Car Rentals
Directions to Breckenridge
From Denver International Airport (DEN)
About 105 miles, 2 hours 15 minutes
Take I-70 west to exit 203.
Continue south on Highway 9 for approximately 9 miles to Breckenridge.
From Colorado Springs Airport (COS)
About 115 miles, 2 hours 25 minutes
Take Highway 24 west.
At Hartsel, take a right onto Highway 9 north.
Continue on Highway 9 for approximately 33 miles to Breckenridge.
From Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE)
About 65 miles, 1 hour 15 minutes
Take I-70 east to exit 203.
Continue south on Highway 9 for approximately 9 miles to Breckenridge.
Mountain Driving Tips
If you've never driven in the mountains before, you're in for a great experience! Mountain driving is an exciting and unique adventure. On the flip side, mountain driving can also be tiring and challenging. But the more you know ahead of time, the more you'll be prepared for any difficulties that may arise as you traverse through the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains. Check out current road conditions.
Be Weather Aware - Keep a close eye on the weather forecasts as your trip approaches and remember to factor weather into your car rental choice. Snow can impact your travel in a big way. While the highways and many of the more frequented roads won't be impacted too much by a few inches of snow, side roads may present a different story. Smaller cars or those with rear-wheel drive may face more challenges when the snow gets deep, while four- and all-wheel drive vehicles will have a bit more of an advantage.
Make sure you only rent a vehicle that you feel comfortable driving. You want to feel sure of yourself if you have to navigate snowy roads. And should you need to drive on snowy roads while you're here, just remember - going slowly is the key to staying in control of your vehicle, whether you have a four-wheel-drive truck, a minivan, or a compact car. Learn more about winter driving preparedness.
Don't Ride Those Brakes - You'll come across some steep downhill descents while driving in the mountains and your first instinct may be to keep your foot squarely on the brake pedal. But that's a bad idea! It can cause your brakes to overheat and fail. Instead, shift down to "L" in an automatic or to a lower gear in a manual transmission to help slow the car down. If you have to use your brakes, use them firmly to slow the car down quickly. Just remember to put your car back into a normal gear once you've hit the level ground again.
Everyone Loves the Mountains, But No One Loves Traffic - If you're heading to Breckenridge on a Friday, plan for traffic to be heavier from 4 p.m. on (it is when everyone is getting off of work, after all). On Saturdays, you can expect to see the worst traffic in the morning if you're heading westbound and during the mid to late afternoon if you're heading eastbound. Sunday eastbound travellers will see traffic start to build up beginning in the early afternoon and lasting until early evening.
Watch Out for Bambi - As you'd expect, there's plenty of wildlife in the Rocky Mountains, from rabbits and deer to elk and bears. You're most likely to see wildlife during the dawn and dusk hours. They can be unpredictable, so keep your speed slow especially if there's a herd standing next to the road. When driving at night, pay attention to the sides of the road too, as it may only be the glint of your headlights off of an animal's eyes that alerts you to their presence.