Palmer Lake, Colorado

Top Spots in and near Palmer Lake

  • Aurora, Colorado

    Cherry Creek Dog Off-Leash Area

    4.3
    2.29 mi / 89 ft gain
    Cherry Creek Dog-Off Leash Area is an extended part of Cherry Creek State Park and encompasses 107 acres of fenced-in play area. Within the park there is a 3 mile loop trail that takes you through the trees and along the Cherry Creek. What makes this park so great is the several access points to ...
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  • Jefferson, Colorado

    Trek through Granite Pillars on Bison Peak

    11.88 mi / 3854.99 ft gain
    Bison peak sits 2 hours from Denver in the mountains of the Lost Creek Wilderness. To reach the 12,431 ft. summit you'll start in low density ponderosa forest at 8,750 ft on crushed granite trail. Early starts are recommended in the summer months as the trail's high albedo can make for an extreme...
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  • Calhan, Colorado

    Photograph Colorado's Paint Mines

    4.9
    0.25 mi
    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,...
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  • Calhan, Colorado

    Hike the Paint Mines Interpretive Space Loop

    4.5
    4 mi / 200 ft gain
    The site is an easy drive from Colorado Springs on US Route 24. There are three parking areas: the west and south parking areas are trailheads, and there is additional parking on the west side for a scenic overlook. The overlook does not attach to any trails.Through several loops, there are up to...
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  • Conifer, Colorado

    Elk Falls Loop

    3.5
    12.76 mi / 1893 ft gain
    Begin on Staunton Ranch Trail for 3.3 miles. Switch to Bugling Elk Trail for the next 1.1 miles, then to Lion's Back Trail for the last mile to the overlook. From here, you can create the loop by backtracking to the Chimney Rock Trail, which then connects with the Elk Falls Trail. To head back to...
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  • Conifer, Colorado

    Davis Ponds Trail

    4.0
    2.31 mi / 295 ft gain
    Davis Ponds Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Conifer, Colorado.
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  • Bailey, Colorado

    Payne Creek Trail via Brookside McCurdy Trailhead

    4.5
    17.98 mi / 3773 ft gain
    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...
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  • Cañon City, Colorado

    Shelf Road

    5.0
    Shelf Road, which was once a toll road from Cripple Creek to Canon City, is now a maintained dirt road that most high clearance two wheel drive cars can make.  It will take over an hour to travel the 25 miles or so, and it can be completed going from north to south or the opposite.  I will explai...
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  • Cañon City, Colorado

    Climb at Shelf Road

    4.4
    1.5 mi / 400 ft gain
    Shelf Road is secluded, rural, and has great climbing. There are so many areas to choose from and it has a great diversity of route levels (mostly sport routes). My personal favorite area is "The Gallery" and "The Bank." Everyone is friendly and gives each other a hand.Sand Gulch Campground, righ...
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  • Conifer, Colorado

    Upper Maxwell Falls Trail

    1.11 mi / 135 ft gain
    Upper Maxwell Falls Trail is an out-and-back trail, which is the shortest and most direct route to Maxwell Falls located near Conifer, Colorado. If you're looking for a little longer trail, check out this Maxwell Falls adventure for a roughly 4-mile loop hike. 
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  • Morrison, Colorado

    Mount Falcon Loop

    4.0
    2.51 mi / 418.64 ft gain
    Just a short drive from Denver up US-285 sits Mount Falcon Park, a 2,248 acre open space park managed by Jefferson County. With over 12 miles of hiking trails and stunning views of Denver and the Front Range, this park is perfect for getting in a quick adventure when you don’t feel like driving t...
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  • Evergreen, Colorado

    Maxwell Falls

    3.4
    3.95 mi / 928 ft gain
    Located just outside of Evergreen, this beginner hike is a great escape from the city for a few hours. There are three different options to hike to the falls: Maxwell Falls Lower Trail (4 miles), Upper Maxwell Falls Trail (1.1 miles), and Maxwell Falls Bluffs Cliffside Trail Loop (5 miles). On th...
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  • Morrison, Colorado

    Red Rocks Trading Post Trail

    5.0
    1.54 mi / 344 ft gain
    Red Rocks Trading Post Trail offers one of Colorado's most accessible paths to outdoor wellness, winding through the iconic red sandstone formations that have drawn visitors to Morrison for generations. This easy loop trail delivers an outsized reward-to-effort ratio, making it an ideal introdu...
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  • Morrison, Colorado

    Red Rocks & Dakota Ridge Loop Trail

    4.0
    6.89 mi / 1188 ft gain
    While this is a 6 mile hike, it is relatively easy to add mileage to it and tailor it to fit your needs. Instead of simply doing the Red Rocks Trail/Morrison Slide loop, you can head all the way to the Village Walk trail in Matthews-Winters. You can also park along Red Rocks Trail Road and elimin...
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  • Denver, Colorado

    Washington Park Loop

    5.0
    2.34 mi / 72 ft gain
    Washington Park in located near Denver South High School is the perfect spot for a run, walk, or an afternoon picnic! This paved loop is just over 2 miles and offers up scenic views of both Grasmere Lake and Smith Lake. This is also a family-friendly destination with a playground for the kids and...
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  • Golden, Colorado

    Village Walk, Red Rocks & Cherry Gulch Trail

    4.3
    6.31 mi / 1364.17 ft gain
    The Village Walk, Red Rocks & Cherry Gulch Trail threads through one of Colorado's most geologically and historically layered open spaces—Matthews/Winters Park, a 2,461-acre Jefferson County preserve bordered by I-70 to the north and Red Rocks Park to the south. Here, ancient sandstone format...
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