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Jessie Unruh/GoBreck; Jessie Unruh/GoBreck; jeffscroggins.com; Liam Doran/GoBreck

The secret reality, though,

is that for many travelers,

fall is an ideal time to visit high country.

Most school-age children return to classes by September, and the

aforementioned hardcore skiers and snowboarders won’t be show-

ing up for another few weeks. (The ski resort usually opens mid- to

late November.) In other words, aside from a weekend festival or

two, crowds are scarce.

Things to do, however, are not. Fall in Breckenridge is like a

mountain-town sampler platter. Sure, some of the local businesses

may be taking time off, and no, you probably won’t get to carve or

schuss the 2,908 acres of ski and snowboard terrain, but that just

gives you more time to check out all the other activities and attrac-

tions that are available in and around this old mining community. Or,

if you prefer, the quieter scene affords ample opportunity to do not

much at all. Find a park bench and finish one of the novels from your

summer-reading list. Go for a walk. Sit by a stream.

Surprised at those mellow outdoor suggestions? That’s another

regional secret. September and October weather remains relatively

pleasant. Average daily highs are in the mid-60s and low 50s respec-

tively. It cools down another 10 degrees in November, but as long

as the Colorado sun is shining (as it usually is), it always feels warmer.

So don’t worry that fall is Breckenridge’s somewhat forgotten

season. You’ll have no trouble filling your days with as much or as

little recreation as you’d like. Read on for a few ideas about how to

spend your time.

Go Fish

Mountain biking and road cycling are popular throughout the region.

Routes range from the flat, wide 6.5-mile Tiger Road to the Dyersville

mining settlement ride, which is a 16-mile loop with an elevation gain

of 1,600 feet. There’s also the Blue River Recreation Path, which pro-

vides miles of paved pedaling between Breckenridge and Frisco. The

hiking, of course, is also fantastic. And as long as you don’t mind cross-

ing a snowfield or two at higher elevations, it can be done well into fall.

One activity you might not automatically consider, but certainly

should, is fly-fishing. “The fish are active year-round, so we can fish

every month of the year,” says Jackson Streit of Breckenridge-based

Mountain Angler outfitters. “And actually, fall is

a time when the big brown trout start moving

up the rivers to spawn. So while some of

these big fish may have been sitting in deep

holes all summer, now they’re on the move,

and we can find them in places where you

normally wouldn’t be able to.”

Mountain Angler offers a variety of guided

fishing trips, including half- and full-day

walking excursions. For prime conditions in

September and October, Streit suggests a

float-fishing trip on the Colorado River. “It’s

also nice because it’s at a lower altitude than

here in Breckenridge, so while we may have

a high in the mid-40s here in town, where

we’re going, it might be in the mid-60s,” he says. “That’s really the

magic time of year.”

There are plenty of other magical spots, too. About 30 minutes

south of Breckenridge in the South Park area, near Fairplay, large

brown trout that have worked their way up from the Spinney

Mountain Reservoir can be found in abundance, says Streit. Heading

in the opposite direction about 20 minutes north of Breckenridge,

another bustling population of brown trout can be found in Lake

Dillon. “We get a good run out of there,” he says. “You’d definitely

have a chance to catch a 20-plus-inch brown that time of year.”

High-Altitude Shopping

If your idea of landing a prize catch requires more wandering from

store to store and (much) less wading along the banks of a flowing

stream, make haste for Breckenridge’s Main Street. Park near either

the north or south end, and simply start walking — and gawking.

There are more than 200 shops concentrated in this downtown

district, an assortment that’s utterly impossible to comprehend until

you’re actually strolling past all of them.

Looking for regional souvenirs? You’ll find all sorts of T-shirts

and trinkets emblazoned with witty phrases about Colorado’s alti-

tude alongside hats and other paraphernalia with the state flag at

numerous gift stores. Or you could choose a fine-art print depicting

one of the nearby 14ers (mountains that top out above 14,000 feet

high), an aspen grove, or Main Street itself, from most any of the

local galleries.

Don’t really know what you’re looking for? Yep, there are plenty

of those shops, too: handcrafted clothing, jewelry, toys, sports

gear — the list goes on and on.

With so many places to swipe your credit card right in the heart

of Breckenridge, it’s almost out of the question to think of going

elsewhere to get your shopping fix. It should be noted, however,

that just 14 miles up the road, the Outlets At Silverthorne offers

some pretty tempting discounts on name brands, including

Aeropostale, Ann Taylor, Coach, Columbia, Gap, Guess, and Nike.

There’s a Samsonite Company Store, too, in

case you need an extra suitcase to get all your

treasures home.

Serious Sustenance

As many ways as there are to spend your

days in Breckenridge — shopping Main Street,

fly casting for 20-inch brown trout, or buried

in that book on the park bench — there are

even more choices when it comes to fueling

up for your adventures. Food options range

from soups and sandwiches to sushi and

steaks, and seemingly everything in between.

Try Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant &

Cantina for tasty specialty tacos and burritos.

Silverthorne

Fairplay

Breckenridge

Lake Dillon

Frisco

Dyersville

Mining Settlement

Denver

Breckenridge

Brewery & Pub

Briar Rose

Chophouse & Saloon

Main Street

Downstairs at Eric’s

Mi Casa Mexican

Restaurant & Cantina

Denver

Breckenridge

Colorado

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