I had a random Monday off and finally made my way to Guanella Pass after being in my bucket list…read morefor so long. When you first exit Georgetown, there are so many signs to guide you to Guanella Pass (also unlike a lot of places, this is free with free parking as well). This is a drive so be kind and share the road. This is also a paved road so driving was quite easy. There are lots of curved spots to park your car if there's a view you are interested in. Drive at your own pace. Take your time and drive slowly because the views are amazing, especially in Autumn. There are lots of lakes so if you see a sign for picnic area, make a stop. Drive up to the top of the summit. It's chilly but the views are wonderful. My little fur baby had a blast.

Gorgeous. Guanella…read morePass is certainly a fan favorite, especially for those seeking the fall colors a short drive from Denver. Plus it's a paved pass so that's a plus. Along the route are a ton of pull outs and scenic stops which are well occupied and used. There are also some campsites for those wishing to stay longer and check out some of the hiking trails. Absolutely a must see if you're scouting out the fall colors or looking to climb Mount Bierstadt.

This is a great hike not too far outside Denver. I found out about this trail thanks to my "60…read morehikes within 60 miles" book. An aside-- I found that book in Barnes and Noble and impulsively decided to buy it. It's been a fabulous purchase! Some of you CO natives are probably rolling your eyes at me, but I've found a ton of lesser known hikes (as well as some very common ones) thanks to this book-- the most recent of which being Hell's Hole. Hell's Hole trail leads into Mt. Evans Wilderness about 30 min into the hike. About 20 minutes prior to this, there's a little stand where you must self register for a wilderness permit. There is no fee for this, it's basically just a way for the park service to keep track of info. The trailhead is off CO-103 on a pretty obscure road, West Chicago Creek. It gets pretty sketchy towards the end (very narrow road winding up a steep mountain with no guardrails...as long as I live here I'll never understand CO's aversion to guardrails in places like this) but it's well worth it. There's a campground near the trail head as well. The hike itself is a great workout with shade in the beginning and gorgeous views towards the end. Horses and dogs are welcome on the trail; mountain bikes are not permitted. The book I have estimated the total hike time to be 4.5 hours but I was pleasantly surprised to discover it only took me 3 hours, including a 30 min break at the turn around point and a couple photo/water opps. Obviously the hike time will vary for everyone; I guess the important thing to know is that it's 9 miles round trip. Though the hike is relatively long, it's not incredibly difficult. There are definitely some fairly steep portions, but a lot of it is at a relatively gentle incline. It seems like a fairly lightly used trail-- in the whole 3 hours I ran into about 3 other couples. It was really nice to enjoy the solitude, but also somewhat reassuring to know there were people somewhat nearby-- if you're hiking alone, like I was, it's always good to be aware! The trail ends in an open field with a creek nearby. It's around the treeline and you can see a couple fourteeners towering over you in this beautiful post-glacier valley. Definitely an ideal picnic spot! This trail is out-and-back, so once you've had enough of the scenery, it's time to pack it in and do it all over again!

Absolutely beautiful. Fairly populated trail so I wouldn't feel anxious going here alone. Road up…read morethe the trail head may be a bit difficult to find, just google it, the road is a little sketchy but I made it up in my little Toyota Camry just fine.

Great trail that allows you to connect to a series of trails and dry slopes in the summer months…read more You can start near the Village or off Mill Creek Circle and connect over. Alternately, begin at the base of Lionshead. It is seven to eight miles roundtrip on the traditional route. I do not remember seeing any berries, ever. So, don't expect a beary berry snack along the way.

What a beautiful fall trail! Starting from the Lionshead side, this path steeply ascends Vail…read moreMountain till you get up to Eagles Nest, over two thousand vertical feet above, and seven miles round trip. I've skied here a ton and biked once but never tried the hiking trails. And they are pretty awesome! Scenic and rugged, with beautiful large aspen groves and deep spruce woods. Many overlooks and clearing with the ski paths help open up the views! It's not well marked but if you keep going uphill, you'll be ok. Fantastic colors right now(10-7-23). Get out there while you still can!

Love this series of 13ers. The Sniktau-Cupid-Grizzly traverse is splendid and leads to 14ers…read moreTorreys and Grays should you so choose. A note: only late day start on a bluebird day. Otherwise, you're a prime candidate to catch a lightning bolt. If you continue to Torreys it is a significant descent, ascent. If you're not sleeping on Torreys summit, the redescent reascent could prove significant. It's a semi-arduous 8-12 miles. I was here in a snow storm and there was still shelving at play. Grizzly is not horribly intimidating, but earned its name for a reason. Reminder: it's a great idea to summit and be off the mountain by noon unless you're well versed in the generally unpredictable world of mountain weather.

The good news? It's only 1.6 miles one way…read more The bad news? It is straight up 1700 feet...you can figure the slope but trust me with the 60mph winds, snow and ice, oh yeah trail head starts at 12,000 feet....You gonna feel it aight? Stunningly gorgeous views: Pristine snow capped mountains, white valleys, oh yeah the crazy guy doing it 3 times to prep for Nepal.....yep ya gots to be a tad cray to hike this in the winter.....that be me!

The Lamartine Mine Jeep Road takes you deep into the Pike National Forest near the Mount Evans…read moreWilderness. It is a pretty quick drive up here from Denver. Map to the Phoenix Gold Mine (834 County Rd. 136, Idaho Springs) and continue past it for a couple miles. The road gets progressively rougher as you go. You will pass some old, crumbling mine buildings on your right and a large tailing pile on your left. Just after that, turn right and head up and into the wilderness. This is absolutely a jeep road, no pretenders please. You do not want to get towed out of here or leave parts of your ride somewhere in the mountains. The best time to head out here is summer. Seriously. I have been out here in the height of summer to camp and seldom see more than 3-4 people. Don't bother coming up here after hunting season starts, unless that's why you are here. You will run across all sorts of armed strangers... You are in the shadows of Mount Evans and well into the Rocky Mountain wilderness up here and it is awesome. Make sure you are prepared and someone knows where you're headed and when you'll be back. My first time up here our camp was passed by an old Bronco with a lift kit and all the fancy gear...limping along with busted up undercarriage and a hole somewhere leaking oil...He didn't really appreciate that I was out here in my old beater of a Subaru wagon, but I'm a special driver-don't try it. I showed my wife pictures when I got back and she blurted out a stunned, "That's not a road! You had the Subaru there?"

Easy trail with steady incline. Following the trail was fine using Alltrails...without it, it could…read morebe confusing as there is a lot of splits and shared with mountain bikers. The trail was well maintained and definitely dog friendly with a couple poop stations at the start.

Loved this trail. I stayed at a hotel just a mile away. It was easy to find and the single track…read moretrail was super pretty.

Hiked with a bunch of friends up to the top of Hassell Peak via Herman Gulch…read more This is a really really beautiful hike...not a really easy hike. As you start at over 10k going to over 12k. Herman lake is gorgeous from all of the snow melt. Several stream crossings. Plenty of doggies on trail. Great parking lot with okay toilets.

Trail head starts right next to the I 70 and plenty of parking through out the area. When you pull…read moreinto the area, make the right instead of going up the hill. Overall, steep incline for 1st mile or so and rest of the hike is nice and leisurely hike while enjoying the scenery. Most of the hike is next to the creek and wild flowers (during the warmer season) and the trail is maintained very well. When I visited, there were no columbines but other wild flowers were abundant. Lots of mushrooms to admire at also. Depending on your ability, I would rate as easy to moderate. When you are ready to take the lake photo with the gorgeous background, try to do it at the junction closer to the lake.

We stopped here on our way back to Denver from Steamboat. Traffic on I70 was bad (as usual) so we…read morewere hoping to wait it out at the park. The park has a large playground for children, tennis/pickleball courts, basketball courts, a skatepark, picnic shelters, a large field, and bathrooms. It was a great place to stop to eat lunch and wait out traffic.

Hideaway Park is the perfect place to dine on a picnic lunch while letting the little ones stretch…read moretheir legs and conquer a kingdom. I visited the playground as a pit stop between Rocky Mountain National Park and Denver, a spot where my child could scramble around on the bouncy, resilient rubber matting instead of being confined to a carseat. We found the park by accident, driving straight up through downtown Winter Park. Situated right in the heart of the shopping district, Hideaway is hidden from whom exactly? Bears in the woods? Posh skiiers in their $500,000 condos? It certainly isn't from the road, set back slightly from the crosswalk and sinking back deep. The play equipment is in great shape and nicely durable, not the sort of ancient metal slide that scalds little thighs and calves or the monkey bar prisons parents dread because we have no way to extricate our children without being accused of violating the Geneva Convention. Of course, we're violating it allowing our little one to be the prisoner of Metallialand. Plentiful benches and perches give adults a spot to watch the entertainment, and impromptu lunch from one of the many cafes nearby are very easily done. I enjoyed this little spot while we were here. It was tidy and open, though I did have to chase down my little one a few times to keep him from playing in traffic. Barring that hazard, it's a great spot the locals clearly get to enjoy.