville’s tasty restaurants.
Although quieter in the winter Twin Lakes Village is continues to offer picturesque views. Tenderfoot Farm Market, open year round, can meet your grocery and gift needs. Stop by to learn more about the area!
We Love Leadville - Twin Lakes Winters
And You Will Too!
Come see us for one of our great winter events! Visit our calendar of events to learn more!
Parade of Lights, Ski Joring, Winter Mountain Bike Race Series, 10th Mountain Division Day at Cooper,
Ice Fishing Tournament, St. Patrick's Day Parade and more!
