From groomed trails and skating on the reservoir and guided ice fishing to indoor bowling and drinks, Dillon offers many activities through the winter months 

Summit County may be famous for its skiing and snowboarding, but Dillon has become a hub for other wintertime activities, including an extensive network of almost entirely flat recreation trails built on the frozen ice of the Dillon Reservoir. Add skating xand guided ice fishing to that mix – plus some warmer indoor choices – and you have lots of options to keep the entire family occupied during your visit.

The Town of Dillon has again received approval from Denver Water and the Dillon Reservoir Recreation Committee to groom its Lake Loops trails on the frozen reservoir surface. The trails have been a community favorite in the past couple of years, and once the ice reaches its necessary frozen thickness this winter, it will be open again for skiing, snowshoeing, fat biking and hiking on the routes.

The Lake Loops trails are projected to be operational from January until about mid-March, weather permitting, and as the reservoir’s ice begins to freeze in late December, town staff will be drilling test holes and looking for about 10 inches of ice, which will provide uniformly safe conditions for activity.

You can also bring your own skates and enjoy the views at the free community ice rink, also located on the Dillon Reservoir, accessed from the Dillon Marina – part of the facilities set up for February’s Colorado Pond Hockey Tournament. 

It’s a 100 x 50 foot natural rink designated for community activity weather and conditions permitting. Recreational skating, figure skating and hockey will be available and maintained by Town of Dillon staff, with nighttime lighting – make sure to bring your own gear and keep an eye out for maintenance closures! 

If you’ve never considered ice fishing, the Dillon Reservoir is a great place to try it out, with two professional guide companies available to help with both fully-guided experiences or to equip you for a self-guided day on the ice. And with world-class arctic char, and brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout very active under the frozen surface all winter, there are lots of opportunities to land a sizable catch. 

Meanwhile, if you need to warm up after exposing yourself to the elements, Dillon also offers the resort area’s only bowling alley, Elevation Bowl, located in the LaRiva Building in downtown Dillon … considered the world’s highest bowling alley, with new equipment and lanes, plus a full bar and food service. The kids may also be excited to check out Cameez, with a full array of ice cream, hot chocolate and coffee drinks, plus ice cream cakes and dessert crepes.

And if winter conditions are a little prohibitive for outdoor family fun, the Wild and Free facility, an indoor, nature-inspired play area, is now open underneath Sun and Ski. It’s a socks-only facility with art programs, a reading area, a mud kitchen and plenty of high-imagination play areas for kids, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. They also offer a bar with craft beers, wine, wine cocktails and seltzers (plus food from Saved by the Wine, after 2 p.m.) for adults and their friends to meet while the kids play.  

The Town of Dillon is also appealing to winter pedestrians with its Trail of Lights. From November until March, you’ll find classic lighting and animation throughout downtown Dillon to the Marina Park Waterfront. With four giant light sculptures and lit archways and rooflines illuminating your surroundings, you are guaranteed a festive time.