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?

This was tougher than I thought it would be. You read all the information on what happens when you…read moreclimb higher. Well to provide an example, at the bottom it was 82 degrees. We got to the top and temperature dropped down to 38 degrees. I didn't have the correct clothes on for being that high up on Mt. Evans. The other part is when I got out of the vehicle, wow the air took my breath away and took me a while to gain it back. I got lightheaded immediately while exiting the vehicle. Besides that the views were absolutely amazing. Some of the best views I've ever seen. It reminded me of Washington State and South Dakota. Just incredible views. The other part was driving to the top, guardrails are minor and gets more scary as you drive further up. It was a great time.

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.

It's a bit of a shame that there isn't more signage on Main Street to direct visitors to this…read morebeautiful site. The river walk is nicely done, clean, and the fall is so pretty (although noisy from I-70's traffic). We sat on one of the benches for a while and enjoyed watching the river rafting tours go by while sipping on our ice coffee.

The Charlie Tayler Water Wheel is a charming and unexpected little gem right in downtown Idaho…read moreSprings. It's a quick stop, but absolutely worth it if you appreciate local history and unique landmarks. The water wheel was built in 1893 by miner Charlie Tayler to power a stamp mill at his gold mining operation on Ute Creek. The wheel drove machinery that crushed ore so gold and silver could be extracted, a key part of mining technology in the late 19th century. The restored water wheel sits along Clear Creek and offers a great glimpse into the town's mining past. It's well-maintained, easy to access, and makes for a perfect photo spot. I loved how it blends naturally into the creekside scenery while still telling a story about the area's heritage. It's peaceful, scenic, and a nice reminder of Idaho Springs' roots. This is a simple but meaningful stop that adds character to the visit. Today, the Wheel stands as an iconic symbol of Idaho Springs' past, celebrating the ingenuity of early miners and the town's role in Colorado's gold rush history.

The first time in 132 years the glacier has melted. But it is so beautiful!! There is so much…read morehistory here. You start off at 10380 feet at the entry in elevation to reach 10730 feet at the first glacier lake. It is so beautiful! We hiked up around noon and saw a few deer along the way. There was a great group of folks going up or down sharing their experiences. A couple from Michigan rally enjoyed going up to the 2nd lake toward the top. Just as breathtaking from the pictures they shared with us today. Parking is easy on the app, well worth the $20 for all day parking. Restrooms are close by and very clean.

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.

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.

This is a great trail in summer & winter. Minimum is 7 miles with 1800 ft elevation, slightly…read morelonger to explore around any of the lakes more than the shortest trail provides. It's easy to reach in all seasons: due to the train tunnel, the dirt road to the trailhead is kept well maintained and plowed. Definitely way way more crowded on summer weekends than in winter. Several little waterfalls and tons on wildflowers even in late August made it a rewarding trail along the way, not only payoffs at the lakes. The trail from the lower two lakes to the upper lake is much steeper, but worth the added effort. Just note that when you first reach what you think is the upper lake, it's actually the drainage (albeit also lovely, see my attached photo); you need to go just a bit further over the boulders & through some bushes to reach the final upper cirque.

James Peak Wilderness area is one of my favs close to Denver. That and Indian peaks wilderness…read more Crater lakes is a moderate hike to 5 fantastic lakes that you can hike, camp, backpack, fish at. Last time I was there I saw two amazing Moose...just gorgeous. Area gets insane on the weekends with tons of peoples and dogs. Last three times I have been there I have been in thunder and hails storms after 1 pm. So if you are planning to hike getting off the mountain before might be a good idea. You can also take the more strenuous Heart Lake trail which is also fantastic and if you really want to kick your ass go up to Rogers pass for beautiful vistas. Great parking.

I thoroughly enjoyed car camping at GGSP. firstly it's one hour from Denver without I70 traffic…read more It's at 8500 feet elevation with all the beautiful nature that comes with that altitude. The campsites are spacious, and tree'ed. There's garbage disposal, dish washing stations, full bathrooms and a shower station. All this fur $28/night.

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.

Es dificil a veces saber a donde ir o que llevar cuando tienes ganas de viajar. Viajes Colorado me…read moredio una experiencia magica. No me tuve que preocupar de nada, llevaban ellos equipo, sabian las mejores zonas, tomaron las mejores fotos, me llevaron por excelente comida. Una experiencia relajante y aventurera que 100% recomiendo.

From the owner: Driven by a solution-oriented mindset and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Christian is…read morededicated to doing whatever it takes to help you create the best memories possible, ensuring that your experiences are both special and memorable.

One of the most beautiful hikes we have ever gone on…read more Wildflowers, streams, waterfalls and an amazing lake to top it off. High elevation and quite tough going up but so worth it!! Took us about 4 hours total. Stop in Nederland on the way down for early dinner or lunch. Fantastic day

So effing beautiful. Let's just start there. Like the whole way up. Views of trees and mountainous…read moreviews. My legs hurt and I was dehydrated as shit because my moron friends didn't want to stop for food / water beforehand (big mistake). This wasn't the end of the world though due to the natural streams throughout the trek. Just dip your head in for some of the coolest most refreshing water you have ever tasted. Seriously, it beats the hell out of a bottle of Poland Spring or Fiji or whatever your posh ass is used to. I may retract that statement in a week when I have a tadpole making a nest (or whatever tadpoles do) inside of my stomach but for now ... yeah ... refreshing :) Get there early and have a car that you can beat up a little / SUV since there is about 4 miles of hilly dirt roads to get to the trail-head. I recommend hiking boots but I was fine in sneakers. Definitely take snacks / water and if your friends convince you otherwise just poke them hard in the gut with your hiking poles / stick (yes you probably want these too) until they cave in and stop the car for you. The trail is easy to follow. There is a split after about 1 - 1.5 miles up that has you chose between Apache Trail and Diamond Lake. We went for the lake. You will know you are there. If you miss it, congrats, you will probably be some giant grizzly bear's dinner that night. It was one of the more beautiful hiking sites I have bore witness to. For an added bonus and guys if you don't mind your balls retreating up into your stomach for warmth, take off those shoes and climb onto that rock in the center of the lake for some incredible panorama photos. The area surrounding the lake is great for a nap, a picnic, a read, etc. On our way down we stumbled across a man who sprained his ankle about 2 miles in. As a 9 person bachelor party we helped carry him 2 miles to the bottom. Humanitarian mission of Colorado has been complete, sites have been seen, and headache from altitude sickness is quickly on-setting due to lack of nutrients and H20. Despite hunger and a pounding headache, I definitely want to get back to the area and try a few other trails. Such an amazing escape from my normal city life.