Guide to Ice Skating In Breckenridge, Colorado (and Nearby)
Breckenridge is known for being a ski town but there is also some great ice skating in and around Breckenridge. Ice skating is a fun outdoor winter activity for the whole family. Skating on a frozen pond surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains is an experience you will never forget.
We’ve lived near Breckenridge for over 20 years and have always loved snowboarding, sledding, and snowshoeing here in the winter. However, we only discovered the amazing ice skating opportunities in Summit County in 2020 (I can’t believe it took us that long!).
When COVID hit we were happy to live in a place with extensive access to outdoor activities. That being said, the winters are LONG here. With COVID restricting travel (no beach vacations) and having Eli home all the time (we homeschooled for a year), we needed to find something new to do outside in the snow.
We discovered that ice skating was the perfect new outdoor activity.
If you are interested in trying ice skating on your next Breckenridge vacation, this is the perfect guide for you.
Disclosure- Some of the links below are amazon affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Map of Ice Skating In Breckenridge and Nearby
This map details everywhere you can ice skate in Summit County, Colorado. After reading about each ice skating option and picking the perfect one for you, come back to this map for directions.
Should You Rent Or Buy Ice Skates?
First thing first, should you rent or buy ice skates? Well, it depends….
If you are driving to Breckenridge and plan to ice skate a few times on your vacation and will use your ice skates at home also, it is a good idea to purchase ice skates. There are some ponds in Summit County that don’t offer ice skate rentals so it is nice to have your own pair. Plus, if you plan to ice skate often, you can pay for a pair of new ice skates with the cost of several ice skate rentals.
If you are taking a flight to Colorado, renting ice skates is a much better option. Although it limits where you can go skate, the options with ice skate rentals are all great. I’ll note if ice skate rentals are available on the write-up of each skating rink or pond.
I found Eli’s ice skates on Amazon and they are perfect because you can adjust the size to make them last more than one winter. They come in Junior size 13-3 or big kid 4-6.
There are a huge variety of adult ice skates on Amazon also. Ice skate sizing is sometimes strange so make sure to read the reviews to see if the size runs big.
*Important to know – not all ice skates come pre-sharpened so check before you order or make sure to get them sharpened before you go ice skating. As an ice skating newbie, I learned this lesson the hard way.
Ice Skating In Breckenridge
The Stephen C. West Ice Arena is the one and only option for ice skating in the town of Breckenridge, but it’s a great option! Stephen C. West offers year-round indoor ice skating in Breckenridge along with a seasonal outdoor rink. The ice is perfectly maintained with a Zamboni.
Ice skate rentals and hockey gear rentals are both available at the Stephen C. West Ice Arena. The ice arena also offers EZ Skate Aids (kind of like a walker to lean on while you are learning to ice skate). Ice skate rental and admission to the arena are much more affordable than some of the other paid ice skating options in Summit County.
Before driving to the rink, make sure to check Stephen C. West Ice Arena’s website to find the schedule of public skating hours. Hockey is a big deal in Breckenridge and the public skating schedule is worked in between hockey games and practices.
Before or after ice skating, take the short hike to see the Breckenridge Troll. The trailhead is located in the southeast corner of the Stephen C. West Ice Arena parking lot. For more info read – Breckenridge Troll Isak Heartstone – A Must See In Breckenridge
Ice Skating Near Breckenridge
Although Stephen C. West Ice Arena is the only place to ice skate in Breckenridge, there are many other options nearby.
Keystone Ice Skating
The nearby Keystone ski resort offers two different ice skating options- Keystone Lake, and Dercum Square.
Looking for more fun things to do in Keystone in the winter? Read – Kid-Friendly Things To Do In Keystone, Colorado (Besides Skiing)
Keystone Lake Ice Skating
One of the best places to ice skate in Summit County is Keystone Lake. The five-acre lake offers picturesque ice skating surrounded by the Keystone Lakeside Village and a beautiful mountain backdrop. It is one of the largest outdoor ice rinks in North America. Keystone Lake is maintained by a Zamboni so the ice is always great (this is reflected in the steep price to ice skate there).
Ice skate rentals are available in the Keystone Lake Lodge along with hockey sticks, pucks, and EZ skate-aids. Visit Keystone Lake’s website for current hours and rental/skating prices.
*Even if you bring your own ice skates you will still have to pay to ice skate on Keystone Lake
Dercum Square Ice Skating In Keystone
Dercum Square is a tiny ice rink, only 7,200 square feet, located between River Run Village and the River Run parking lot. If you have your own skates you can ice skate here for free but you will have to pay for ice skate rentals. Visit Dercum Square’s website for hours and skate rental prices.
West Lake Ice Skating At Copper Mountain
West Lake in Copper Mountain is another beautiful outdoor ice skating rink in Summit County, Colorado near Breckenridge. The lake is smaller than Keystone Lake but it has fantastic mountain views and is surrounded by Copper Mountain’s lodges, restaurants, and stores.
Unlike Keystone Lake, if you bring your own ice skates you can skate for free at West Lake.
Rental ice skates are available at the popcorn store City Pop, located on the south end of the lake.
We love that Copper Mountain provides free EZ skate-aids free to anyone who needs them. Copper’s skate-aids are fun for kids because they are shaped like a dolphin.
Visit Copper Mountain’s website for hours and ice skate rental prices.
Copper Mountain is awesome in the summer too! Read – Why You Should Visit Copper Mountain In The Summer for more info
Meadow Creek Pond Ice Skating In Frisco
Meadow Creek Pond is a small pond in the beautiful mountain town of Frisco. We love this pond because it is easily accessible with the parking lot a short walk away. Another bonus is Outer Range Brewery (our favorite brewery in Summit County) is within walking distance of the pond.
In 2020 the snow was usually cleared off of the pond after storms but there wasn’t much maintenance after that and the ice was pretty rough. The town of Frisco stepped up the maintenance on the pond for the winter of 2021-22 and now it is so much better! The town also added lights so ice skating doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down.
This is a pond where you will have to have your own ice skates because there are no rentals available at this time. But, it is completely free to use!
Ice Skating North Pond in Silverthorne
If you are looking for the true pond ice skating experience, North Pond in Silverthorne is where you want to go. North Pond is roughly maintained but if you are an experienced ice skater it shouldn’t be a problem (beginners, watch out for cracks). The pond is big enough for several hockey games to be going on at once and still have room for other groups to skate around.
There is a warming hut and bathrooms available and the parking lot is just a short walk away from the pond.
Ice Skating at North Pond is free but there are no rental skates available so you will need to bring your own skates.
As you can see, there is a lot of ice skating in Breckenridge and nearby. Check out one of the ice skating rinks, lakes, or ponds on your next Breckenridge ski vacation.
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