Golden, Colorado
Top Spots in and near Golden
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Estes Park, Colorado
Catch a Sunrise at Dream Lake
4.92.2 mi / 402 ft gainBegin at the Bear Lake Trailhead, located at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9 miles from the entrance on Highway 36. Follow the signs to Dream Lake, passing Nymph Lake about halfway through. At 1.1 miles you will reach Dream Lake. The views of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak and 12,324-foot Flattop Mountain...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Winter Hike Flattop Mountain
4.88.6 mi / 2850 ft gainTo catch the sunrise, begin at the Bear Lake trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the trailhead, veer right around bear lake and continue along the Odessa Lake/Flattop Mountain trail. This will begin to ascend on your right.After approximately 1 mile, the Flattop Mountain Trail will sp...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Nymph Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead
4.81.13 mi / 245 ft gainWhile not as popular as Dream Lake, Nymph Lake is just as beautiful. The hike to Nymph Lake is an easy hike just over 1 mile. You start from the Bear Lake Trail head and can go further on to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake if you want to. Both Dream and Emerald Lakes are also stunning and very photog...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Ptarmigan Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead
11.33 mi / 3850 ft gainThe hike to Ptarmigan Lake has plenty of elevation gain for mountain lovers and views for miles from the Continental Divide. If you want to reach this spot for sunrise you'll need a very early start in the morning, but that also means you won't have to use the shuttle system to Bear Lake. The las...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak
4.49.73 mi / 3240 ft gainArrive at the Bear Lake Trailhead. Follow abundant signage toward Flattop Peak. Once you arrive at the summit of Flattop identify the unnamed unmaintained trail leading south toward Hallett Peak. Round the head of Tyndall Gorge and ascend the rocky slopes toward the summit by connecting short use...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Snowshoe to Emerald Lake
4.63.6 mi / 605 ft gainSnowshoeing to Emerald Lake was completely different from hiking the trail during summer. Instead of hiking around Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, and Emerald Lake, I was able to go straight across them (check the ice to make sure it's thick enough to support your weight). Rocky Mountain National Park's...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Climb Notchtop Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park
5.03.5 mi / 1550 ft gainPark at Bear Lake, and follow the signs north of the lake to Odessa Lake. However, do NOT go all the way to Odessa Lake; after about 3 miles, when Notchtop is in full view, the trail begins to descend to Odessa Lake. Find an unmarked spur trail to the left which leads to shallow Lake Helene, then...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Hike Flattop Hallett Andrews Loop
5.010.9 mi / 3238 ft gainBear Lake to Flattop Mountain The trail starts at Bear Lake, where you get a view of Hallett Peak (12,713 ft) which will be the highpoint of your hike. After a short walk on the Bear Lake Trail, take the path to the right. After 1/2 a mile, take a trail left to the north. 1/2 a mile later, stay l...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Dragon's Tail Couloir Climb
5.0Start your day at the Bear Lake parking lot, and head out on the short 2-mile approach that winds uphill past Nymph and Dream Lake. After arriving at Emerald Lake, skirt around the shore on the left side to reach the bottom of the couloir, clearly visibile on the far side of the lake.The 1500 ft ...Read more -
Larkspur, Colorado
Spruce Mountain Loop
4.55.46 mi / 810 ft gainSpruce mountain is an approximately 4.2 mile loop outside of Colorado Springs near Palmer lake. The hike is a pretty easy one, that has some great views of the Front Range including peak a boo views of Pikes Peak. Starting at the Trailhead, you can either take the right or left trail which will t...Read more -
Silverthorne, Colorado
Ptarmigan Trail
4.57 mi / 1201 ft gainPtarmigan Trail, not to be confused with Ptarmigan Peak, is a 5 mile out-and-back, scenic trail that offers unparalleled vistas of Summit County, Dillon Reservoir and the surrounding mountains(including Quandary Peak, Red Mountain, and the Decalibron Loop). Located just outside of Silverthorne a...Read more -
Swan Mountain Road, Colorado
Sapphire Point Overlook
3.30.62 mi / 49 ft gainThis short, 0.6 mile loop hike gives a beautiful view of Lake Dillon and is an easy, family-friendly hike. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on leash. The trail is clear cut and descends a few feet while looping around the side of the mountain to the overlook point. It is definitely a worthwhil...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Hike to Verna, Spirit, Fourth, and Fifth Lakes
19 mi / 2460 ft gainThis 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...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Hike to Spirit Lake
15.8 mi / 2000 ft gainOne can reach spirit lake as a day hike, however it is most often visited as part of backpacking trip. Either way the route is the same and it starts at the East Inlet trail. To park you are supposed to pay or show your park/national lands pass. From the East Inlet trailhead you will soon pass Ad...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Hike to Adams Falls
4.81 mi / 113 ft gainAdams Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the Grand Lake area, and one of the easiest. If you are just hiking to the falls, you will not need to bring much with you besides a camera, due to the distance. If you plan to venture past the falls, pack accordingly. Once you park in the trail...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Hike to Lone Pine Lake (Grand Lake, CO)
5.010.44 mi / 1494 ft gainStarting at the East Inlet Trailhead, with an elevation of 8,391 feet, the trail is on a nice dirt path and you're immediately greeted with the sight of Adams Falls on your right, just 0.3 miles in. After continuing on after Adams Falls, the next 1.5 miles lead you out into the sunlight with brea...Read more