Nothing beats summer in the mountains. Are we right, or are we right? If you haven’t taken your family to the Breckenridge Fun Park in a while, now is the time to visit. That’s because the mountaintop amusement park is more epic than ever before!

As of June, the old fun park on Peak 8 has been expanded into Epic Discovery at Breckenridge, a comprehensive summer mountain program designed to promote environmental education and stewardship with fun activities your whole family will enjoy.

Breckenridge Fun Park reopened in June as Peak 8 Base Camp — one of the three “camps” that make up Epic Discovery at Breckenridge. Peak 8 Base Camp still has all of the activities you already know and love, including the alpine slide, the Gold Runner Alpine Coaster, the Mineshaft Maze, plus a handful of other kid-friendly activities: a bungee trampoline, a climbing wall, mini-golf, gemstone panning, and a bounce house.

Peak 8 is also home to a special fun zone for younger guests weighing in at 30 to 100 pounds. And this is the perfect place to introduce children to adventure sports in a totally safe and unintimidating environment. While my older son and I scaled Peak 8 on the Breck Flyer Zip Line – a must-try! – my husband supervised my four-year-old on a miniature ropes course, a summer tubing hill, and the Little Flyer Zipline, which offers a fun ziplining alternative for first-timers and those who don’t meet the weight requirement for longer treetop tours.

If your family tries ziplining and loves it, check out Independence Outpost. The camp is only open to guests signed up for the Expedition Zip line tour, a longer, super-high experience.

Ziplining is great, but what really excited us was the grand opening of Alpine Camp on Friday, July 21. If you aren’t used to the altitude, guzzle some extra water before hopping onto the Colorado SuperChair on Peak 8. After a scenic ride, you”ll land at Epic Discovery’s Alpine Camp, where you”ll find tons of new activities, including a 35-foot Gold Summit Climbing Wall with 13 unique routes and options suitable for climbers of all levels.

If the altitude doesn’t take your breath away, then the panoramic views of Summit County definitely will! You”ll get the best look from the observation tower at Alpine Camp. Another standout feature is the three-quarter mile interpretive hiking loop at Alpine Camp. This new trail is filled with some amazing learn-through-play activities that might just help combat the ‘summer slide” you”ve been worrying about since school let out.

There are story stakes placed along the loop, and they provide photos, fun facts, and written descriptions of surroundings.While exploring the trail, your kids will learn all about high-alpine environments, including the nearby animals, flora and fauna, and mountain wetlands. Even if your kids aren’t big hikers, we”re pretty sure this loop will pique their interest.

For kids, Epic Discovery really is the ultimate summer playground in an alpine setting! Summer operations run daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 p.m. through September 4, with an additional weekend September 8 to 10. More information about online ticket sales and lodging deals can be found at breckenridge.com.

Jamie Siebrase

Jamie Siebrase is a Denver-based freelance writer, mother, and author.