Aspen, Colorado

At the base of Mt. Elbert there are three campgrounds. One is a National Forest campground - you have to pay for a spot and it is closed from October-May. The other two are first-come, first-serve free campground areas. As you drive past the south trailhead, right before the reservoir, there is a...

Twin Lakes are two bodies of water that are connected by a short run of water with a dam at the eastern end. There are a few different places to put in your boat including boat ramps by the access point on the east end of the lake. There is also a boat ramp and a place to seasonally rent boats by...

This area is located on the other side of Independence Pass from Aspen, which is only accessible during the summer, or can be reached year-round via Leadville, which is about 20 miles away along Highway 24. From Twin Lakes Village drive approximately 1.5 miles east on Highway 82 and take the exit...

Getting there: The trail begins at Missouri Gulch TH. If you are a car camper or are trying to snag a sunrise summit, there are many many drive off sites in trees and near water before and after the trailhead. The road to get to the trailhead is not paved, but is well maintained - a super high cl...

Depending where you choose to access the Hardscrabble area from, this can be a fairly easy day hike or an overnight camping trip. If looking for a shorter day hike, access the Hardscrabble area by way of Hardscrabble Mountain Rd. From the town of Eagle, head South on Sylvan Lake Rd. In 5 miles, t...

Lost Lake Slough offers camping, hiking, photography, kayaking, and more in a remote and beautiful part of Colorado. At an elevation of over 9,600 ft., the lake typically opens in mid-June after the snow is melted, and closes in October after the first significant snowfall. The campground is on...

Starting at the North Cottonwood trailhead just outside of Buena Vista, Colorado. This hike will take you 4.5 miles to the lake with about 2750 feet of elevation gain. The hike is mostly mellow and you'll likely see hikers heading up to Horn Fork basin to hike Mt. Harvard and Columbia. Campsites ...

COLORADO'S YOUNGEST VOLCANO The Dotsero crater is Colorado's youngest volcano, erupting a mere 4,200 years ago. While the crater may not be as dramatic as Mt. St Helens, Mt. Baker, or other volcanos in the U.S., it's quite an unusual terrain feature to come across in Colorado, and offers some gre...

When you begin the trail, make sure to choose the correct trailhead from the parking lot (located on the south side of the lot to the left, NOT behind the bathroom). From there, begin a moderate climb through a shaded fir forest to the tree line. Emerge in a meadow at a pond and the lower lake, ...

I was driving from Denver to Telluride and wanted a camping spot along the way so I decided to make a random turn off of 70 and sure enough found some beautiful BLM land to camp on. The Deep Creek Campground is along a dirt road about 2 miles off of a paved road. There are 6 camping sites along t...

Kite Lake is a beautiful little lake that is surrounded plenty of fourteeners. Just outside of Alma, Colorado, Kite lake can be accessed from Buckskin Street. Buckskin is a simple left turn after the only bar in Alma, or a right turn before the only bar in Alma... Do note, this road is not drivab...

Getting to the Mayflower Gulch is pretty easy. In the summer months, if you have a high clearance 4WD vehicle, you can drive up to the Boston Mine. This will take 2-miles each way off your hike.  If you're looking to stretch your legs, start your hike at the Mayflower Gulch Trailhead off of High...

Beginning at an elevation of 9,397 feet, this hike provides an easy 2.8 mile (one way) trip through the gorgeous meadows against the distant aspens and alpines. Wildflowers and wildlife are abundant, which make this trip a fantastic education and play experience for kids.Coordinates for the trail...

The Gore's are a rough and remote section of the Eagle's Nest Wilderness.  What this trip may lack in overall miles, it more than makes up for in elevation gain, scrambling, boulder hopping, and overall hard miles on the trail.  Every trip I have had the pleasure of taking into the Gore Range has...

Quandary Peak via Blue Lakes is an out-and-back trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Blue River, Colorado.

Once you turn off of Colorado hwy 9 onto dirt, your GPS will lead you to a gravel lot. At the end of that lot there's a pretty steep gravel road that heads NNW (GPS coords:  39°25'43.01"N 106° 4'11.30"W | Map Link if you want to plug that into your GPS for parking). From this lot you'll walk up t...