You will find the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens near the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater at the foot of Vail Mountain. The garden is open from dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. Admission is free, but you might want to bring some souvenir money to the gift shop. You can learn more about the gardens and see a calendar of events by visiting the official website.

Take a walk down the creek or a stroll through the gardens, and grab a brochure! Self-guided pamphlets will give you special insights about the plants you can find in the gardens. Discover the unique adaptations of the plants and the role they’ve played in history. From being transported around the world to their importance to Native Americans, every plant here has a story.

Betty Ford Alpine Gardens offers a variety of family-friendly activities. Families can sign up for guided hands-on activities that explore the beautiful environment surrounding Vail. Families looking for a self-guided experience can come to our Children’s Garden, a great place for children to discover and play!

Discover these amazing botanical gardens in the family-friendly Children’s Garden. Activities engage children’s creativity while also being a great place to stop for the whole family. Stop by the Discovery Cart to check out the daily self-guided activity. Hang out in the shade in our rocking chairs perched over Gore Creek.

Let the kids play in Betty’s Market or head into the Schoolhouse Gift Shop to find many garden-inspired keepsakes.

Camping at the Piney Lake

At the crossing of Piney River, there is a large, open area, and just after crossing the river, there’s a trailhead parking area that could serve for car camping. Along the two-mile stretch of road after that crossing that leads up to the ranch, there are now a limited number of primitive site opportunities. Read more at https://www.climb13ers.com/colorado-13ers/trailhead/piney-river-ranch

Hiking, Upper Piney River Falls Trail

Upper Piney River Falls Trail is a 5.9-mile heavily trafficked out-and-back trail located near Vail, Colorado, with a lake rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on a leash.

This trail is about a 45-minute drive up a 2-lane dirt road with many rocks and bumps. Once you get up to the ranch, you see the beautiful lake. The hike starts at the lake and is 3 miles in one way. Once you hit the Conifer Forrest, you have about 30 30-minute hikes until you get to the waterfalls. Enjoy the breathtaking views! For additional info, visit https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/upper-piney-river-falls-trail

Although Vail gondola and chairlifts are mainly used during winter to shuttle skiers and snowboarders to high-elevation powder stashes, the lift service is also a fun and exciting way to see the area and terrain during the summer.

Enjoy breathtaking views while the gondola whisks you up above 10,000ft.

Riding the Vail gondola in the summer is an entertaining way to see a unique view of Vail Valley, and you’re surrounded by the New York, Gore and Sawatch Mountains. Once at the top you can take a short hike, enjoy lunch and snap a few photos of the breathtaking scenery. After enjoying the many splendors at the top, you can either climb back into the gondola for the ride back down or hike back to the base on marked trails.

What summer vacation to Vail or Beaver Creek is complete without the requisite bike ride? Whether you’re on fat tires or a cruiser, an e-bike or a road bike, taking a 2-wheel summer spin to experience the beauty of the Vail Valley is highly recommended.

There are plenty of hills for thrills, paved paths for families, and a variety of mountain, road, and e-biking terrain for all types of biking enthusiasts. 

Mountain Biking

You’re in the right place if you are itching to sample some sweet singletrack trails. Mountain biking is about as synonymous with Colorado as skiing is, and Vail has well over 300 miles of incredible mountain bike trails. You can also get extensive trail information through the Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association. We also highly recommend consulting with the Colorado Trail Explorer app (CORTEX) beforehand to see whether trails are currently open and accessible, as temporary closures do take place. You can download the free app to your mobile device here or MTB Project. 

Vail summer activities offer miles of scenic hiking trails for all ability levels. Explore the wildflowers, catch a glimpse of wildlife, and enjoy the amazing views of the surrounding mountain ranges. Vail Mountain offers numerous hiking trails to be explored, both by foot or by Gondola.

With spring weather right around the corner, it’s time to hit the trails! Let’s dust off those trail shoes, grab your favorite buff, and enjoy the extensive hiking trails of the Rocky Mountains in Vail and Beaver Creek. Here are 3 of the best hikes in Vail.

BOOTH FALLS AND LAKE

You can either choose to hike about 1 ½ hours to the gleaming falls or, for those looking for more of a challenge, continue another 2 hours to the lake!  After about 2 miles, you’ll come to a 60-foot waterfall, and further on, you will hike through subalpine meadows and spring and summer wildflowers. At various stages, you’ll be hiking alongside the creek. 
Difficulty: The hike to the waterfall is rated moderate, and continuing to the lake is rated more difficult.

PITKIN LAKE

It is a wonderful hike for those looking for a workout! The trail is steep, but the reward is the chance to hike amongst waterfalls, streams, glacier-carved granite, wildflowers and if you are lucky, butterflies! The trail is named after Colorado Governor Frederick W. Pitkin who served in the late 1870s. Difficulty: Most difficult.