Colorado

Looking for the best photography in Colorado? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Colorado. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Photography Spots in and near Colorado

  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead

    5.0
    9.02 mi / 1224 ft gain
    On this Rocky Mountain hike you’ll explore 4 picturesque mountain lakes and a 60 foot waterfall. Completing this hike requires familiarizing yourself with Rocky Mountain National Park’s free shuttle system. Hikes along Bear Lake Road are some of the busiest in the park. Trailhead parking lots fi...
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  • Estes Park, Colorado

    Ptarmigan Lake via Bear Lake Trailhead

    11.33 mi / 3839 ft gain
    The 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...
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  • Buena Vista, Colorado

    Hope Pass via Willis Gulch

    5.0
    8.75 mi / 3297 ft gain
    Hope Pass is accessed from the Willis Gulch trailhead about 25 miles outside of Leadville, Colorado. To get to the trail head, follow Highway 24 East for about 16 miles until you arrive at the junction for Highway 82. Turn right and follow Highway 82 for about 8.3 miles. You will see a sign on th...
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  • Snowmass, Colorado

    Capitol Lake via Capitol Ditch

    5.0
    12.28 mi / 2575 ft gain
    The route to Capitol Lake is fairly straightforward, but not without its minor hardships. The route begins at the end of Capitol Creek Road, 9 miles from the small "town" of Snowmass (NOT Snowmass Village - that's the high-class ski resort). The last few miles of this road provide the first min...
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  • Idaho Springs, Colorado

    Chief Mountain Trail

    4.5
    2.88 mi / 920.17 ft gain
    Sitting at 11,709’, Chief Mountain is not one of Colorado’s highest peaks, but the views from this mountain are spectacular nonetheless and rival the views of any 14er I’ve climbed. This mountain sits along Squaw Pass Road so you get the luxury of a high trailhead for this peak. To get there, fo...
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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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  • Larimer County, Colorado

    Winter Hike to Loch Vale

    4.0
    5.53 mi / 1093 ft gain
    This winter adventure begins at the popular Glacier Gorge Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. Make sure you arrive early as the parking lot fills up quickly! We started the hike with our microspikes on and carried our snowshoes. The park ranger informed us snowshoes may be necessary in som...
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  • Boulder, Colorado

    Red Rocks Loop Trail

    3.7
    1.34 mi / 412.07 ft gain
    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...
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  • Divide, Colorado

    Hike to Raspberry Mountain

    5.0
    5.2 mi / 900 ft gain
    Take US-24 west and turn left at traffic light in Divide. Drive south on US-67 for about 4 miles. Turn left to CR-62 right after you pass the entrance to Mueller State park on the right. Drive about a mile on the dirt road and you will see the new trailhead parking lot on the left side.Once you p...
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  • Aspen, Colorado

    Ute Trail to Ute Rock

    4.7
    1.75 mi / 1122 ft gain
    This shady trail of switchbacks ascends steadily (over a thousand feet in under a mile) to a rock outcropping at 9,185 feet. Yes, you can expect your heart to be pounding and to be huffing and puffing as you climb Ute Trail. But the view of Aspen that rewards you is spectacular. The trail is pre...
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  • Pagosa Springs, Colorado

    Treasure Falls

    4.8
    0.68 mi / 358 ft gain
    Treasure Falls is reached via short 0.4 mile walk from the parking lot on highway 160 about 15 miles outside Pagosa Springs (which is home to the worlds deepest hot springs). There is a paved path and dirt trail that both end up at the falls and if you are inclined, make into a loop for 0.7 miles...
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  • Aspen, Colorado

    Snowmass Lake via Maroon-Snowmass Trail

    4.3
    16.53 mi / 5023 ft gain
    For the adventurous backpacker looking to get backcountry in central Colorado, the stunning beauty of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness cannot be beaten. While the Maroon Bells just outside of Aspen might be the most photographed mountains in North America, the beauty is definitely rivaled by ...
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  • Creede, Colorado

    North Clear Creek Falls

    4.0
    0.34 mi / 87.27 ft gain
    This 100 ft. waterfall is close to Colorado 149 on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. To access the falls turn onto FR 510 from the northern entrance and head south for .5 miles. Turn left into the North Clear Creek Falls Observation Site, from there it's a short walk to the falls. Being out in t...
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  • Kremmling, Colorado

    Lake Agnes

    3.0
    2.37 mi / 640 ft gain
    In State Forest State Park, you start at Agnes Cabin, a historic cabin built in 1925. Because of its rustic architecture, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. It is a one-story, lodge pole pine log cabin. The cabin is empty, bu...
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  • Minturn, Colorado

    Scramble the Halo Ridge on Mt. Holy Cross

    5.0
    15 mi / 5210 ft gain
    The Halo Ridge is by no means the easiest route to the summit of Mt. Holy Cross, but it is definitely the most interesting and scenic. You'll begin at the Half Moon (Tigiwon) trailhead, but instead of the popular Halfmoon Trail, you will start on the Fall Creek Trail as it leaves the campground.T...
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  • Allenspark, Colorado

    Hike to Verna, Spirit, Fourth, and Fifth Lakes

    17.93 mi / 2661 ft gain
    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...
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