Keystone is one of Colorado’s best ski resort destinations. It’s located just 1.5 hours west of Denver, and Keystone Resort is known for great beginner terrain, awesome bowls and trees, a huge terrain park, night skiing, and more.
And the resort town brings lively action right to the base of the slopes, with plenty of other fun winter activities nearby.
So let’s get into our top 10 things to do in Keystone!
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Helpful Map Of Keystone
Use this helpful map below to find all the best attractions in and around Keystone.
Downhill Skiing or Snowboarding
Well of course, one of the best things to do in Keystone is downhill skiing and snowboarding. While often overshadowed by the bigger more famous ski resorts nearby.
Keystone Resort has a reputation for being an excellent beginner-friendly mountain, with an abundance of wide groomed runs and some of the best views you’ll find on a bunny slope.
But even as an expert skier, I think that Keystone is a bit underrated.
There is plenty that I love about Keystone. Away from the groomers of the frontside, Keystone stretches far into the back, with lots of great tree skiing, bowls, and unique hike-to terrain.
Keystone Resort is on the epic pass, you need to purchase an epic Season Pass or Day Lift Tickets to ski or ride here. And purchasing in advance is the best way to save money. Admittedly, day lift tickets are crazy expensive, but the epic season pass is great value for multi-day ski trips.
Here’s my best quick advice for how to approach this ski resort.
If you are a true beginner, I would take the River Run Gondola and practice your skills at the learning area at the top of Dercum Mountain. You just can’t beat the views up here for a bunny slope. There are plenty of greens down from there.
For Intermediates, my favorite pod of blue squares on the frontside are all the way skiers right. And then in the back, try Bergman Bowl for some above treeline adventure that still has mellow slope and very few hazards. And if you have the time, go to the Outback for some excellent blue square runs down.
For advanced skiers and snowboarders, my favorite tree skiing is in the Windows area, and also out here in The Outback. And my favorite for steep and challenging bowl skiing is Erickson Bowl, and South Bowl.
And lastly, Keystone’s Area51 is one of the best terrain parks in Colorado. With classic and inventive features ranging from beginner to expert.
Rent Gear From Ski Butlers
If you want to rent ski or snowboard gear, Ski Butlers is the most convenient rental service in town. They’ll bring your equipment right to you, fitting you and your family right in the comfort of your accommodation. After traveling for hours to get here, the last thing you will want to do is schlep your whole family down to a ski shop to wait in line to get ski gear. With Ski Butlers, you schedule a time for them to come to you. And their ski technicians will give you their undivided attention in the comfort of you own accommodation. Helping fit your boots and get you ready to get out on the slopes. And they also provide slope side support during your stay, ready to fix any issues you might have. And lastly, at the end of your trip, they come by and collect your gear. Use our link below or mention Two Roaming Souls to save 10% off your order.
Kickapoo Tavern
If you’re looking for the best Apres ski spot in Keystone, The Kickapoo Tavern is a classic. It’s just a few steps away from the main lifts in River Run Village.
Their hopping sports bar and outdoor patio are my favorite spot to grab some drinks and food after a day on the slopes.
With a great selection of Colorado craft beers, cold or hot cocktails, and wine.
They serve delicious pub fare with other southwestern classics. For the best value, we love the loaded nachos, they are so big, they can practically feed 3 to 4 people.
Snow Fort at Adventure Point
This is fun free feature for kids and adults to check out at the top of Dercum Mountain on Keystone Resort. This giant snow castle is a great place for kids to explore and play in the winter wonderland. With cool caves, slides, and tunnels to explore.
When we visited in April, the hot spring sunshine had taken its toll on the poor snow fortress. But in mid-winter, the fort is usually looking a little more glorious, with crisper definition.
Mountaintop Snow Tubing at Adventure Point
If skiing’s not really your thing, tubing is fun and easy for all ages. At the top of Dercum Mountain on Keystone Resort, is where you’ll find the tubing hill.
And there’s even a magic carpet to whisk you back to the top.
But something important to know is that both the Snow Fort and the Mountaintop Tubing are only accessible via a lift ticket or season pass. And the tubing requires extra fees per ride.
So, I wouldn’t buy lift tickets just to come visit these. But if you arlready have lift tickets, and maybe the kids are bored with the skiing and snowboarding, it’s worth checking out.
Or another thing you could do with a lift ticket is take a round trip ride on the scenic Outpost Gondola.
Labonte’s Smokehouse BBQ
This is our favorite on-mountain dining spot. You can find it right at the bottom of the Ruby and Santiago lifts.
Their patio on the snow is just such a cool spot to enjoy some beers and BBQ. Especially on sunny days.
There’s tons of chairs on the snow, and it’s a good place to work on that goggle tan while watching skiers and snowboarders come down the mountain.
And the BBQ from Labonte’s is surprisingly really good for on-mountain dining. Also don’t be alarmed if there’s a line out the door. It really only fits a few people inside the door, so it’s never as bad as it appears.
Night Skiing
There’s only a few places in Colorado that offer night skiing. So Keystone is very unique in that way.
And even better, night skiing is included with regular day passes or season passes. So come take some laps under the lights.
The River Run Gondola is the only lift open for night skiing, but that still gives you over 2000 feet of vert on some of the best blues and greens on the frontside. And if you’re worried about being cold, the gondola helps you stay warm between runs.
But night skiing is only offered on weekends plus some holidays, so check the website for exact dates and times.
Grab A Brew from Steep Brewing
Our favorite place to caffeinate before a day on the slopes is Steep Brewing. Well actually they brew coffee and craft beer.
So really, it’s good for anytime of day.
Plus they have breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’d say their chicken sandwiches are their best option on the menu.
And they’re known for their Espresso Martinis and apres live music. So it’s also a fun place to unwind after a day of skiing or snowboarding.
Sapphire Point Overlook
This is probably the best panoramic viewpoint in all of Summit County. And even better it’s easily accessible by driving the scenic drive on Swan Mountain Road. Which is also the shortcut to Breckenridge if you want to make a trip over there for skiing.
At the top of the pass, there’s a parking lot. You can either enjoy the views from there or follow a short loop hike for even more legendary views. Starting clockwise, the trail leads to a beautiful view of Lake Dillon, Breckenridge and the Ten Mile Range.
Lake Dillon, is of course, frozen most of the winter. And the snow capped mountains over the frozen lake are just a stunning sight to behold.
You can finish the loop hike for more views of Frisco, Buffalo Peak, Dillon, and more epic views towards Keystone and Arapahoe Basin.
Ice Skating
Keystone has 2 ice skating rinks. The smaller Dercum Ice rink right in River Run Village. And the massive 5 acre ice rink on Keystone Lake. It’s one of North America’s largest Zamboni-maintained outdoor ice rinks. With a free skating area, hockey rink, occasional figure skating competitions, and more.
The Dercum rink is free, and Keystone Lake is $20 for adults, $15 for kids, and free under 4 or over 65. And both rinks offer rentals for an additional fee.
Dog Sledding
If you are looking to try a really unique winter activity, sign up for a dog sledding tour with Good Times Adventures. Do note, advanced reservations are required.
Good Times Adventures is located about 30 minutes away in Breckenridge, they have the largest Husky team in the contiguous United States. Each with their own unique names, physical traits, and personalities.
Your guide will take you on a 6-mile tour along gorgeous winding trails through the Swan River Valley. Tours can accommodate up to 6 people, and are run like a relay, where you take turns mushing the dogsled or being pulled in a sleigh. Which gives you a great mix of excitement and a chance to get some awesome photos and videos of your friends and family.
Your guide can adjust the tour to fit each person’s intensity level. From a gentle and safe pace, to fast and furious. I had a blast trying to drift some turns at high speed.
It’s recommended to dress like if you are going skiing. We visited on a negative degree day, and we were bundled. Honestly, I was wondering if it might be too cold for the dogs, but they educated us about how Huskies literally thrive in below freezing temperatures. And you could tell they’re having just as much fun as we were.
And if you enjoyed the ride, don’t forget to tip your guide!
Before or after the adventure, you can meet and interact with all the dogs. They are all so sweet and excited to meet new people, but especially when we helped feed them.
They also offer snowmobiling tours. So if that sounds like more fun to you, go for it!
Where To Stay In Keystone
Here are some suggestions for places to stay in and around Keysone.
If you want the full luxury resort experience, go Keystone Lodge & Spa. It’s located right across the street from the resort. They offer free shuttles to the ski area, plus kids under 12 years old get free lift tickets for stays over 2 nights.
If you want something comfortable, well-positioned but more moderate in cost, choose Hyatt Place Keystone.
Your best bet for finding accommodation near the resort is to book a vacation rental in the River Run Village.
For a more boutique style hotel, check out Ski Tip Lodge by Keystone Resort. It’s a cozy little spot, that will make your vacation extra special.
Also the Kindred Resort, is brand new resort set to open in the 2025-2026 ski season, but the grand opening has not yet been stated. It will literally be ski in, ski out right at the base of the gondola.
Use the map below to find your perfect accommodation near Keystone.
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