Recently visited Loveland Pass on our way back from Breckenridge. We drove to the top instead of…read morehiking. On the way up, we saw some light snow flurries, and by the time we reached the top, it was actively snowing. The scenery is absolutely stunning definitely a must-see if you're in the area. Just a heads-up: it can get icy and slippery, so be careful while walking around. Overall, it's a beautiful spot and perfect for enjoying the snowy mountain views! Plus it's free!

Each stop on our full day was momentous. The clouds touch the mountains and it's breathtaking…read more Pictures do not give justice to the view. Wear weather appropriate clothes and shoes. We were not able to make it to the top of the steps but still happy we got to explore this place for a bit!

Beautiful scenic overlook with absolutely breathtaking views, straight out of a postcard!!! It's…read morean easy drive and there was plenty of parking when we arrived, which made it very convenient. Just a heads up: it can be very icy, so definitely wear snow boots or sturdy protective shoes (I slipped a few times ). Overall, totally worth it and I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

You can't really call this a hike, it's a 0.1 mile walk to the lookout. But it's easy to find on…read morethe map and cute! I give 4/5 stars because this spot is obvs weather dependent - the day I came was grey and wet so the view wasn't as lovely as I'd seen online but it's still a great vibe and a lovely, easy to access spot in the white river national forest area. If you're in Frisco/Breckenridge and want a nice photo op spot this is a great option!

Not going to lie. You're going to work for your view!…read more Total hike 10-11 miles with 3700 feet of elevation gain. For your efforts you are rewarded with stunning views of Silverthorne, Lake/Resevoir Dillon. the Gore range, and so many amazing peaks. Bring at least 2 liters of water, snacks, and good hiking shoes

When you follow the directions, it puts you at a good place to park at the end of a dirt road. But…read moreyou follow it for maybe a quarter of a mile, and then there's a paved road. The next portion of the trail isn't well marked, but if you follow the asphalt road up until the 2nd no trespassing sign, it's there. Don't be like us and walk through the neighborhood instead (which was pretty, but not our intention). Also, this trail has a lot of scree, and beyond a nice view of the town, doesn't have much going for it.

On our way from Denver to Breckenridge, we stopped at this lake for a bit of a break. The natural…read morebeauty of this body of water is breathtaking....from far, you can see the lake and the Rockies in the background...up close you can enjoy the crystal blue waters and some of the activities that are allowed on the lake. Dillon Reservoir, sometimes referred to as Lake Dillon, is located in Summit County, Colorado, south of I-70 and bordered by the towns of Frisco, Silverthorne, and Dillon. It is a reservoir for the city of Denver, and its waters are under the control of Denver Water. Popular ski areas are close to the reservoir, including Copper Mountain, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, and Breckenridge. During the winter months, ice fishing and snowmobiling are common activities. For warmer months, the towns of Dillon and Frisco each have marinas on the reservoir. The Dillon Marina is open pretty much during the season and hundreds of sailboats can be seen docked or sailing. Due to Dillon Reservoir's proximity to the towns of Dillon, Silverthorne, and Frisco, the lake has many lodging, camping, and RV facilities. The reservoir has a popular 18 miles paved bike path that winds around the entire reservoir. The path can be accessed at any point around the reservoir. The views from any angle are worth the drive to this beautiful lake.

Beautiful place to visit. You can paddle board or kayak. Lots of families at the playground and…read morepicnic areas

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!

Wonderful trail wow! We saw so many mountain goats! The views of the lake were incredible. Would…read moretotally come back!

Take the 850 road which is unpaved to the 1st parking lot with a lake to the south side. Here you…read morecan see the waterfalls in the distance. You will have to cross the river which has no bridge. Either take off your shoes or skillfully traverse the river by rock hopping across. If you have poles you stand a better chance of not falling off the stepping stones. After the falls you can drive all the way up to the dam and park there. Mountain goats do walk about there to lick the dust off cars or lick the roads there for salt which was left over from the salting of the roads during winter. If you are lucky you will be able to see them up close. Apparently they are there frequently. The views are spectacular in this glacial valley.

The lakes were beautiful and the falls were also very beautiful. The hike was challenging but…read moredoable and not too hard. Good shade in a lot of places but lots of mosquitoes as well you need bug spray for sure! Really crowded but less crowded than a fourteener.

I arrived close to 8AM, and the parking lot was full but I still parked pretty close to the…read moretrailhead. The hike up was quite shaded for most of it, and it wasn't too bad until the steep section about halfway into the hike. Views were pretty with mountains in the distance and being surrounded by trees, and the waterfall was small but pleasant. The lakes were pretty as well, and there were lots of places to sit around it. Good hike! I didn't (know to) go all the way to the last lake, just went to Upper Mohawk Lake which took me 3.5 hours round-trip not including time spent at the top.

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.

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.

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!