Vail: Trails, Culture and Seasonal Experiences

Vail combines an extensive trail network with cultural and recreational offerings that vary with the seasons. To help you plan your trip, it’s worth taking a closer look at the options: short walks, longer routes, challenging trails, events and museums each offer different ways to spend your time in Vail.

Hiking Paths and Trails of Various Lengths

Vail’s recreational trail system includes more than 15 miles of paved, shared-use paths. These connect to numerous unpaved hiking and mountain biking trails. The Gore Valley Trail covers a different scale: this 12-mile route passes through open spaces, parks and recreation facilities, as well as central areas of Vail’s villages.

The Village Streamwalk, by contrast, is a 1/3-mile pedestrian-only path along the north bank of Gore Creek. Those seeking a challenging singletrack trail can take the seven-mile North Trail, which is open to hikers and mountain bikers. Be aware of seasonal wildlife-related closures. The Vail Trail is also challenging, but considerably shorter at about two miles; mountain biking is permitted there.

Vail Mountain also offers more than 35 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails for all skill levels. Access points include Vail Village, Lionshead and Golden Peak.

Seasonal Activities and Recreation

Epic Discovery at Adventure Ridge includes a mountain coaster and summer tubing. The offerings are seasonal and may vary from one operating season to the next. For a different kind of activity, there’s the Vail Golf Club, which offers scenic golfing on an 18-hole, par-71 course. When the course is covered in snow in winter, it becomes the Vail Nordic Center. There, you’ll find 17 kilometers of groomed ski trails and ten kilometers of separate snowshoe trails.

Scenic gondola rides in Vail include the Eagle Bahn Gondola and Gondola One. This seasonal resort program may also vary depending on the operating season. Another unique feature is Vail’s Whitewater Park: an adjustable river feature is designed to improve the standing waves used by whitewater paddlers.

If you’re planning a trip for fall 2026, it’s also important to check the status of Dobson Arena. It is closed to the public during extensive renovations. Operations are expected to begin after the work is completed in November 2026.

Music, Art and Insights into Vail’s History

The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater hosts several concert and festival programs. The Vail Dance Festival presents numerous performances there every year; the Bravo! Vail Music Festival has used the amphitheater as a venue since its inception. Bulleit Hot Summer Nights is a free concert series held at this venue. For 2026, it was scheduled for select Tuesdays from June 16 through September 15.

Art and history are also part of Vail’s cultural offerings. The Colorado Snowsports Museum is free and explores Vail’s legacy as a ski town, as well as the origins and development of skiing and snowboarding in Colorado. Vail’s public art collection includes more than 70 works, including paintings, sculptures, murals, playground elements and site-specific art. One example is “What Lifts You – Vail,” an interactive mural at the west P2 entrance of the Vail Village Parking Structure.

The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are near Vail Village and are considered the highest botanical garden in the world. Along with the museums, artworks and venues, they offer a different perspective on Vail than its outdoor activities alone: when choosing when to travel and where to stay, you can also take cultural interests into account.

Discover more destinations: Eagle, Avon, Minturn, Edwards, Basalt, Beaver Creek.

Go to the main travel overview: Eagle.