Silverthorne started as a makeshift camp for the workers who built the Dillon Reservoir.  It has expanded several times by annexing areas as home construction  expanded north.  It is now the second most populous town in Summit County.

Nestled below Buffalo Mountain and Red Peak to the West and Ptarmigan Mountain and Williams Fork Range to the East with the Blue River in the middle it is home to the professional theatre Lake Dillon Theatre Company.

Due to Silverthorne’s simple beginnings, a town core was not really planned out.  That is now changing as Silverthorne is undergoing a transformation and is building a new town core with a walkable downtown area, a focus on culture and the arts and a new mountain modern landscape.

Seventy percent of the homes are occupied with 56% full time residents and 28% part-time residents compared to 25% for the rest of Summit County.  Silverthorne has been known as a bedroom community as many people employed locally have made Silverthorne their home.

In addition to the arts, Silverthorne is big on recreation with gold medal fishing on the Blue River, bike trails, hiking trails on the many peaks and wilderness areas, golfing at the Raven golf course and pond hockey at the North Pond.

Wildernest

Wildernest is often considered part of Silverthorne.  It is located below Buffalo Mountain and above the Lowes in Silverthorne. It is actually part of unincorporated Summit County.

If you are an avid hiker and love to watch wildlife from your deck, then Wildernest is the place for you.  Wildernest is surrounded by the National Forest and has many hiking trails weaving in and out of the neighborhoods.  Locals and second home owners choose Wildernest due to its affordability and closeness to nature.