Did you know Leadville, Colorado is the highest elevation city in North America? Not only that, Leadville is an outdoor lovers paradise and a historic town surrounded by towering fourteen thousand foot mountain peaks and gorgeous lakes. We partnered with Visit Leadville Twin Lakes to plan the ultimate Leadville, Colorado itinerary.
We give you suggestions on where to stay, eat and play in this Leadville, Colorado itinerary. There are some thing you have to know before visiting Leadville, so grab your water bottle and sunscreen and let’s go!
Acclimating to the Altitude
If you want to have a good time in Leadville, don’t skip this section! Did you know there is such thing as altitude sickness? At higher elevation there is less oxygen which can result is headaches, dizziness, and can ruin your trip. We’re going to help you avoid all this.
If you live at a higher elevation like Denver then congrats you’re one step ahead! Otherwise, it can be a good idea to spend a night or two in Denver or wherever you’re flying or driving in from. This allows your body to get used to a slightly higher elevation.
At higher altitudes the body experiences a higher degree of respiration and water loss. Drink 2-3 liters of water the few days before your trip. During your trip aim to drink 4-5 liters. There is a Safeway grocery store in Leadville that sells plenty of water.
Finally, while we all enjoy a tasty cocktail, limit alcohol intake this trip. There are a few fantastic bars that we go over in this itinerary, and we recommend you visit them, but use caution. Alcohol impacts the body to a much greater degree at this altitude.
If you experience any symptoms like intense headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, restless sleep, fatigue or loss of energy, coughing and difficulty breathing then you should seek medial attention.
How to get to Leadville
If you are flying or driving from another state, you will likely come from the direction of Denver, Colorado Springs or Grand Junction. If you have a choice, driving from Denver is the easiest way to get to Leadville.
Keep in mind that peak travel times on the weekend during winter can have a huge impact on driving times.
Denver to Leadville
The drive from Denver to Leadville takes about 2 – 2.5 hours with moderate traffic. Jump on I-70 until you reach Copper Mountain Resort where you exit onto CO-91 which goes into Leadville.
Colorado Springs to Leadville
The drive from Colorado Springs to Leadville takes about 2.5 – 3 hours with moderate traffic. It is super simple, you’ll basically take US-24 W the entire way.
Grand Junction to Leadville
The drive from Grand Junction to Leadville takes about 3 – 3.5 hours with moderate traffic. It’s basically the opposite of the Denver drive. Take I-70 east to Copper Mountain Resort and exit onto CO-91 to Leadville.
During the summer there is an alternative route which takes Independence Pass. This route takes about an hour longer depending how often you stop. If you haven’t been to Aspen or driven on the pass, we recommend it.
Responsible Recreation in Leadville
Take the Adventure by Nature Pledge which is a pledge to recreate responsibly and respect the local community and environment by leaving no trace.
Consider the altitude
Leadville sits at 10,152 feet. Because it’s close to the sun, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses are a must. Be sure to hydrate well by drinking lots of water and know the symptoms of altitude sickness: headaches, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, restless sleep, fatigue, and/or difficulty breathing.
Bring appropriate gear
If you are traveling in the winter you need to bring the appropriate gear. You may need microspikes, snowshoes, or cross country skis to access the hiking trails. Check current conditions and download offline trail maps with the AllTrails app.
In the winter, you should bring a winter hat/beanie, gloves, goggles, long underwear, base layers, a gaiter, a warm midlayer (fleece or puffer jacket), warm jacket, and wool socks. For dogsledding and ziplining, Sarah wore her snowsuit and Myles wore snow pants and his ski jacket.
In order to recreate responsibly in these remote areas, follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles:
- plan ahead and prepare: research current weather and trail conditions, bring enough food and water, bring/download an offline map, prepare for crowds in certain areas
- travel and camp on durable surfaces: be sure not to hike off trail or use social trails! Camp at designated areas only
- dispose of waste properly: even an orange peel or cherry pit can disturb the ecosystem and take years to decompose. Be sure to pack out absolutely everything!
- leave what you find: do not take rocks or build cairns of rocks, do not carve into trees, rocks, or other natural objects
- minimize campfire impacts: know current fire restrictions, keep fires small and only use established fire rings
- respect wildlife: Stay 100 yards away from bears and 25 yards away from all other wildlife
- be considerate of other visitors: do not play music on the trail, give the right of way to uphill hiker
When to visit Leadville
Leadville is an amazing destination year-round! This itinerary is specific for winter and includes some unique winter activities. If you are looking to summit Mt. Elbert and/or Mt. Massive, then you should consider visiting in the summer.
Where to stay in Leadville
We stayed at Freight which is a historic train depot turned hotel. We loved the cozy rooms complete with record players and exposed beams. It was awesome to open our door and watch the train go by! It’ll be an amazing and central location to stay for all of the activities on this Leadville, Colorado itinerary. We have a discount code that will get you 20% off of your stay in 2023: ADVENTURINGEYES20.
Day 1
Sunrise on Interlaken Trail
The Twin Lakes Interlaken trail travels around a portion of the lake to the old Interlaken Resort and Dexter Cabin. The resort was built in 1879, and was closed in 1950, so you get the feeling of what it was like back then.
The rising sun casts an alpenglow against the massive fourteen thousand foot mountain peaks Mt. Elbert and Massive. It’s one of the most impressive sunrises we’ve ever seen.
Brunch at The Silver Llama
The Silver Llama is a cute place with breakfast, brunch and dinner options. It’s open daily from 6:30 AM – 5 PM. We loved the salmon and caprese avocado toasts and donuts.
Explore and shop downtown Leadville
There are so many cute shops and restaurants in downtown Leadville. Make sure to leave time in your Leadville, Colorado itinerary to explore them!
Some of our favorite shops:
- Blue Vessel Florista: the most amazing and beautiful variety of fresh flowers and dried flowers we’ve seen! Sarah was tempted to buy everything
- Blueflower Candies and Provisions: boutique candy shop with healthy treat options
- Gigi’s General: beautifully curated goods from artists and makers
- Elevation Goods: featuring goods and crafts from local Colorado businesses
- Melanzana Outdoor Clothing: people come from all over the world to shop for these hand made high quality outdoor clothing. Due to the demand, shopping is by appointment only and book out 3 months in advance!
- Two Dog Travel: travel necessities, outdoor goods and books, as well as vintage finds from all over the world
The Top of The Rockies Ziplining
If you’re looking for a unique bucket list adventure to add to your itinerary, you need to zipline through the snowy mountains with Top of the Rockies Zipline! We have a discount code for 10% off until end of summer 2023: adventuringeyes10.
Top of the Rockies also offers snowmobiling tours. This zipline experience is suitable for beginners as the knowledgeable guides take care of all of the logistics, making for a worry-free and fun time!
Drinks in town
After our ziplining adventure, we got drinks at Two Mile Brewery, the highest elevation brewery in the US! They have enough varieties to please everyone and Sarah even tried a green pickle beer that was surprisingly delicious.
We then headed to the cozy bar, Before and After, that serves craft cocktails, beer and wine, and local mead. We were so impressed with our cocktails and it was the perfect place to hang out before our dinner at Treeline Kitchen.
Dinner at Treeline Kitchen
After working up an appetite, Treeline Kitchen was the best way to end the day. Locally owned Treeline Kitchen has a menu that is sure to please anyone. We were impressed with the pescatarian options and had blackened cod, a vegetable curry, and tuna tartare.
They also have unique craft cocktails and a full bar. Make a reservation, this place is popular on the weekends!
Day 2
Coffee and breakfast at City on a Hill
We loved City on a Hill for the delicious coffee! They also serve breakfast burritos and a large selection of pastries. You’ll want to stay to sip your coffee due to the cute and cozy interior. This is a popular spot, so expect a line during peak times. City on a Hill opens at 6 AM which is perfect if you’re heading on a sunrise hike!
Dog sledding with Alpine Adventures
Dog sledding was so much fun! We were pulled by a team of 12 Alaskan Huskies on the hour long tour and also had plenty of time to play with pups and take photos. This is a unique adventure to add to your Leadville, Colorado itinerary that isn’t offered many places!
You wont get bored watching the dogs pull you through snow covered plains surrounded by massive mountains. Dress warm as it is likely to be very cold. We recommend that you book in advance with Alpine Adventures.
Hike Mayflower Gulch Trail
If you still have time and energy, you could do one of our favorite hikes: Mayflower Gulch! The Mayflower Gulch Trail is 6 miles round trip and considered moderate due to the 1,500 feet of elevation gain. This is a popular hike during the winter, so the snow is usually packed down; however, we would recommend bringing microspikes just in case. Check recent trail conditions on AllTrails. The trail ends at a historic mining cabin and it’s possible to continue hiking beyond the cabin, but this often requires snowshoes during the winter.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed this Leadville, Colorado itinerary! Leadville is truly an outdoor lover’s paradise with so many epic adventures to enjoy. Let us know if you have any questions and have fun exploring! If you’re looking for more things to do on your trip to Colorado, check out our list of 10 epic summer hikes in Colorado.
