Breweries to visit during a thru-hike of America’s highest trail

A personal account by Malena Larsen

The Colorado Trail (CT) spans nearly 500 miles, winding its way through the Rocky Mountains between Denver and Durango. Along the trail, hikers will experience epic mountain passes, crisp alpine lakes, quaint mountain towns and if you do it my way, breweries.

CT thru-hikers often make pit stops in towns near the trail to stock up on supplies and enjoy a “zero day” (a day off from hiking). As I approached each town, I had a mission: find a local brewery and treat myself to an ice cold craft beer. These are the spots that transformed my thru-hike into a brew-hike:

Broken Compass Brewing in Breckenridge — 105 miles into the Colorado Trail

Broken Compass Brewing is “where lost beer souls are found,” according to their tagline. This was fitting. I felt a bit like a lost soul when I first sat down at the bar. Breckenridge was my first resupply town, and I had just backpacked the longest I had ever backpacked. I was proud of the 100-something miles I had already traveled, but it was hard to fathom the amount of miles I still had to go. Mentally preparing for the rest of my journey over a beer was just what I needed.

Broken Compass has a diverse tap list including a peach blonde, a coconut porter, a mango passionfruit sour, wet hop IPA and many more. My favorite was their German dark lager, Get To The Choppa Black Lager.

“We encounter quite a few hikers in the summertime,” says Daniel Miller-McLemore, front of house general manager. “We focus on having a wide variety of [beer] options. No matter who walks in the door, it’s likely we have something they’ll like or we can help them find something they didn’t know they liked.”

Although Broken Compass doesn't have an official deal or discount for thru-hikers, bartenders will often buy a beer for thru-hikers. I was given a free 5 ounce pour of their coconut porter.

“One of our employees lives near the trailhead,” Miller-McLemore adds. “If he sees thru-hikers he’ll hand out free beer tokens.”

There are two Broken Compass locations in Breckenridge: the original taproom and brewery on Continental Court and the newer spot on Main Street. I enjoyed a few brews at the Main Street location.

Getting to the Main Street taproom from the trail is simple. Breckenridge is only about four miles from the Gold Hill Trailhead. Not only is this trailhead on a busy road, making it a relatively easy hitch, there’s a free bus that takes hikers directly into Breckenridge.

“We’re dog friendly,” Miller-McLemore says. “So if hikers are doing the trail with their dog it’s a welcome space for them. We’re laid back and we embrace the outdoor vibe.”

Two Mile Brewing Company in Leadville — 143 Miles into the Colorado Trail

Two Mile Brewing Company is about a block from Leadville Outdoors and Mountain Market, a popular resupply stop for thru-hikers. This makes it easy for hikers to swing by for a beer and some food after running errands.

The brewery took its name from the fact that it sits at 10,158 feet, making it “America’s highest brewery.” Two Mile is equipped with a small taproom, ample outdoor seating and a kitchen. Their flagship beers include the Backside Blonde, Leadville Lager, Camp Hale Pale Ale and the Poverty Flats Porter. They also have a handful of seasonal and one-off beers available.

Although this stop is toward the “beginning” of a hiker’s southbound Colorado Trail journey, I didn’t stop here until after I finished. My boyfriend picked me up in Durango and we took our time getting back to the Front Range. We stopped in Leadville to get celebratory “Mellies” from Melanzana and a few pints (over a game of Rummy) at Two Mile.

Eddyline Brewery in Buena Vista — 216 miles into the Colorado Trail

Thru-hikers have the option to hike the Collegiate West or the Collegiate East when doing the Colorado Trail. I chose the Collegiate West route for the incredible mountain views. This route meant I would get to Buena Vista by hitching a ride at Cottonwood Pass.

Buena Vista is a small town with a population of less than 3,000 people. Despite its size, the town has everything a hiker needs for a zero day nestled in or near its Main Street—including Eddyline Brewing. Similarly to Broken Compass, Eddyline has two locations: the restaurant at Southmain and the taproom on Linderman Avenue. I ended up at their taproom location.

Their tap list includes a pale ale, grapefruit IPA, amber ale, raspberry wheat, a pilsner and more. Along with a packed tap list, the brewery also has a full bar and a food menu. I decided to sit at the bar and enjoy the Crank Yanker IPA, a chicken sandwich and conversations with the bartender and other patrons.

According to their website, “Eddyline was founded to heighten life’s adventures by providing amazing wood-fired cuisine, the most drinkable craft beers and warm and inviting atmospheres where you can celebrate, reflect on and plan your next life adventure.” And, that’s exactly what I did. As I approached the halfway point of my journey, Eddyline Brewing was the perfect spot to think back on what I had already accomplished and prepare myself for what was to come.

Lake City Brewing Company in Lake City — 357 Miles into the Colorado Trail

Lake City, or “the gateway to the San Juans” is more-than-worth the 17-mile hitch or shuttle ride from Spring Creek Pass. The town has an old-timey charm and is equipped with one brewery—Lake City Brewing Company—that has been open since 2018.

“Hikers are a significant part of our business in the summer,” Justin Hill, owner and head brewer explains. “We have a hostel in town called Raven’s Rest, we get a lot of their business.”

The night I visited Lake City Brewing I gobbled up an elk brat, enjoyed live music and stayed for trivia night—which they do every Tuesday. The entertainment and friendly bartenders kept me around for several hours, during which I enjoyed their San Juan Pale Ale, Elephant Corral IPA and a stout.

“We’re more of a traditional brewery,” Hill says. “We focus on classic English, American and German beers. We just want to do traditional beers really well.”

Along with their traditional tap list, Lake City Brewing offers an eclectic food menu. A few standout items include the deviled egg flight, the reuben sandwich and Indian buttered chicken.

“I added the buttered chicken for selfish reasons,” Hill laughs. “I grew up in England and I was sick of all the fried food in the area.”

Lake City Brewing Company isn’t just a summer attraction; they’re open year-round.

“Most Lake City businesses close in the winter,” Hill shares. “We don’t. A lot of climbers come to Lake City in February for the Ice Climbing Festival. We like to be open for that.”

Avalanche Brewing Company in Silverton — 411 Miles into the Colorado Trail

Getting into Silverton is an easy hitch from Molas Pass (the town is about 6 miles north on Highway 550). Once you’ve arrived in town, Avalanche Brewing is a quick stroll down Greene Street.

Avalanche has 15 beers on tap, crafted with “some of the best tasting, cold water on the planet,” according to their website. I enjoyed the Grapefruit Double IPA with a pepperoni pizza before heading back to the trail for the final stretch of my adventure.

Carver Brewing Company, Durango — 486 miles. The end of the Colorado Trail

Carver Brewing Company is a must for thru-hikers. It signifies the completion of an amazing accomplishment, and according to co-owner Clare Carver, “We’re a lot of people’s first step back into reality.”

Carver Brewing Company offers a free Colorado Trail Nut Brown Ale to thru-hikers who purchase a meal. In addition to the free beer, the brewery is also heavily involved with the Colorado Trail Foundation. “Without [Colorado Trail Foundation] we wouldn’t be able to do this,” Carver explains. “They’re the champions of it.”

Between July and September in 2023, Carver Brewing Company poured approximately 600 Colorado Trail Nut Brown Ales for hikers. This equals about 2.5 barrels of beer!

“It’s fun to see the on-trail connections happen at the brewery,” Carver says. “And there’s a sense of celebration all around.”

I was craving something hoppy by the time I arrived at Carver. I opted out of the free Colorado Trail Nut Brown Ale and celebrated my thru-hike with a Jackrabbit Pale Ale instead.

These breweries were more than places to quench my thirst. Each beer was a checkpoint, and the taprooms provided moments to celebrate what I had accomplished, connect with the community and prepare for the miles ahead. On the Colorado Trail, the beer flows like the Colorado River, if you know where to look.

Malena Larsen is a writer and Minnesota transplant. In addition to writing, she spends her time running in the mountains, visiting local craft breweries, and avoiding aggressive geese.