Great day hike/Backpacking trail…read more You can either park at the Bierstadt parking lot ( Guanella Pass ) above or park below (Burning Bear) and go up. Great views and varied terrain. For me Abyss Lake was so so and much preferred Helms lake but both have spectacular views of Bierstadt and Evans/Blue Sky. If you plan to camp there are some great spots below Helms at the junction going up.

This is a absolutely beautiful trail tucked away off in guanella pass! It has a small parking lot…read more There is no bathroom and also no trash cans! So plan on packing out what you pack in INCLUDING your dog poop bags. Please dont leave them there for everyone else have to view or pick up. Be responsible for your things!!! If you are going on the weekend be sure to go early. This is a popular trail! we got there at 645 am. the lot was full and we ended up parking a bit away on the side of the road but when we got done cars were lined up for a LONG ways! And you could tell. The trail was so freaking busy! If it were not prime leaf peeping season i am guessing that maybe it may not have been that bad. This is also a leashed dog trail so please be sure to have that dog on a leash if you are heading to this area. Be respectful of the rules or dont come. So many aspens and so so beautiful! will definitely be back in the future!

Flying J Ranch Park is close enough to my house to be easy, but mentally it feels worlds away…read more That's the whole trick. You don't have to make a big Colorado production out of it. Drive to Conifer, get out of the car, and let the city brain loosen its grip. It's also not overrun. Parking is limited, and honestly, that may be part of the charm. It keeps Flying J from turning into one of those Front Range hiking scenes where the parking lot feels like a Subaru convention sponsored by REI. The bathrooms deserve their own mention. They are the cleanest park bathrooms I have experienced. Bring a wipe for your hands and you're good to go. The main walk is Shadow Pine Loop, which is about three miles and easy enough for anyone who wants a real walk without signing up for punishment or humiliation. Go left to right, clockwise, east to west, or whatever directional language works for you. I give directions like a city kid, you'll figure it out. The trail draws a mix of people: parents with young kids burning off energy, older folks, meaning older than me, on group walks, and lots of doggies. Please keep your dog on leash. I know, I know, your dog is friendly. So is everyone's dog... The only subculture to watch for is the occasional bike bro who treats right of way like a personal trail system. Most people are great. A few roll through with a festival-bro confidence level that feels wildly unnecessary on the peaceful trails. The park has changed in recent years. Prescribed burns, thinning, and fallen trees have opened up parts of the forest, so there is more sun than there used to be. Some spots look a little rough. Then you notice the new seedlings coming in, and suddenly you're thinking about forest cycles, renewal, mortality, and why you came here without coffee. Wait. Where were we? Come back. Flying J is not flashy. That's the point. It's easy, close, calm, dog-friendly, and natural enough to help change your headspace. Not every hike needs to conquer something. Sometimes it just needs to hand your brain back in better condition.

Beautiful park in Evergreen with a easy trail. Right now it's great for spikes or snowshoes. The…read moresnow was packed and more slushy and icy so we used spikes instead of the snowshoes and they worked great. The views are pretty and not too crowded at all. There was a ranger at the parking lot and it seems to be checked up on quite a bit. The parking lot isn't too small and there's good space. Highly recommend in the winter because it makes the trail more interesting.

An absolutely stunning trail where you can get into nature quick. It is my favorite place to bike…read morethat I have found so far since moving here. I highly recommend coming here to bike unless you are a serious runner who can do the 12.4 miles out and back. It's definitely worth it to go the whole trail because the farther you go in the prettier it gets and the dam at the end is pretty cool! If you are a serious nature enthusiast there are campgrounds at the end of the trail. The only thing that is a con for me is I still haven't seen any big horn sheep on this trail! I have seen deer here though and plenty of birds. Tips: no dogs allowed.

My husband is a runner and goes here on a daily basis. He always has a wonderful time and it is a…read moregood place to run many different trails!! Well maintained there is horseback riding here, canoeing, windsurfing and much more!! When they let you see them the bright white horned goats are a treat to see... A lifetime memory for many when you get to see them. One season the bears came down and decided to take over the downstream River and from a distance you could see them splashing around and enjoying early summer in the river. Whatever you do do not forget to take your camera! We have seen the golden eagles and their babies in a nest, Hawks are abundant in the area as well as owls. A mature owl, will have a huge wingspan! Children love the area but you must be aware they shouldn't run and stay with you at all times as there are Rattlers especially in the grass. Stay on the trail do not go off the trail. Horseback riding is available nearby. Check with rangers about tubing and boating which are also nearby. We visit often at least four times a week for my husband if not five a great running area and you get to see wildlife as well!! Highly recommend it very clean and well taken care of even with the drought. .

Beautiful drive to Como from Breckenridge. Wildflowers in the summer and leave watching in the…read morefall.4x4 recommended. Outside of FairPlay coming up 285.

Do you consider yourself a nature person? If so, I highly recommend the Boreas Pass experience. If…read morenot, it might be a really boring drive. As nature lovers, we've done it twice. I can't imagine being in Breckenridge in the fall and not experiencing Boreas Pass. If the aspen trees are turning, there's no better way to spend an afternoon. You can do it as quickly or as leisurely as you like for us. It has taken us about 4 hours. From Breckenridge, in the fall, I wouldn't leave after noon to get started. We love to stop and take pictures and get out and walk a little bit too. We've done it in the fall with the Aspen's turning yellow, and I can't recommend it enough. If you complete the whole drive, you'll experience quite a bit of elevation change. This last time when we were returning to Breckenridge the tire pressure indicator light in the car turned on after we had finished the drive and we're headed back to Breckenridge. There are gas stations with air pumps but they are few and far between. It might be a good idea to stop and put air in your tires in Fairplay, CO before making the drive back to the town you are visiting. (Assuming, here, that locals don't need to read Yelp reviews for Boreas Pass). We ate at Otto's Food Cart in Alma, CO, but then had to head back to FairPlay, CO where the original Otto's restaurant is located to put air in our tires. Next time we might check out Otto's in FairPlay and air up our tires around the corner before heading back to Breck. September 2024

This is one of my favorite private waters for fly fishing! The river is full of HOGS...if you fly…read morefish you understand. The facilities are fantastic. They have a club house with restrooms. Heated in colder weather to gear up. Coffee and donuts and such to start your day. A cooked lunch with beer or wine, and non alcoholic beverages. During warmer weather a beautiful outdoor area with fire pits. I intend to frequent Boxwood as ofen as I can! Extremly WOMEN FREINDLY! not a boys club!

I am surprised that I am the first to review this trail. It seemed like a fairly well traveled…read moretrail. I was looking for something in the bailey area that was easy to moderate to take my girl scouts on. Scouring through alltrails and then asking on some women hiking groups on facebook i managed to get a few recommendations. Shadow Pines loop trail is a jefferson county open space trail. It is a 3.9 mile loop with 360 feet of elevation gain. Dogs are welcome on the trail but MUST be on a leash! There are 2 different entrances to this trail. One with a small parking lot and one with a larger parking lot, a bathroom and picnic tables. We started at the one with the smaller parking lot. Its a relatively small and gentle incline. Really this would be good for all skill levels. As you get up on the lollipop portion of the trail, you will begin to get more into the trees and you feel like you are really more in nature. There are some great views along the way as well. The girls were all pleased with the hike. I would do it again if in the area for sure.

Palmer Lake is yet another marvelous Colorado locale. It offers what any overstimulated city brain…read moreneeds: quiet, crisp Colorado air and an abundance of trails. Wandering the paths past the esteemed Estemere is postcard perfect. Back at the lake, you stop mid-stride just to take in the reflection of the mountains on the water. It's a typical Colorado landscape - but in some places it would be the best thing in 1,000 miles! Sometimes the best antidote to city life is a simple trail and a beautiful lake.

Another nice drive down to the lake. Windy and gusty which made it cooler than expected. Families…read moreenjoying lake side activities - paddle boarding, fishing, volleyball, pickleball and disc golf. Unfortunately there was an asshat today who was rude about us blocking his way. No excuse me I'm throwing in your direction but a head nods and then a 'you could move or I can throw it right at you.' Ok dude, we can't read your signals so use your words. May the wind take his disc and place it in the middle of the lake.

Nice campground facilities near a lake with plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities including…read moredeer, heron and a large variety of birds. Only dislike is the daily park pass at $8.