By Erin Jones
I’m a corporate girl entirely comfortable with a day full of meetings and emails while managing competing priorities. In my leisure time, I choose concrete jungles and towering skyscrapers losing myself in the crowd of a busy city. When I visited Breckenridge in the summer, I saw it as an escape from the corporate grind and the hot summer humidity. What would I pack? How outdoorsy was the trip really going to be? What does a “light hike” entail, and could I even manage it? My head was spinning with unknowns, but my love for adventure and the joy of seeing someplace new kept me going.
Getting to Breckenridge
Breckenridge is a mountain town about two hours west of Denver and is easily accessible by plane or driving from other Midwest states, including Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas. I decided to fly into Denver and take one of the many shuttles that would drop me off in the town of Breckenridge. With easy online booking and pick-up times throughout the day, Fresh Tracks provided a cost-efficient travel solution as once you get to Breckenridge, you won’t need a car.
The trip from Denver to Breckenridge is breathtaking as you wind up the mountains and cross over many small mountain towns. I kept looking around me in awe of the steep incline and evergreen on my left and right. As a Kansas City resident, I’m used to small hills and flatlands, and the mountains felt a bit surreal. My ears popped as we reached higher elevation as Breckenridge sits over 9,000 feet above sea level. I was dropped off at the Breckenridge transfer station, which sits right downtown and is a transportation hub for local trollies, and Breck Free Ride, a bus service with many stops around Breckenridge.
Discovering Breckenridge
With the mountains as my backdrop, I strolled down Main Street. The flowers were what caught my attention first. Flower beds line the streets and are full of purple delphinium that stands proudly next to bright red poppies. Storefronts consistently have hanging baskets overflowing with blooms in varying shades of pinks, blues, and purples with the occasional sunny yellow. With the low humidity and comfortable temperatures in Breckenridge, it is obvious the flowers thrive in their natural environment. Wandering down Main Street, I must say I felt in my element. Breckenridge might not be the concrete jungle I typically go for, but I couldn’t resist admiring the flowers and well-kept storefronts.
Breckenridge started as a gold mining town in the 1860s, and the city has thoughtfully preserved its history. Many stores and restaurants are in renovated buildings and have plaques claiming historical status. The town is not afraid of color, and each installation is artfully painted to call out the design details and intricate architecture that seems to be lacking in buildings built current day. From burnt orange to greens mirroring the evergreen trees surrounding the town, each building has its own character, but they manage to become cohesive.
I continued my stroll downtown wide-eyed but noticed that visitors and locals alike treated each other with kindness. Signs in front of restaurants requested kindness as they deal with staffing shortages, but as I visited restaurants, I found the service top-notch and the food some of the best I’ve had in years.
If you find yourself a bit hungry in Breckenridge, here are some of my suggestions. There might be multiple pizza options in town, but Tin Plate Pizza cannot be missed. Tin Plate is located in the historic district in a miners cabin dating back 138 years. It was home to “Tom’s Baby,” Colorado’s largest gold nugget. Today the house has been modernized but in a way that still pays homage to its miner roots. Creamy walls and natural wood tables provide an inviting space, but it’s the pizza menu that will catch your attention. The Elote pizza is full of flavor with the spice of poblano peppers alongside the sweetness of the corn finished off with lime pickled onions. The sourdough crust is cooked just right so that it’s not overcooked and has just the right amount of chewy texture. If you find yourself needing a sweet treat afterward, right next door is dynamite cookies. Owned by the same chef, the cookie dough is also sourdough-based. Of course, you can’t go wrong with chocolate chip or snickerdoodle as they will arrive at your table warm! The cookies are soft and chewy with the perfect amount of chocolate chips and cinnamon, and sugar, depending on the type you choose. Breckenridge restaurants are casual, but the flavors and menus are elevated (pun intended as you’re almost 10,000 feet above sea level)!
With great food and pretty street scenes, I was beginning to understand why Breckenridge is a year-round destination. Summer should not be missed as you’ll enjoy sunny skies and occasional rain shower and temps in the mid-70s with cooler mornings and evenings. My introduction to Breckenridge was nothing short of amazing, but who doesn’t love good food and pretty views.
What really had me nervous was the planned hike. I trip over flat surfaces and have had weak ankles since my teen years. I work at a corporate job that has me sitting and talking on the phone, and to be perfectly honest, my preferred cardio is shopping. Sometimes the best thing you can do is step out of your comfort zone and do whatever daunting task is in front of you, even if you’re scared. So, I did. I dressed in layers, packed up my camera, put on my comfiest walking shows, took a deep breath, and did the best I could.
Cucumber Gulch
Breckenridge is full of trails and bike routes that will provide you opportunism to explore the great outdoors. Right in the center of town, you’ll find the free Gondola that will take you up to various points on the mountain. The Gondola is entirely free and runs during the summer and wintertime. Up, Up and Away, and I found myself at the first Gondola stop and where the hike would begin for me.
The Cucumber Gulch is a wildlife preserve, so we spent some time scouting for the elusive moose, but I must admit the only wildlife seen that day were a couple chipmunks and some birds landing in the trees. Cucumber Gulch is a wildlife preserve spanning approximately 180+ acres between downtown Breckenridge and Peak 8. Overall, the trail is easy to follow with a mix of boardwalk and marked trails.
Thankfully I was with a group of the most supportive women who understood that I was not used to hiking but kept encouraging me to keep going. The pace was slow, but it was amazing to walk along the trail in Cucumber gulch and enjoy the scenery around me. We spent some time scouting for the elusive moose, but I must admit the only wildlife seen that day were a couple chipmunks and some birds landing in the trees. The trail had some points of incline that I needed to take slow, and I found myself looking down to make sure I didn’t twist my ankle on tree roots or rocks. However, when I did finally feel comfortable look up, it was worth it every time. Surrounded by evergreen trees and the occasional bubbling stream, it was peaceful, and the sound of nature seemed much more appealing than screeching cars and street noise.
As we neared the end of the trail, the leaders would say almost there, just a bit longer, and I stopped believing them as it seemed never-ending. But, not one to give up, I made it giving a thumbs-up sign as we reached the end.
Conclusion
Here is what I know. I’m sure I’ll always prefer the bustling city streets, but my goodness, there is joy in the mountain air. There is joy in hiking and admiring the scenery, and not sure you can make it up the next hill. There is joy in realizing you can do far more than you thought you could, even something as simple as going for a hike and being in the outdoors. Breckenridge will always be special to me as it was the place that got me out of my comfort zone. So, what should I try next?
All photos by Erin Jones
