Grand County, Colorado
Looking for the best backpacking in Grand County? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Grand County. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.
Top Backpacking Spots in and near Grand County
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Evergreen, Colorado
Hike the Resthouse/Lincoln Lake Trail
4.5While the Mt. Evans Wilderness never has a shortage of visitors, thanks to its proximity to Denver, it is possible to find a more private hike if you know where to look. Lincoln Lake Trail, accessible from Echo Lake year-round, is not as glamorous as its sister trail, Chicago Lakes, but is a wond...Read more -
Dillon, Colorado
Silver Dollar Lake Trail
5.03.93 mi / 945 ft gainGuanella Pass, which connects the charming and historic town of Georgetown in the north to the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Grant to the south, is a recreational outdoorsman’s dream. Volumes could be written on what this 22-mile scenic byway has to offer. Silver Dollar Lake Trail is just one tiny po...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Sandbeach Lake Trail
4.08.56 mi / 2057 ft gainSandbeach Lake is best known for (as you can probably guess) its wide sandy shore. At nearly 50 feet deep, it is one of Rocky Mountain National Parks deepest lakes. If you are looking to fish at the lake, make sure to bring barbless flies and lures. There are six official campsites (1.8 miles Hol...Read more -
Grand Lake, Colorado
Hike to Big Meadows and Granite Falls
5.010.3 miThe Green Mountain Trail is part of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) which is a foot path from Mexico to Canada. Big Meadows is a great place to view elk, moose, and deer. Other animals you can see in the area are abert squirrels, river otters, weasels, and black bear.Big Meadow...Read more -
Silverthorne, Colorado
Backpack to Upper Slate Lake
5.028 mi / 1386 ft gainStarting from the Rock Creek Trailhead parking lot, it is an up and down trek to Upper Slate Lake. The trail map states 10 miles each way, but accounting for switchbacks it ends up being closer to 14 long, hard miles.You will be among aspens and pines for the first half as you have a few moderate...Read more -
1398 Longs Peak Road, Colorado
Storm Peak and Mount Lady Washington
4.512.57 mi / 5312 ft gainThis 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...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Boulderfield Campground via Longs Peak Trail
11.39 mi / 3337 ft gainBoulder Field is a high alpine backcountry site on Longs Peak, and is a popular camp for backpackers attempting to summit Longs Peak via the Keyhole route. At an impressive elevation of 12,760 feet, Boulder Field is a vast wasteland of rocks that sits 500 feet below the famous Keyhole feature, an...Read more -
Larimer County, Colorado
Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge Trailhead
4.78.43 mi / 1780 ft gainStart at the Glacier Gorge trailhead on Bear Lake Road. Parking is limited so it is advised to get there very early. It's a longer hike so plan on taking a full day to complete or stay overnight to enjoy more of the scenery. Within the first mile on the Glacier Gorge Trail you will pass by Alber...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Green Lake via Glacier Gorge Trail
5.011.38 mi / 3400 ft gainBegin 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 ...Read more -
Larimer County, Colorado
Nymph, Dream, Emerald, and Haiyaha Lakes
4.94.51 miFrom the Bear Lake Trailhead, the path to Nymph Lake is a moderate paved trail. At the lake there are several places to sit and take in the scenery. This is also where you'll find the most people. From here, continue up the trail towards Dream Lake. On the way, the trail forks. The left will take...Read more -
Silverthorne, Colorado
Lily Pad Lake
4.73.27 mi / 531 ft gainLily Pad Lake is a well known destination just outside of Silverthorne and in the Eagle's Nest Wilderness. The trail may be heavily trafficked on the weekends, but solitude can still be found in the early mornings or during the weekdays. The trail starts at the Lily Pad Lake Trailhead, just to t...Read more -
Lyons, Colorado
Camp at Coulson Gulch
4.09 miCoulson Gulch is a lightly used area of the Roosevelt National Forest which makes it perfect for a weekend getaway without the crowds. This is a great place to camp out under the stars!To get to Coulson Gulch From Lyons, head west on U.S. Highway 36 for about 9 miles. Turn southwest onto Larimer ...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Backpack to Odessa Lake via Fern Lake Trailhead
4.09.65 mi / 1890 ft gainOdessa 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...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Hike to Cub Lake
5.04.6 mi / 645 ft gainRocky Mountain National Park showcases 355 miles of hiking trails, 6 campgrounds, and hundreds of backcountry camp sites. The cost to enter the park is $20.00 per vehicle, I recommend buying the annual National Parks Pass for $80.00. Cub Lake is an excellent trail for viewing wildlife. There ar...Read more -
Grand Lake, United States
Hike to Timber Lake
4.59.6 mi / 2050 ft gainI love Timber Lake! I never see that many people on the trail and I can't figure out why. The hike starts at the Timber Lake trailhead and climbs gradually through Pine and Aspen trees on the way up. We saw a few elk on the way up that didn't seem to be bothered by our presence. We also started h...Read more -
Grand Lake, Colorado
Hike the Colorado River Trailhead Loop
5.013.6 mi / 1245 ft gainSince this hike is 13.6 miles (according to my watch the hike was more around 14 miles, but it's in that range), I'm going to break it down into four different parts. To Lulu CityTo Little Yellowstone / Thunder PassThe Grand Ditch Red Mountain Trail The first 0.5 miles and the last 0.5 miles a...Read more