Idaho Springs, Colorado

Day 1: Park at the Payne Creek/Brookside Trailhead (8,040 ft.) right outside Bailey. You'll go on the trail for about a mile before the trail parts to Craig Meadows or Craig Park. If you start this in the nighttime, it's best to camp before you part ways on the trail as it's a little more spaciou...

Want to start snowshoeing peaks?! Of course you do! If you don't already have snowshoes, you can rent a pair at your local REI (the one in Boulder, CO is closest to this hike). Check the snow conditions and if there is a fair amount of snow, I would recommend renting the larger of the two kinds o...

Start at the Pawnee Pass Trail No. 907 Trailhead. Long Lake is about 2 tenths of a mile and Lake Isabelle is 2 miles from the trailhead. Keep an eye out for moose grazing in the bushes or in the water near Long Lake. This is a 4 mile out and back hike with well marked trails. For an 8.75 mile hi...

Getting There The trailhead can be reached from Boulder by driving west through Boulder Canyon on Highway 42 to Nederland, then going north on the Peak-to-Peak Highway 72 to the town of Ward. From there, a National Forest Sign on the west side of the highway provides directions to the ranger stat...

Before you start your trip, get a camping permit from the Boulder Ranger Station. Plan to spend your first night in the Crater Lake BZ (Backcountry Zone), and your second in Buchanan BZ. If you're feeling particularly sedate, you can easily spend a third night in Coney Creek. Start early in the ...

Hike one of the most scenic 12ers in Colorado's front range, Shoshoni Peak, with an elevation of 12,967 feet. You can easily combine a summit of Pawnee Peak for wonderful views of multiple alpine cirques. Enjoy wonderful views of the Long Lake Valley, Isabelle Glacier, and Pawnee Pass regions. Fo...

If you are looking for great reflections, color and mountain peaks for your photos, this lake is a great place to start. The Brainard Lake Recreational Area has so much to do, but this is a stop not to miss.It seems that everyone drives on by this little gem to get to Brainard Lake and the hiking...

From the parking lot, you can take the Meadowlark trail to the west or the Plymouth Creek Trail to the southeast. It does not matter which trail you take because it ends up becoming loop. For a more gradual slope up the hill, take the Meadowlark trail. After a little more than a mile, it intersec...

The hike is about seven miles, give or take, however it feels longer. The elevation gain is little over 1000 feet. The drive here is about 45 minutes from both Granby and Winter Park, and is definitely worth it.  You follow a trail dusted with wildflowers for the majority of the hike, and occasio...

The drive to the start of the trail is okay, having a high clearance vehicle would make the drive easier, but is not necessary.  Free parking is available along the side of the road.The trail starts on a closed service road at a gate and requires you to either hike or bike up the dirt road (2 mil...

Hildebrand Ranch Park is often overshadowed by the other nearby Jeffco Parks, but for the few that it does attract the trails do not disappoint.   The Two Brands Trail starts at about 5600ft just off of Deer Creek Canyon Rd.  It is a relatively flat trail that tops out at about 5821ft making it a...

The Colorado Trail (http://www.coloradotrail.org) is 500 miles long and stretches from Denver to Durango. Perhaps the most-traveled portion of the Colorado Trail is at Kenosha Pass. Kenosha Pass is well-known for its thick, colorful stands of aspen in the fall. During peak leaf season (late Septe...

This is an excellent place to take your family backpacking. It is a fairly easy trail and definitely a great one for kids. Take in the beautiful scenery while hiking through meadows, aspen and pine with incredible mountain views in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. 6.4 miles to Red Deer Lake with an e...

Hiking the Monarch Lake Loop in Granby, Colorado is amazing! If you have older children, this is a great place to take them out on the trial. Perfect weather in August of 50 degrees, You'll started at about 8345 feet of elevation and ended at 8950 feet. This is a very easy-moderate and great hike...

Waterton Canyon is the beginning of the Colorado Trail which stretches 500 miles from Denver to Durango. Camping is allowed on the Colorado Trail but is not allowed in the first 6 miles section of Waterton Canyon, which is managed by Denver Water. The gravel road is great for running, biking, hi...

Start at the Monarch Lake trailhead (where there is a $5 parking fee unless you have one of the national lands passes) and follow the cascade creek trail around the north side of the lake. After about 1.5 miles the trail splits with the Arapaho pass trail, follow the cascade trail to the left as ...