I just did the short trail from the trailhead to the lake. It took maybe 20 to 30 minutes with snow…read moreboots. When I visited in February 2026, some places were icy and slippery. It was still covered in snow. The lake was iced over. The glacier looked beautiful. We talked to a family whose young son hiked up the top and then snowboarded down by himself! We parked in the small lot just across the trailhead. It was $20 and you pay by scanning the QR code. There was one porta potty there. There were other lots that were charging $10 but farther from the trailhead.

Long on views and uniqueness short in hike!…read more This is a local favorite. A place that is easily accessed, has a year round snow field and is just plain fun. Lake front. Fishing. Glisading. Skiing. Boarding. Hiking. Views and blue sky are all in abundance at St Mary's Glacier. It's great fun to tromp through the snow in summer time. Watch crazy boarders sail down the small ice field living their best lives in shorts and tank tops. Adventure above the snow field and find above treeline terrain and majestic views and a hike to the top of James Peak. Parking is a bitch. Weekends are crowded and it's always busy but worth the time. Definitely a fun place to bring folks from out of town!

Beautiful hike today. Never been here but I have a webcam link to see the summit. So when I saw a…read morecloud inversion, I came as fast as I could! The "trail" is really just a dirt service road, in good shape though. You can drive up a bit more to the gun range, my highlander was ok but really low cars might have issues. The trailhead is a bit loud with the gun range. The .22s are one thing and only moderately freak my dog out. Some folks bring large caliber weapons and those can take away from the scenic value a bit. You can hear them from the fire tower too. The hike is uphill but never very steep. However it's a bit unrelenting, and you can skid on the loose dirt. It's only a long straight way then two switchbacks, and you're there. Not too many views except at the summit cone. The last few hundred yards are well constructed rock steps. Then you're at the fire tower! Views abound in every direction. The tower was occupied but you can still wander the base. There's a lot of communication things, which was funny to me since you have no service the whole hike. It took me around half an hour to climb to the top. There's some fun rock scrambles around as well if you're up for that. Overall, a pretty basic hike with a great payoff! I think it would be awesome for a sunset or sunrise.

"We have ways of getting you to the summit," said my high school pal with a smile and wink, who…read moreinsisted it was an easy, 2-hr hike up Chief Mountain. Bad News: Chief Mountain was closed on Memorial Day because of too much snow. Good News: We didn't know it until after we thought we'd hiked to the top. "Damn, the trail head must be here somewhere,"....."hmmm, ah...the hell with it. Let's just bushwack this and go straight up." And, we did. My high school pal and two other intrepid Boulder locals revealed to me that it had been 5 years since they'd done this "hike," and they couldn't exactly remember where trail head was located. The consensus of the group: start climbing. OY! It was steep, even traversing. My Chicago wind and stamina didn't fail me, but oh, boy, did I ever feel it. I wasn't gasping but I was ... well.....sucking wind big time. It was beautiful, too. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. There were birds everywhere. I saw a Blackbird, a Cormorant, an Oriole, a handful of crows, doves, ducks, geese, hawks, a grouse, a Great Blue Heron, a hummingbird, a mountain pelican and a woodpecker. We saw jackrabbits, squirrels, deer, scampering pikas, two wily foxes, and we were pretty sure we saw elk in the distance. The skunk: meant to be smelled and not seen. There were running streams and snow drifts. There was a hearty breeze that dried my sweat, which became profuse toward the top as we covered a jagged boulder field on all fours. The Summit: 11,800. Views of the front range, Mt. Evans, Pikes Peak, and the plains. Perfection and supreme exhaustion. We ate p&j sandwiches, and oranges. We took pictures and relaxed. We marveled at how simple, cleansing, and energizing a thrill knocking yourself out can be. We were exhausted. We chose to walk down the fire road we found off the back of the summit. We walked down a bit and saw the sign: "Squaw Mountain, Summit: 11,800." Ha! We weren't even on Chief Mountain and my local pals didn't even know it. If you want to walk up the back fire roads rather than macho out like we did, here's where to find the SQUAW MOUNTAIN trail head location: From the intersection of CO-74 (Evergreen Parkway) and CO-103 (Squaw Pass Road), go west for approximately 12 miles. Just after you pass the turnoff to Echo Mountain Ski Area, there is a dirt road on the left side of the main road. Park here or, if the parking area is filled, continue up the hill and park at the intersection with the old Squaw Pass road. You will have to hike back down the old Squaw Pass road to meet the other road. Got that?

Questions people ask at the beginning of every hike: ++ Is…read moreit long?! YES. ++ Is it going to be hard? YES, The best things always are. ++ Is it going to be worth it? ABSOLUTELY!! Chihuahua Lake was no exception. After Matt C posted some pictures of this alpine beauty, I just knew I had to go there this season. So when my hiking companion Tiffany N and I both ended up with a Monday off, I knew just the adventure to be had. So we grabbed our gear, some coffee, and took to the mountains. Located just east of Keystone, Chihuahua Lake makes for a challenging day trip. From the 2WD trailhead, you can anticipate approximately an 8-mile round-trip hike. I highly recommend a high clearance vehicle to get there. The road is super bumpy. If you park towards the bottom of the road (which appears to be the staging area for OHVs) you will be adding roughly 4 miles total to the trip. We arrived at 9:30am and there were only two cars parked at the 2WD trailhead, however there's only enough parking for maybe four cars there. So be early. There are two major steep areas - one long steady one in the beginning and one brutal final push just before the lake. There were several water crossings, so make sure to wear waterproof boots and bring extra socks, just in case. It's not a matter of if you end up in the water, but when you end up in the water. We encountered maybe five people during our hike and had the lake to ourselves for a solid 30 to 45 minutes while we snacked and relaxed. Chihuahua Lake was gorgeous! You work for it, that's for sure, but the views are out of this world! Chihuahua Lake was definitely a rewarding way to spend our day. While at the end of the hike I felt personally victimized by the trail, I can safely say I'll probably make my way back next season. **Pro Tip: Some parts of the trail are not marked the best, especially once you get to the 4WD trailhead. Download the trail off AllTrails before you hit the dirt to ensure you don't get turned around.

See Carly W's review. K thx bye…read more JK, although I felt like Chihuahua Lake owned me, I cannot give it enough kudos! This is one of those trails that is a hidden gem and I kinda hope it stays that way. I hike a lot and love some moderate hikes but this was one of the hardest I've done in awhile. The first stretch is steep and will have you questioning if it was worth driving up the bumpy road and possibly damaging your suspension if you're not blessed enough to have AWD or 4WD. Then you cross the first of many creeks and get a panoramic view of the Rocky Mountains and then something clicks in your head (besides the "Hills are alive with the sound of musiiiiiiiic")....views like the ones you see on this hike are the reason visit and move here! You won't see a lot of people on this hike and it's much welcomed, this is truly a lesser known trail and when you get to the lake, you will say "Ay chihuahua!" I think we saw five to six people the entire time, it was awesome and how I wish more hikes within driving distance of Denver were! The only animals we saw were birds, chipmunks, pika and bugs.....nothing too scary! Must Haves for this hike -Extra pair or two of socks, I don't care how waterproof your shoes are, they WILL get wet! -Poles. I NEVER bring my poles and I'm so grateful I brought them and used them on all eight plus miles of this hike! -A plethora of snacks -A positive attitude, you're going to need it!

Wow! It's so beautiful here. I enjoyed my solo take out dinner sitting on top of a boulder and…read moreenjoying the views of the lake and mountains. Plus, the lake is only. Short walk from the parking lot, so it is accessible to most. While on a short hike on the trail, I ran into a beautiful MOOSE and caught a few photos while he ate his dinner. Amazing experience!

Brainard NRA is stunning. I was surprised how fast the tickets go for this place during the summer…read moremonths - I went in mid September and the tickets for the morning times were fully gone within minutes after they dropped online a few weeks before I went Given RMNP tix go like that I was ready at 0900 for when they dropped, and actually within 1 min the 8-11a time slot sold out so I couldn't get it! But I did get the 5-8a slot which was fine. The area itself is very easy to find and navigate, and it is well maintained by the staff. When you arrive they do scan your day pass ticket and give you a pass to hang on your rear view mirror. The lot was plenty empty at Long lake trailhead (the start to get to Lake Isabelle) when I arrived around 0730. The day was fairly cool but not cold, and partly cloudy. It was absolutely gorgeous, the hike there was even more beautiful than the lake itself! I saw a moose along part of the trail too. The lake itself was surprisingly low, I'm not sure why the water level was that low but it looked much lower compared to the pictures/tiktoks I've seen online. That said, it is still very picturesque. There were lots of places to roam around the lake, and even tho it became SUPER windy when I got to the lake, I had a good time running around (but note - my nose was running like CRAZY, if you have allergies, come with tissues!). I did end up walking from long lake trailhead to the lake Mitchell trailhead and making the hike out there too; Isabelle is prettier imo but it was still a fun walk and the trailhead at Mitchell has plenty of parking too. There is a little trail, about 15 mins walk between long lake trailhead and Mitchell trailhead, although you do briefly have to walk along part of the road. Brainard lake itself is also lovely, I saw a moose hanging out right by this lake too!

A friend of mine had told me about this place and said we should give it a visit when in Colorado…read more We tried to do that the last time we were there, but it had already closed for the season. This trip, we were a week or so earlier, so we decided to try again. Fortunately, most of the area was still open. Only the very top was closed. Timed entry passes are required here, just like in many of the National Parks. I'm glad one of our group thought to get it. After a very nice drive up from Idaho Springs, we showed our permit and headed up. Part of the fun of this trip is that it's the highest paved road in North America (14,264 ft). We made it all the way up to one of the alpine lakes, and it was cold. I'm glad we were prepared for the cold and wind. We didn't see any wildlife at the lake, but we did see some on the way up. The area is full of deer, big horn sheep, and mountain goats, and we got to see 2 of the 3. Will I return? Definitely. However, if you want to see it all, you better go in the summer.

Beautiful. Loved this hike…read more Come early. parking lot may fill up. We arrive at 6 am on monday 6/27/2021. summit lake lot was around half full. There are bathrooms available at the lot for use. Bring $5 cash to pay to park when you arrive. there is an envelope to fill out over near the bathroom for parking. Take the trail that doesn't go down close to the lake and then you will hang a left. There is some signage before you really start to incline. the elevation gain from the parking lot to mount spaulding was fairly intense. There are a lot of rocks. Would make sure you have good boots for this hike. Once you get up to mount spaulding you will start to DESCEND. the trail up to mount spaulding is relatively well laid out. however after you get down from mount spaulding. Well there is a rock area that is not marked at all. Take a peek at 14ers.com so you can see some pics of where you should go. once you get over the hump and down. Stay around 25 feet down below the ridge and look for the CAIRNS. Rock piles. These will help guide you to where you should be going. Thankfully all trails did pull up for me when we were in the spot that is absolutely not marked. just be prepared for that stretch. From spaulding on up to the summit was a lot of climbing around on rocks. It was fun but be prepared for that. There were not many folks on the actual trail. but once you hit the summit parking lot at the top there will be a fair amount of people up at the summit as a lot of people drive up there. They do have bathrooms at the top, that is actually kind of a nice treat. I really enjoyed this 14er. I would definitely be up for doing this one again.

Golden Gate Canyon is a park for all seasons. If I'm being honest I don't find any of the trails or…read moreviews to be epic or spectacular, but due to my first claim in this review, 4 stars fits the bill. Winter, spring, summer, fall, Golden Gate has it all. +Winter you gaze over frozen lakes and ponds, while still being able to hike some of the trails. +Spring the flowers bloom and the aspens begin to turn. +Summer you can mountain bike and blaze all corners of the park. I've never camped here before and would be interested in doing so someday. +Fall is one of the more sought after destinations for leaf peeping and fall foliage due to its close proximity to Denver. Talk about an ideal location for a Christmas card! From old desolate cabins to rushing streams to jagged peaks to countless activities, Golden Gate Canyon is a reliable option when you need to get out of dodge.

Located about 45 minutes from downtown Denver, Golden Gate Canyon State Park is such a great place…read moreto hike, fish, and is a easy getaway from the city. Numerous trails, plenty of parking spots available as well as bathrooms. Every time I go to the park I discover something new. Visitor center also has a really cool trout pond outside, with so many of the swimming around that you can also feed with food from the vending machine. One of my favorite places outside of Denver to get outdoors!

During the Summer Butler Gulch is a delightful easy trek...Winter in a foot of snow and subzero…read moretemps...not so much. It will test your stamina but it is worth snowshoeing up to the Jean Mine. Look out for Nordic skiers and Snow Mobiles. Awesome views

Are you seeking wildflowers?! ++ COME HERE!!…read more Craving some waterfalls?! ++ COME HERE!! Does old mining equipment intrigue you?! ++ COME HERE!! Do you crave a customizable challenge?! ++ COME HERE!! Having had Butler Gulch on my "must hike" list for what feels like forever, it was one of the first hikes I chose this season. Tiffany N and I made our way there in search of some wildflowers, and we were not disappointed. The trail shape is a lollipop. We, however, chose a slightly less challenging route and treated it as an out and back (by going counterclockwise until just a bit past the old mining equipment) versus a loop. If you plan to do the whole loop, you are going to want to go clockwise once you get to the split in the trail, as there are some intense switchbacks that you don't want to tackle going down hill. There are definitely some steep stretches that we found challenging, but once we passed those we found great rewards - an abundance of wildflowers covering the surrounding mountains. It was glorious! There are several streams and waterfalls along the way too. I highly recommend hiking Butler Gulch early in the season to ensure that you get to take in all that colorful Colorado has to offer!

Having spent ample time hiking in the area, I finally decided to check out Forest Lakes. Whoa! I…read morecan't believe I slept on these beautiful mountain lakes! GETTING THERE: There appears to be a couple different approaches for this lake complex depending on the, "choose your own hiking adventure" you're seeking. If you have access to a high clearance vehicle, and off-roading is more your wheelhouse (see what I did there), you can take Forest Road 149 (Rollins-Pass Road) to the trailhead and have a very short walk to the larger of the lakes. However, if like me, you are seeking to push yourself a bit more, you'll start at the East Portal Trailhead and take in all the glorious scenery on foot. EXERTION: Coming in at 8.2 miles and 1,800+ feet of elevation gain, this trail makes for a moderate to hard hike. It's shaded almost the entire time, follows Arapahoe Creek a good portion of the trail, and the elevation is spread out fairly well. EXPERIENCE: There are a few lakes that make up this complex, but two really notable ones. The larger of the two, Upper Forest Lake, has a ton of trout. It was relaxing to kick back and watch them swim and jump for the bugs near the surface of the water. I chose to hike this trail a bit later in wildflower season, but there were still so many gorgeous blossoms on display! All in all, Forest Lakes impressed me! I'll definitely be adding this moderate adventure to my hiking short-list for future adventures.