Colorado
It's hard to beat what the Rockies have to offer. A plethora of world-class skiing in the winter, and all the hiking, backpacking, camping, mountain biking, and rafting you could hope for in the summer. Looking for a challenge?Maybe try your hand at one of Colorado's 14,000 ft peaks (there's somewhere between 53 and 58, depending who you ask).
Top Spots in and near Colorado
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Boulder, Colorado
Catch the Sunrise on Sugarloaf
4.51 mi / 400 ft gainTo get there from downtown Boulder, head west on CO 119 and almost 4.5 miles after you have left Boulder, turn right onto Sugarloaf Road. 4 miles after the turn from CO 119, turn right onto Sugarloaf Mountain road (located at the top of the road). If the road starts descending, you've gone too fa...Read more -
Nederland, Colorado
Heart and Rogers Peak Lakes
4.88.62 mi / 2113 ft gainThe hike begins at the East Portal Trailhead outside Rollinsville. Start hiking along the South Boulder trail to the right (north) of the very obvious Moffat Rail tunnel. The trail begins with moderate grades past the Forest Lakes cutoff just 1.25 miles from the trailhead. Continue hiking straigh...Read more -
Telluride, Colorado
Hike to Bridal Veil Falls in Telluride
5.02.4 mi / 850 ft gainPark at the Pandora Mill just east of Telluride and lace up your footwear of choice. At 1.2 miles to the base of the falls with 850 feet of gain, this can make for a great thigh burning hike or run. The trail is a gravel road that eventually passes a gate to further trails up the Bridal Veil Ba...Read more -
Estes Park, Colorado
Chasm Lake via Longs Peak Trailhead
4.78.01 mi / 2425 ft gainThe 4-mile trail climbs around 2500ft from the Longs Peak trailhead and starts by winding through dense forest. In the morning darkness, trudging through thick trees isn’t the most exciting, but when you finally climb out above treeline, the massive profile of Longs and the slowly growing light o...Read more -
Breckenridge, Colorado
Lower Crystal Lake via Crystal Creek Road
5.04.52 mi / 1624 ft gainTo get to the Crystal Lakes start at the Spruce Creek Trailhead. You can hike or drive to the Lower Crystal Lake along Crystal Creek Road. If you choose to drive, you will need a high clearance 4x4 vehicle as you follow along Crystal Creek Road. The road is steep, but when they get to the top it ...Read more -
Boulder, Colorado
Mount Sanitas Loop & Settlers Park
4.43.83 mi / 1371 ft gainFirst off, these are two different hikes but both stem from the same parking lot and Settlers Park is a mere 5 minutes away from where you park so why not kill two birds with one stone? One of the more popular hikes in Boulder, Mount Sanitas is a 3 mile hike that quickly scales nearly 1,350 feet...Read more -
Aspen, Colorado
Crater Lake via Maroon-Snowmass Trail
4.63.77 mi / 722 ft gainThe crater lake trail begins at Maroon Lake and quickly breaks off from the scenic trail at .3 miles. Be sure to follow the signs to crater lake, which will be heading higher into the valley. The trail passes through a beautiful Aspen grove most of the way with wonderful views of 14ers, the Maroo...Read more -
Golden, Colorado
Hike South Table Mountain
4.03.3 mi / 1500 ft gainWant to see a rainbow? Possibly some coyotes or other Colorado wildlife?This hike is full of twists and turns, mostly involving the trail, but also in surprises along the way.Drive into downtown Golden (grab some food if you're hungry) and then park at the base of the Golden Summit trail. Startin...Read more -
Jefferson, Colorado
Colorado Trail: Kenosha Pass to FR 130
4.66.81 mi / 938 ft gainThe 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...Read more -
Boulder, Colorado
Hike the Eldorado Canyon Trail
4.56.3 mi / 1875 ft gainEldorado Canyon Trail makes for a great day hike, with great views and a steady, challenging uphill – bring lots of water!For something shorter, try Streamside Trail (1 mile roundtrip), Fowler Trail (1.4 miles), or Rattlesnake Gulch (2.8 miles). Streamside, appropriately, leads you alongside a cr...Read more -
Golden, Colorado
Matthews/Winters Park Loop
4.04.99 mi / 827 ft gainMatthews/Winters Park, which is part of the Jefferson County Open Space system, is proof that you do not have to go far from the city to enjoy the mountains. Nestled in the foothills between Golden and Morrison just off I-70 and C-470, Matthews/Winters is easy to access from Denver and any of the...Read more -
Ward, Colorado
Hike to Blue Lake
4.66 mi / 1000 ft gainLocated in the Brainard Lake Recreational Area (west of Nederland, CO in the Indian Peaks Wilderness), this gem isn’t exactly a well-kept secret, but it has all the beauty that you could ask for in a relatively easy Colorado hike.To get the full effect of the lake, you may want to plan your hike ...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 -
Idaho Springs, Colorado
Lower and Upper Chicago Lake
4.59.22 mi / 2270 ft gainFrom the parking lot, stay to the right of Echo Lake and you will run into the Chicago Lakes Trailhead. Follow the switchbacks down and across Chicago Creek. After crossing the creek, follow the sign indicating that the trail follows the dirt road and hang a left; from here, you'll reach the Idah...Read more -
Lakewood, Colorado
Green Mountain Trail Loop
4.16.37 mi / 1060 ft gainGreen Mountain Trail is a 6.5-mile loop and has a challenging ascent to the park's highest point. Because the mountain is one of the first to rise out of the plains, you get unique views of where the mountains meet the prairie and fascinating geology. The summit, at 6,857' offers stunning views o...Read more -
Allenspark, Colorado
Backpack to Lake Verna
5.013.5 mi / 2500 ft gainWant to get away it from it all and enjoy some high alpine lakes? The East Inlet Trail is just outside Grand Lake, on the westside of Rocky Mountain National Park, 2.35 miles east of Highway 34 on West Portal Road. From the trailhead, one can access 8 different campsites. The campsites are as ...Read more
