Inhale some extra oxygen before heading up to 10,200 feet for your day in Leadville! After living in Denver for over 20 years, I had never visited Leadville until I moved up to the Colorado mountains. Now that I live 30 minutes from this historical mountain town and visit frequently, I’ve compiled your perfect day visit to Leadville!
Upon arrival in Leadville, stop by Cookies with Altitude to grab a home made donut (they also have breakfast burritos for some protein!) to start your day! Relax for a few, watch the people walk by and enjoy the super friendly service! After fueling up, hit Leadville’s main street to admire their historic buildings and do a little shopping in their local shops and galleries. Be sure to look for the murals on many of the buildings and side streets just off main street. Soak up that Old West feeling and be prepared for some wind… every time I’ve visited Leadville it’s been a “little” breezy! 😉
There are many activities to choose from for your afternoon in Leadville! During the winter – strap on your ski boots for a few runs at Ski Cooper or hit the Mineral Belt Trail with your fat bike, snow shoes, or nordic skis. This trail can be accessed a few places close to town (it’s basically a big loop around Leadville), and it’s a favorite spot of mine for x-country skiing. Ski Cooper is a true local ski resort atmosphere… no frills and great for beginners, with numerous green runs. If you happen to be visiting in early March, don’t miss the ski joring with horses competition! I witnessed this craziness for the first time a couple weeks ago… it’s a not to be missed event! 🙂
After working up an appetite head toward the end (south) of main street to enjoy lunch or dinner at the Tennessee Pass Cafe. You can’t go wrong with anything you order on their menu (I recommend the turkey bacon avocado sandwich – yum!)! It’s a friendly atmosphere and great place to chat with some locals as well.
If this is your first visit to Leadville… you most likely discovered it won’t be your last!
Until the next adventure – bon voyage!
Kris
