Keystone Ski Resort

Keystone Ski Resort is a big Summit County resort, and one of the closest to Denver, at an hour and 15 minutes. Neighbor resort Breckenridge often overshadows Keystone in popularity, despite Keystone having more skiable terrain.

Keystone has the largest night skiing in Colorado, available on most weekends and holidays, so don’t worry about sleeping in! Aside from hitting the ski slopes, Keystone offers lots of other great winter attractions, like cross country skiing or a horse-drawn stagecoach.

Terrain

Keystone Ski Resort Winter Powder Day — Winter powder day at Keystone. Photo: Snow Snow

As the biggest ski resort in Summit County by acreage, there’s no shortage of fun or ways to escape the crowds here. Keystone is spread over three distinct mountains.

Dercum Mountain
North Peak
The Outback

Throughout these mountains, you’ll find an incredible collection of trails and terrain features. There are groomers, bumps, steeps, trees, bowls, hike access, back-country gates, terrain parks, and learning areas. 135 total trails await you during peak conditions.

Keystone Ski Resort Piste — Beautiful, blue-sky day at Keystone Ski Resort.

Another plus at Keystone is there are two lifts from the main base area and both take you to the top. You can choose either the Outpost or River Run Gondolas or high-speed chair lift, which helps to shorten the lines.

Beginners will find several easy slopes that take you from the top of the mountain to the bottom, in addition to a few designated learning areas. Intermediates will have a blast on all of Keystone’s long cruisers, available on each of the three mountains.

With nearly fifty percent of Keystone’s ski area rated most difficult, advanced riders will have lots to choose from. Immediately on the backside of Decorum Mountain, you can usually find good stashes in the trees or off a number of slopes on North Peak and The Outback.

Keystone Ski Resort North Peak — Keystone’s North Peak.

Keystone offers snowcat rides for a minimal fee (was $5), which will give you access to deep powder stashes and prime bowl skiing in The Outback. Bring cash.

Area 51 is one of the largest terrain parks in the country, filled with freestyle skiers/riders of all ages and abilities. Most of the terrain park is open during night skiing. Wherever you end up skiing you’ll be surrounded by majestic mountain peaks and stunning alpine views.

Village

Keystone has a nice mountain village at its base, easily accessed within walking distance of their free parking lot. It’s a modern, pedestrian-only place with a lot of cool shops, restaurants, and lodging.

Thanks to its charming River Run Village, Keystone is one of the best ski towns in the state. The wide array of restaurants boasts something for everyone, with plenty of luxurious choices for those looking to spend. And this includes hotels and shopping too.

While it’s not as ritzy as Vail, it’s a fun place to stroll. Head over to Keystone Lake where in the winter it becomes a massive five-acre ice skating rink. There is also additional ice skating in Dercum Square. The resort offers on-mountain snow tubing, open daily, day and night.

This is a short video of some afternoon clips from around Keystone.

Outside of the village, the town of Keystone also has a commercial strip with additional hotels, restaurants, and other amenities. Nearby towns of Silverthorne, Dillon, Breckenridge, Frisco, and Copper Mountain make Keystone and Summit County a convenient, bustling places to stay.

Read about the best hotels in Keystone.

A small ski patrol office.