Avon and Edwards: Staying Down Valley from Vail

Vail and Beaver Creek get the headlines, but many visitors to the Vail Valley actually stay a little further west, in Avon and Edwards. Both towns sit along the Eagle River beside Interstate 70, with condos, hotels and rental homes that are often easier to find than a room in the resort villages. Here is how a stay down valley works.

Avon: the gateway to Beaver Creek

Avon is a small town at about 7,430 feet, and it is the front door to Beaver Creek Resort, which lies about two miles south of town. The Riverfront Express Gondola rises from the south edge of Avon, crosses the Eagle River and drops skiers at Beaver Creek Landing, so many Avon guests can ride to the slopes without driving up to the resort.

In town you will find grocery stores, restaurants and shops, which makes Avon practical for longer stays and families cooking some of their own meals. In the middle of town is Nottingham Lake and Harry A. Nottingham Park, a gathering spot with a beach area and paddleboard and pedal boat rentals in summer.

Edwards: quieter, a little further west

Edwards is an unincorporated community at about 7,220 feet, roughly 14 miles west of Vail by I-70. It is quieter than the resort villages, with restaurants and shops clustered near the river and neighborhoods of condos and homes spread across the valley floor. Many visitors like it as a base for a mix of skiing at Beaver Creek and Vail plus time off the mountain.

Getting around without a car

Avon's town buses are free, with several routes around town. For trips up and down the valley, Core Transit runs regional buses linking Avon with Vail, Edwards, Minturn, Eagle and other towns, for a small fare. Check current schedules before you travel, since routes and times change with the season.

If you do drive, Vail and Beaver Creek are both a short trip from Avon, and Edwards is a little further. Parking at the resorts can be busy on powder days, so the gondola and buses are worth a look.

Flying in? Eagle County Regional Airport, near Gypsum, is west of Edwards, so Avon and Edwards are closer to it than Vail is. If you fly into Denver instead, plan on about two to three hours of mountain driving over the passes, more in snow.

Which one suits your trip?

Choose Avon if you want quick access to Beaver Creek, walkable groceries and the free town bus. Choose Edwards if you would rather have a quieter base and do not mind a slightly longer trip to the lifts. Either way, you are close to both Vail and Beaver Creek, and you can often get more space for your money than in the villages.

A tip for booking: lodging listed as "Vail Valley" or "near Beaver Creek" is often in Avon or Edwards, so check the address and how far it is from the gondola or the nearest bus stop before you book. Ask your host whether the building has a front desk or a lockbox, which also makes deliveries easier.

Your first days at altitude

Avon and Edwards are lower than the ski villages, but at more than 7,000 feet they are still well above where most visitors live, and the slopes go much higher. Take your first day easy, drink plenty of water, go light on alcohol the first night, wear sunscreen and get a good night's sleep. Talk to a doctor about any medical questions before your trip.

If you would like recreational oxygen during your stay, Peak Oxygen delivers in-home and portable oxygen concentrators to lodging in Avon, Edwards, Beaver Creek and Vail. It is for recreational use at altitude and no prescription is needed. Deliveries do not require you to be present. See our Beaver Creek oxygen rentals and Vail oxygen rentals, check prices and availability, or call us at (970) 368-9190.