Keystone: Mountaintop Bliss

Words by Courtney Cox

I have yet to meet a Colorado mountain retreat I haven’t liked and Keystone Resort is no exception. Located 70 miles west of Denver, Keystone has all the must-have outdoor offerings, plus a family-friendly atmosphere that makes it ideal for destination weddings.

STAY/EAT

River Run Village: Located in the heart of Keystone Resort, these updated condos include in-room fireplaces and access to three mountains. Bars, restaurants and equipment rentals are all within walking distance.

Ski Tip Lodge: This cozy B&B was originally an 1800s stagecoach stop, but now has ten quaint rooms. Ski Tip’s restaurant is continually ranked as one of the best in the country and its four-course dinners rotate daily. After one of the best dinners you’ll ever have, retire to the living room to enjoy your dessert next to a roaring fire.

PLAY

Dinner Wagon Ride: Book this charming outing through the adventure center and enjoy a ride through Soda Creek Valley to a secluded BBQ dinner, complete with breathtaking mountain scenery.

Hit the Links: Keystone Resort boasts two great golf options. Both are challenging and in excellent condition for summer visitors. Perhaps the only thing more dramatic than the courses’ elevation changes is the scenery surrounding you.

WED

Mountaintop Options: If your ideal wedding includes a picturesque gondola ride, then any of these venues could work for you. Schoolmarm ski run is the locals’ favorite with awe-inspiring views of Lake Dillon, while Timber Ridge is a mountain lodge with cathedral ceilings and a two-story fireplace.

Keystone Ranch: Say “I do” with Mount Baldy in the distance and in front of the 1930s homestead. The venue can accommodate up to 180 people and the site fee includes virtually everything you’ll need, from linens and Champagne to lighting and your cake.

A perk of hosting your destination wedding at a mountain resort like Keystone is that it’s the definition of a one-stop-shop, making wedding planning a breeze.

Photos courtesy of (in order of appearance): Jeff Andrew (1st and 2nd), Allen Kennedy (3rd) and Bob Winsett (4th).

This article first appeared in Destination I Do's Spring/Summer 2016 issue. You can order a copy here.