Empire, Colorado

Top Spots in and near Empire

  • Littleton, Colorado

    Walk the Willow Creek Loop

    1.4 mi
    Roxborough State Park is located on the outskirts of Littleton, Colorado. Boasting incredible red rock formations and abundant wildlife, it is the perfect place for a quick escape outside.The Willow Creek Loop connects to the two parking lots in the park, so it is impossible to miss. With only th...
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  • Littleton, Colorado

    South Rim Trail Loop at Roxborough State Park

    3.8
    3 mi / 565.62 ft gain
    Roxborough State Park is one of the closest parks to the Denver metro area and is the perfect place to go if you're looking to experience the great outdoors without having to drive too far from the city. One of my favorite trails in the park is the South Rim Trail which takes you on an easy to m...
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  • Red Cliff, Colorado

    Ski to Fowler-Hilliard Hut

    6.5 mi / 2500 ft gain
    Fowler-Hilliard hut sits at 11,500 ft on a forested ridge of Resolution Mountain, with easy access to intermediate and expert backcountry skiing right out the door. This newer hut was built in 2010 after the original hut burned down from a lightning strike. The hut comes stocked with padded mattr...
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  • Fairplay, Colorado

    Stay the Night in an Off-Grid Cabin in Fairplay, CO

    This will be an amazing experience for anyone that books this cabin, guaranteed. It's the perfect size with a kitchen, living room, bunk beds, and back porch. In addition to the main house there is a tree house that has a couch and a bed in it as well; so the property can host a decent sized grou...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Odessa Lake via Fern Lake Trailhead

    4.0
    9.65 mi / 2008 ft gain
    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...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Cub Lake

    5.0
    5.27 mi / 771 ft gain
    Rocky Mountain National Park showcases 355 miles of hiking trails, 6 campgrounds, and hundreds of backcountry camp sites.  Cub Lake is an excellent trail for viewing wildlife. There are small ponds that you will pass on this trail that are great locations for spotting elk, mule deer, and moose. ...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Photograph Elk in Moraine Park

    The perspective here is vastly different from other areas in Rocky Mountain National Park as Moraine Park is essentially a large, very flat valley surrounded by tall mountains. You'll want to come during the elks' rutting season, which is between mid-September and mid-October. Park at the lot on ...
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  • Longmont, Colorado

    Hike or Trail Run on Rabbit Mountain, CO

    4.0
    3.95 mi / 472 ft gain
    This is a great hike/trail run in Boulder County. It is located between Longmont and Lyons and is part of Boulder County Open Space. Rabbit Mountain has over 5 miles of trails and 2,733 acres of beautiful open space. The views are incredible as most of your hike you are looking out at the entire ...
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  • Longmont, Colorado

    McIntosh Lake Loop

    4.5
    3.6 mi / 72 ft gain
    McIntosh Lake is in northwest Longmont. The 3.6-mile loop extends all the way around the lake, with the first half being on a paved cement trail with neighborhood playgrounds, basketball, volleyball, and a seasonally open restroom. The trail turns to dirt on the western half of the loop, and here...
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  • Lyons, Colorado

    Hike the Kruger Rock Trail

    4 mi / 1000 ft gain
    Cutting through the forested hills surrounding Estes Valley, the Kruger Rock Trail is a well-marked 4 mile loop to the top of Kruger Rock. The trail begins in Hermit Park Open Space, located just a few miles southeast of Estes Park and is a moderate hike with around 1000 feet of elevation gain. C...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Winter Camp at Moraine Park

    5.0
    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,...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Camp at Moraine Park

    4.8
    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...
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  • Pine, Colorado

    Fish Cheeseman Canyon

    5.0
    Cheesman Canyon is considered one of the top fisheries in the world, and this stretch of the South Platte River is easily accessed at the Cheesman trailhead off CR 126 just Southwest of Deckers.  There are tons of great fishing opportunities along this stretch of the river, but it does tend to ge...
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  • Denver, Colorado

    Photograph Bison at the Rocky Mountain National Arsenal Wildlife Refuge

    5.0
    9 mi
    Bison are the largest and heaviest land animals in North America. They are a symbol of a wild and free landscape. Despite their size these big beasts are extremely agile. They can run up to 35 miles per hour and jump 6ft high from a stand still. Very few animals pose a threat to a healthy, fully ...
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  • Denver, Colorado

    Westerly Creek Trail

    4.7
    The Westerly Creek Trail is a scenic, multi-use urban trail that winds through the heart of Denver’s Central Park (formerly Stapleton) neighborhood. Stretching for several miles, the trail follows Westerly Creek as it flows through greenbelts, parks, and wetlands, offering a peaceful escape for...
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  • Leadville, Colorado

    Ski or Snowshoe to Vance's Cabin

    3.1 mi / 750 ft gain
    Vance's Cabin is a private hut near Tennessee Pass booked by the 10th mountain division. The hut was completed in 1988 and sleeps 16; 6 beds upstairs in a loft and 10 bunk beds downstairs in a communal bunked area around the wood stove.   It's a compact cabin compared to some of the other huts i...
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