Teddy Tinnell
I’ve visited the Great Sand Dunes several times but never stopped for this quick, little adventure before! A great addition to our drive home from a weekend in Taos to Denver. Definitely worth the dunes detour. The hike up to the frozen falls only took 15 min. Even in March this does draw a decent amount of spectators for how relatively secluded the location is - so I imagine its potentially more crowded in warmer months.
4.0
5.0
Cheesman to Denver Botanical Gardens loop via the back gate members-only FOB entrance. A bit chilly today but ducking into the gardens helps with the wind chill. Back gate is my favorite perk of gardens membership!
4.0
Bring bug spray! The lower segment of Oh Be Joyful trail had tons of Monsquitos when we were there July. The first mile seemed to draw lots of people (like us) to see the ultra-dense hills of wildflowers! The flowers were gorgeous and you can spot some rare blooms along the way too if you’re looking closely.
4.0
Beautiful, challenging ascent with lots to pause and see along the way. Another alpine lake hike I do annually. I definitely recommended keeping on and scaling to the uppermost lake if you’re up for it. Great in the height of summer for wildflower blooms or a later season (September) hike for change of leaves. Chicago lakes tends to be a bit more crowded as far as the alpine lake hikes in CO go. Saw a moose here last September! Beautiful and also a reminder to stay alert & cautious. Bonus: you can also access great views of Upper Chicago lake by driving up Mt. Blue Sky - the road is only open weather permitting. The drive itself can be a little daunting, with some twists and drops but is well-maintained and is its own adventure.
5.0
5.0
This is the spot if you’re feeling extra(terrestrial). Theres lots of filtered photos these days but Ice Lake is as striking as it seems. Makes you work for it though. This is a difficult hike in terms of incline and altitude gain, as other reviews have said. But fine if you take you time - great views along the way to break & catch your breath. If youre coming from Denver, this can be a bit of a drive. I ended up renting a little spot in town for the night so I chill and hit the trail kinda early-ish. Not required but the overnight it did make a nice little trip out of it.
5.0
The full Mystic Island & Lake Charles hike is def not for the faint of heart. Perfect if you love a nice day-long expedition with very few people, gorgeous wildflowers, and an iconic Alpine lake backdrop to eat your lunch. I’ve done this hike solo once a summer for the past 4 years. The first time I made the mistake of going too early in the spring season and ended up turning back due to the trail being obscured by snow towards the top. Trust your gut. I now recommend this in May/June. It’s nestled out deep in Eagle so takes a min (3 hours) if youre driving from Denver. Worth it. This hike really taught me you can always turn back at any point (sounds simple) but even if you only make the first mile, you’ll still catch some amazing views and wilderness.
5.0
Pretty Boy Dam! This is one of my absolute favorite spots outside of Baltimore. Came here a ton during Nursing school to unwind. The sound of the water is pretty mesmerizing. Theres a great, accessible view from the top. To access the lower area though there’s like.. a gazillion steps (okay probably more like 250?). If you venture down the steps, you can then snake your way down a little, off the beaten dirt path to the rivers edge - the dirt path then continues alongside the river for awhile. Find yourself a sunny rock, lay out, and kick back.
5.0
I mean, whats not to love about Wash Park? Its a Denver staple and a great spot for strolling basically at any time of day/year. Last weekend my partner & I caught a surprise sighting of two eagles perched high in a tree by the west side of the pond! Always lots of dogs out and about for walks. Easy parking all around. Wide, paved walking/biking roadways as well as some well-maintained dirt paths you can optionally explore. Some cute spots to grab brunch if you wanter just a few blocks off the park.
5.0
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