To drive from Vail to Keystone, take I-70 east over Vail Pass to Exit 205 at Silverthorne, then follow Highway 6 east for 6.2 miles to the resort. Vail's Exit 176 is 29 miles from Exit 205, so the whole trip is about 35 miles. Without a car, Bustang's West Line runs from Vail to Frisco, where the free Summit Stage connects to Keystone.
The drive, step by step
- Join I-70 east at Vail (Exit 176) or East Vail (Exit 180).
- Climb Vail Pass, which tops out at 10,662 feet. Exit 190 is the Vail Pass Rest Area.
- Continue to Exit 205, signed for Silverthorne and Dillon.
- Turn left (east) onto Highway 6 and drive 6.2 miles to Keystone Resort.
Keystone lies on the Vail side of the Continental Divide, so the trip never reaches the Eisenhower-Johnson Tunnel or Loveland Pass. A mapping app will give an exact distance from your lodging to the resort. The first part of this route, over Vail Pass to Frisco, is also the start of the drive to Breckenridge, covered in how far Vail is from Breckenridge.
Winter driving and Vail Pass construction
- Traction Law. From September 1 through May 31, CDOT can activate the Traction Law on I-70 between Dotsero and Morrison. While it is on, all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles need winter, all-weather or mud-and-snow tires with at least 3/16-inch of tread, and anything else needs chains or an approved traction device. In a severe storm CDOT can order the Passenger Vehicle Chain Law, the last measure before the highway closes. Fines and the full rules are on CDOT's traction law page.
- West Vail Pass project. CDOT is finishing its auxiliary lanes project on the 10 miles between the East Vail interchange (mile point 180) and the Vail Pass Rest Area (mile point 190). Expect possible daily single-lane closures and traffic holds of about 20 minutes until work is complete, due by the end of 2026.
- Road conditions. COtrip.org shows closures and delays before you leave.
Without a car: Bustang and Summit Stage
Bustang's West Line stops at the Vail Transportation Center (241 South Frontage Road East) and the Frisco Transit Center (1010 Meadow Drive), so there is no need to change buses in Avon or anywhere else on the way. Tickets can be bought in the Bustang app or on board, where drivers cannot give change, and they are not refundable. The coaches have luggage bays and bike racks, and a set of skis or a snowboard counts as one of the three pieces of luggage allowed under the bus. Departure times are on the Bustang West Line page.
From Frisco, free public transit runs to Keystone on Summit County's X Flyer and Swan Mountain Flyer routes, which also serve Silverthorne, Summit Cove and Arapahoe Basin. Summit Stage buses are fare-free within Summit County. Check the winter timetable on the county's Bus to Ski page and your transfer time in Frisco before you commit to a Bustang departure.
Shuttles and private cars
Epic Mountain Express, formerly Colorado Mountain Express, runs airport transfers and private vehicles to both Vail and Keystone, and arranges private charters from Eagle County Airport to resorts including Keystone. For a private transfer between the two, call the company at 970-754-7433.
Vail and Keystone side by side
| Detail | Vail | Keystone |
|---|---|---|
| Skiable terrain | 5,317 acres | 3,149 acres |
| Lifts and trails | 32 lifts, 278 trails | 21 lifts, 140 trails |
| Base elevation | 8,120 feet | 9,280 feet |
| Highest elevation | 11,570 feet | 12,408 feet |
| Average snowfall | 354 inches | 235 inches |
| Terrain mix (beginner, intermediate, advanced) | 18%, 29%, 53% | 12%, 39%, 49% |
| Epic Local Pass, 2026/27 | 10 total days combined with Beaver Creek and Whistler Blackcomb, excluding peak dates | Unlimited access, including peak dates |
Mountain statistics are from each resort's mountain-information page; pass terms are from the Epic Pass site. An Epic Day Pass of one to seven days can be used at either resort.
Both mountains belong to Vail Resorts, which is why the Epic Pass works at both; the resorts Vail Resorts owns lists the rest. Keystone is the higher mountain with the smaller footprint, and Vail has more terrain and a larger share of advanced runs. Skiing both in one day means about 35 miles each way over Vail Pass, so it works better as a change of scenery across a multi-day trip than as a single-day plan.
