Colorado

Pence Park, part of the Denver Mountain Parks system, is nestled between the mountain communities of Indian Hills and Kittredge on Myers Gulch Road. It's one of those places I always drove right past without bothering to check it out. From the road, it looks the same as any other place in the foo...

This adventure began at the Longs Peak trailhead in southeastern Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I followed the Longs Peak trail for 6 miles to the Boulderfield backcountry camping area. This is a fairly steep on-trail climb of 3,360 feet. After setting up camp at 12,760 feet, my partner...

The Horsetooth Mountain Park Open Space is located just 4 miles from Fort Collins. The 2,886 acre park offers 29 miles of hiking, biking, and horse back riding trails.Having taken both the multi use trail and the hiking only trail, I recommend the hiking only. This trail offers you the views and ...

Begin at the popular Glacier Gorge trailhead along Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park. Arrive VERY early for parking as the lot typically fills by 7:30 am. For the best photography options - choose to either backpack into the Glacier Gorge campsite (reservations must be made early in ...

Begin at the Wild Basin Trailhead in southeastern Rocky Mountain National Park near the town of Allenspark. Plan to start before sunrise if attempting this trek as a day trip in order to avoid afternoon thunderstorms above the treeline. This trip can easily be made into a backpacking experience b...

About an hour from Colorado's busy Garden of the Gods is a multi-colored hoodoo valley called, The Paint Mines. Similar in appearance to Utah's popular Goblin Valley, The Paint Mines offer colorful hoodoo formations making your photography here even more awe inspiring.Getting to the park is easy,...

Parking is available on either Canyon or Sunshine Roads. During the weekends it tends to get crowded around sunset so plan accordingly. The entire trail is a loop and is a little over 1 mile in length so it doesn't take too long. The main feature is the massive red sand stone rocks that jut out o...

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...

The Devils Backbone Open Space offers great hiking in the Front Range foothills. The main feature is the rock formation running along the western boundary of the park, but the open space also supports a large wildlife and plant population. Here, you'll find great opportunities for year-round hiki...

Quandary Peak is a popular winter 14er because of its easy access near Breckenridge, its Class 1 designation, and its low avalanche risk. While the access roads to many 14ers are closed in winter, adding extra mileage to an already grueling hike, Quandary Peak’s access is just off Hwy. 9, and the...

Start at the Willowbrook Trailhead. You’ll hit a “Y” in the trail pretty quickly - go left and you’ll soon be at the first log bridge. There are quite a few water crossings on the trail, but they are easy to maneuver. After hiking in the Willow Creek Open Space for a bit, you’ll enter Eagle’s Ne...

You can start from Chautauqua Park, but I prefer to start at NCAR, especially since there is ample parking and you can take a bathroom break inside before hitting the trail. From the intersection of Table Mesa Drive and Broadway in Boulder, drive west on Table Mesa to its end at the NCAR buildin...

Located right outside of Rocky Mountain National Park, this hike is perfect for anyone looking to do a little exploring without the cost of a park fee. The drive through the Rocky Mountains to the trailhead is an added bonus. This hike is great because it has multiple attractions all along the wa...

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...

Starting at the Mesa trailhead, continue a half a mile through a relatively even grade before arriving at the North Fork Shanahan trailhead, which will take you another half a mile on much steeper grade up to Fern Canyon where you will start a much harder portion of the hike; here, you'll head st...

While a typical Colorado hike may be an ascent to your destination followed by a descent back to your car, the hike to Grizzly Peak at Loveland Pass (Grizzly Peak "D") breaks that mold. At 13,427 feet, Grizzly Peak stands in the path to Torreys Peak’s west face (14,267’). Even though it is only ~...