Breckenridge Day Trips for Searching for Summer Activities and Warmer Weather on Memorial Day Weekend

May in Summit County can be unpredictable. One day we’re at happy hour soaking up the sunshine on a patio and the next we’re shoveling 6 inches of wet snow off the garden beds. However, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer. Though it might not feel like it at 9,600′ – summer has arrived at lower elevations!

Locals refer to the Arkansas River Valley as the ‘Banana Belt’. This is because of the warmer weather compared to the surrounding region. It’s a popular day trip from Breckenridge year-round, but especially in spring and summer when the snowmelt turns the Arkansas River into a whitewater playground.

Buena Vista

Buena Vista is just over an hour’s drive from Breckenridge, where temperatures are historically 10 degrees warmer and the chance for sunshine is promising. The drive is beautiful, passing through historic mountain communities like Fairplay and Leadville – depending on your route. Make it a loop and see both!

Nothing says summer like spending a little time on the river. Performance Tours offers whitewater rafting trips for all ages and abilities on the Arkansas River in Buena Vista. Splash your way through class 3+ rapids in Browns Canyon National Monument, relax with a family float trip on the Mild & Scenic, or navigate through technical class 4+ rapids on the Numbers.

Cañon City, Royal Gorge

As the Arkansas River continues to flow south, the temperatures keep going north! Just two hours south in Cañon City, CO, temperatures are typically 20+ degrees warmer than Breckenridge.

With substantially warmer temperatures, whitewater rafting in the Royal Gorge area is the best way to cool off! Performance Tours offers two trips on the Arkansas River from our Cañon City office. The legendary Royal Gorge is a world-renowned raft trip perfect for adrenaline-seeking guests looking for advanced, class 4+ rapids. Bighorn Sheep Canyon is the family-friendly section of the Royal Gorge area, with moderate class 3+ rapids and sweeping canyon views.

To sum it up, when visiting the mountains of Colorado, it’s important to remember that weather varies minute-by-minute and mile-by-mile. As the locals say around here if you don’t like the weather just wait a few minutes or drive a few miles. This time of year, you just have to drive a bit further.