There are hundreds of hiking trails in the Breckenridge area, but many hikers and families want to start out on the easy ones to accommodate children or while acclimating to the high altitude. The BEST easy Breckenridge hiking trails all feature flat or gentle ascent trails, fun features and amazing scenery! These hikes also make the list because parking is either readily available or the trailhead is easily reached via a shuttle bus from a parking area.
Sawmill Creek/Reservoir: A beautiful and easy hike at only a 1.5-mile round trip, the Sawmill Creek trail starts beneath Snowflake Lift near Four O’ Clock and Kings Crown Roads. Directions: Park in Tiger Dredge or F Lot. Walk west (towards the ski resort) on Four O’Clock a few short blocks to the Snowflake Chairlift on your left. The trailhead is underneath the chairlift. This is a good starter hike perfect for families with children because of the short length. There is only an elevation gain of 240 feet with plenty of shade along the way and a gorgeous reservoir awaiting. Bring a picnic lunch and take in some spectacular mountain views surrounding the Sawmill Reservoir.
The Fairy Forest used to be near this trail, but met its demise in 2020 and is no longer available for visitors.
Sawmill Reservoir winds creekside up to an alpine lake
Iowa Hill Trail: Breckenridge was a gold mining town long before the ski resort opened. The Iowa Hill Trail is a fun and interactive trail that provides both education and great photo ops. At 0.7 miles and almost a dozen trail features, it can hold the attention of even the smaller ones in a group. Directions: Drive north on Airport Road in Breckenridge. Watch for the Iowa Hill sign on the left past most of the businesses. The parking area is ample for this short hike. Breckenridge History offers guided tours if your group is interested in a more detailed tour.
Mining remnants along the Iowa Hill hiking trail
Sallie Barber Mine: A wide trail that will take you up to the marvelous mining ruins of Sallie Barber. The Town of Breckenridge has worked hard to make this spot intriguing for all ages. The photo ops are great! Interpretive signs will tell the story so we’ll leave that for your discovery. Directions: Park at the Ice Rink and take the Boreas Pass shuttle, unboarding at the Rock Ridge shuttle stop. Walk downhill to Sallie Barber Road where you will turn right and find the trail at the dead end of Sallie Barber Road. Parking at the trailhead is extremely limited and will someday be nonexistent as the subdivision in this area continues to be built.
Blue River Trail: There are actually two Blue River trails in Breckenridge, one along the Blue River just north of Breckenridge and one that starts in the Sawmill Museum parking lot. For this article, we are discussing the trail that runs along the Blue River near Airport Road, just north of Breck. This flat trail meanders riverside and over several bridges. It’s great almost anytime of the year to hear the beautiful sounds of the river, to see wildflowers in the summer and golden leaves in the fall. Directions: Park in the lot next to River Park & Playground on Floradora Drive. Walk through the playground and down to the riverside trail along the river bank. There is also a paved path, but this article references the single-track dirt path immediately alongside the river.
Blue River trail in Breckenridge
Blue Lakes-Monte Cristo Gulch: This hike can be easy to moderate depending on which path you take, either around the lower lake, over the dam and around the upper lake (the dam lake). The easiest is around the lower lake or just meandering around the parking area below the dam. Wildflowers, waterfalls, and wildlife can be seen along this path! At the dam, you can rock scramble up to access a trail around the dam. The views are breathtaking regardless of where you are on this trail. Mountain goats are a common siting in the area, but PLEASE do not approach, feed or harass the mountain goats. Be a good steward, give them their space and let them be wild. Allowing your dog to chase wildlife is illegal so keep dogs on a leash. Directions: Drive south on Highway 9 out of Breckenridge towards Fairplay. Turn right onto Blue Lakes Road and drive until the road dead ends at the parking area. Do not park on the dirt road.
See this view of the lower Blue Lakes area just a hundred yards from the parking area
