Arvada, Colorado

From the Bear Lake Trailhead, the path to Nymph Lake is a moderate paved trail. At the lake there are several places to sit and take in the scenery. This is also where you'll find the most people. From here, continue up the trail towards Dream Lake. On the way, the trail forks. The left will take...

Park at Bear Lake, and follow the signs north of the lake to Odessa Lake. However, do NOT go all the way to Odessa Lake; after about 3 miles, when Notchtop is in full view, the trail begins to descend to Odessa Lake. Find an unmarked spur trail to the left which leads to shallow Lake Helene, then...

Lost Creek Wilderness may be my favorite part of Colorado.  It contains varied terrain and geography, and is less crowded than most places.  This loop will take you through everything the wilderness area has to offer.  You will get sweeping panoramas of mountain ranges to the south, as well has m...

Goose Creek is a fantastic spot to hike or camp. There is a dirt road leading to the trailhead, and it winds through the mountains and offers a great view of the valley. The dirt road is relatively easy and well-maintained. The burn scar from the Hayman fire is still really evident, so there are ...

For the extra-adventurous (my friends call me crazy for this), I recommend experiencing Rocky Mountain National Park in the off-season, when nobody else is there. Dead winter.Of course, you'll want to be uber prepared if you choose to take on this adventure, as the mountains are very unforgiving,...

Moraine Park Campground is the only year-round campground at Rocky Mountain National Park. During the summer there are 244 reservable campsites and 77 first come first serve during the winter. Large numbers of elk gather in Moraine Park during the rut (September-October) and it's a popular wildli...

Rocky Mountain National Park showcases 355 miles of hiking trails, 6 campgrounds, and hundreds of backcountry camp sites. The cost to enter the park is $20.00 per vehicle, I recommend buying the annual National Parks Pass for $80.00. Cub Lake is an excellent trail for viewing wildlife. There ar...

Looking for a place to hone your crack climbing technique?  Turkey Rocks is the place with some old school ethics and stiff grades. Turkey can be accessed from the town of Westcreek north of Woodland Park.  From here, head west on Abbey Road and then south on West Creek Ave.  About a mile down t...

Odessa Lake seems to be one of the true hidden gems of Rocky Mountain National Park. Don't get me wrong, you will likely see some folks there, but it is a far cry from the other crowded Bear Lake trailhead lakes. There are two ways to reach Odessa; one, from the Bear Lake Trailhead, and the oth...

This summer backpacking trip provides plenty of opportunities for exploration and endless moments to take in awe-inspiring scenery. On our visit, after setting up camp at the Lake Verna backcountry site, I quickly made my way to the next lake (Spirit Lake) to photograph the sunset. The symmetry a...

Want to get away it from it all and enjoy some high alpine lakes? The East Inlet Trail is just outside Grand Lake, on the westside of Rocky Mountain National Park, 2.35 miles east of Highway 34 on West Portal Road. From the trailhead, one can access 8 different campsites. The campsites are as ...

Beginning in Rocky Mountain National Park near the Deer Ridge Junction (where US 34 & US 36 meet), park your car in one of the 20 spots on either side of the road. Start at the trailhead booth and head north, keeping to the right-side trail at the first intersection about a tenth of a mile fr...

Aspenglen is one of the four main campgrounds within the park boundaries. The campground is for car camping and there are areas just for tents and then broader areas for tents and campers. There are 53 sites at this campground and it fills up quickly each year. Reservations are available six mont...

This section of the CDT begins at the North Inlet trailhead, located on the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The trailhead is north of the main town area of Grand Lake. Parking at the trailhead is limited, so hikers can also park along the road leading to the trailhead. The hike foll...