Breckenridge, Colorado

Driving through the towns of Nederlands and Eldora alone is a beautiful experience. Once you come up to Hessie Trailhead, you'll already be in a daze because you'll be staring at Eldora Mountain and will see some ski runs in the distance.Getting to the trailhead early is best. Parking starts alon...

Starting at 9100 feet, the Hessie trailhead is easily accessible by both 2 and 4 wheel drive cars (depending on how far you want to travel down the road). The trail is fairly easy and often packed down snow up to the cut off point to the Devil's Thumb Bypass, which allows a bypass of Lost Lake an...

Accessed by Hessie Trailhead, Lost Lake is a relatively moderate 4 mile round-trip hike with about 1,000 feet of elevation. The core of the hike is uphill and on a gravel path, 2/3rds of the hike runs parallel to a rushing waterfall.  After parking your car, head towards the Hessie Trailhead. Yo...

Start the hike at the Blue Grouse Trailhead located next to Kriley Pond. Travel along Blue Grouse Trail for 0.7 miles until you reach a fork in the trail at Mule Trail where you will take a right. Along the Mule Trail you will travel up a series of switch backs before the trail levels out and you...

This trail starts off at Slough Pond, a great fishing pond or picnic spot. The trail starts out tree-covered. After a few tenths of a mile you have the choice to go clockwise or counter-clockwise. If you go counter-clockwise you have about 3/4 of a mile of steep uphill hiking to do (the Park rate...

Back in the late 1800s, Ashcroft, Aspen, and Independence were booming mining town. While Aspen is still thriving today, Ashcroft and Independence are ghost towns. Independence Ghost Town is on Independence Pass, 16 miles east of Aspen on Highway 82. The Farwell Mill sits right along the highwa...

There are some dispersed campsites along side the 4x4 road that leads to the trailhead. Ideally you can sleep here to get an early start to your hike in the morning, to avoid the afternoon storms that frequent the mountains. The 4x4 is rough in spots, though my Subaru Outback did make the trek un...

The total distance of the loop is a little under 25 miles and you will climb a total of 7202 feet. It can be done as a 3 day backpacking trip as shown below.The LoopDay 1: After Parking in the trail head's parking lot, which fills up quickly on weekends, start down the trail after signing your pe...

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 ...

Begin by parking at the 4th of July trailhead. This can be reached by conituing past the Eldora ski area and up a rough but passable (for all vehicles) gravel road to the trailhead. The trail is easy to find, and will continue to rise for the next 1.15 miles.At just over a mile there is a fork fo...

Start your hike at the 4th of July Trailhead, just outside of Eldora, CO. From the trailhead at the north end of the parking lot, steadily climb through the trees until a junction at 1 mile. Take the right fork towards Arapaho pass.You'll start to climb above treeline, with spectacular views of t...

The trail begins at the 4th of July trailhead, which is located near the Eldora ski area and can be crowded during the summer and weekends. The road is rough in places but passable by any car when dry. From the parking area begin hiking the Arapaho pass trail, which will gently gain elevation thr...

This is one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done in Colorado. It is a great trip for photographers, fisherman or anyone who enjoys mountain views, forests filled with wildlife and peaceful meadows. Distances: Arapaho Pass: 3.2 miles, Caribou Lake: 4.2 miles, Caribou Pass: 6.4 miles, Meado...

Begin at the Fourth of July Trailhead.  Day parking is free and overnight parking is $5.  Fourth of July is a popular trailhead and to ensure parking, you should arrive early in the morning (6am-ish... cause, I mean, you gotta 7 hour day in front of you). Follow the Fourth of July trail from the ...

Diamond Lake is located in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. This is a super popular destination, so make sure you arrive early to get a parking spot (and be sure to follow all parking rules, they do give out tickets at this trailhead and others nearby). The drive to the trailhead is about 4 miles dow...