Cotopaxi, Colorado

To get to the trailhead start on Old Stage Rd. After 11 miles turn right onto Forest Service Rd 379. This is a 4WD road. A small/large SUV, or truck should do the trick, nothing too crazy though. Drive on FS 379 for 1.5 miles until you come to an open field on the right known as Frosty Park. Ther...

The Basics: Pueblo Reservoir is one of the largest bodies of water on the Front Range, which isn't saying much, but in my opinion this is the best recreation area around Pueblo! Thanks to Southern Colorado Trail Builders, there are dozens of miles of well-maintained trails throughout 3 main arms ...

While Florrisant is known mostly for its history and collection of fossils, it is also one of the darkest places in the Colorado Springs area.  While the park closes daily at dusk, it has Night Sky Programs monthly which allows visitors to view the stars with the help of the Colorado Springs Astr...

Few places can match the epic scale of this bizarre wilderness in southern Colorado. Great Sand Dunes National Park contains 750 foot tall sand dunes (the tallest in North America) resting at the foot of 13,000 foot peaks (the Sangre de Cristo range). However, to really experience the park in its...

Outside of the national park there are two different companies that can rent sand boards and sleds for your day use at around $20 per board per day. However, If it is raining a lot and the dunes are too wet, or if the dunes are frosted over both companies will not rent out their boards in order t...

Located below the dam of the Eleven Mile Reservoir, Eleven Mile Canyon is a scenic spot for camping, fishing, hiking and climbing. There are four different campgrounds to choose from (Cove, Riverside, Spillway and Springer), though only one campground remains open during the off season. Getting t...

The Great Sand Dunes are one the most unique landscapes in Colorado. These massive dunes are the tallest sand dunes in North America. Hiking these dunes can be very difficult, but well worth the amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. If you plan on visiting in the summer, be sure t...

There is no established trail or route to summit Star Dune which is the beauty of the ever changing and serene nature in the Great Sand Dune National Park. Star Dune is the tallest sand dune in North America, at 750' tall and reaching a summit of 8617'. However, High Dune to its north is at a hig...

The Mosca Pass trail is an (approx) 6.5 mile out and back hike that takes you through beautiful ponderosa and aspen forests to summit 1500 above the start. The trailhead parking is the first left after the Great Sand Dunes visitor center. It is a moderate hike, but allow for several hours, as the...

As you drive past Mueller state park (on the right), about 1/4 mile down the road you will see a small wooden sign for "The Crags" You will take a left there and follow the road about 1.5 miles, past the first stop, which is the Raspberry Mountain Trailhead, until you come to a fork in the road a...

Take US-24 west and turn left at traffic light in Divide. Drive south on US-67 for about 4 miles. Turn left to CR-62 right after you pass the entrance to Mueller State park on the right. Drive about a mile on the dirt road and you will see the new trailhead parking lot on the left side.Once you p...

Start out on the Shavano and Tabeguache Trailhead off of FR 252 outside of Poncha Springs, at about 9,700 feet, and begin your trek into the forest. In the first half of a mile there are a few trail marker signs that should be read carefully to insure the right path is followed, but these signs ...

Pikes Peak Toll Road can grant you access to a ton of super accessible backcountry skiing if you have the equipment and knowledge.  From roughly Glen Cove up to the summit of the mountain you can access terrain varying from steep chutes off the summit to easy glades in an abandoned ski resort.  T...

Park at the log-cabin visitor's center on North Cheyenne Canyon Rd just before it turns into Gold Camp Rd. I definitely recommend arriving early, as the parking lot fills up quickly. Helen Hunt Falls is in sight of the parking area, and another 1/3 mile past that you'll run into Silver Cascades. ...

This moderately difficult hike is a total of 6 miles, with a 1500' incline. You start from the parking lot off Gold Camp Road that intersects with High Drive, and start hiking up the part of Gold Camp Road that is closed off to vehicles. You will see a few trails stemming off from this main road,...

Follow North Cheyenne Creek through the canyon as it forms several cascades along the way. Due to water levels, spring is an especially good time for this hike. Most turn around just past the seventh bridge, where the trail starts to disappear.