This was a beautiful place for a hike! Well maintained, clean, and a few potties on the trail. We…read morelearned the hard way that you want to be able to park in the LazyV parking lot but you have to get there pretty early for that! And if someone asks if you're ready for an all day hike to get to the waterfall or overlook, they're not exaggerating.

Grateful for the philanthropic land donation that lead to this great state park…read more Located off from CO 285 at Pine, CO. This park is loaded with trails for hiking,running, horseback riding, cycling and access to climbing. Campsites are embedded in the park, dense trail system around a former historic farm. There is an interpretive center and plenty of parking at multiple lots. Free access if you paid for the CO Parks pass on your vehicle license renewal.

Easy to get to just off 85. Easy hike/snowshoeing as well…read more Just got back from hiking the full 11.5 miles. It's a very quite lightly trafficked location. As of today not enough snow to snow shoe and not enough to wear spikes as well. So we decided to get rid of both. About eight or more short switchbacks and a gradual uphill nothing strenuous. When you enter the Pike National Forest you're about halfway to your destination. Trail is well marked and only horses and hikers are allowed here. Solitude and enough length of trail to keep a hiker happy.

Awesome trail for snowshoeing. It is well marked on Hwy 285, with parking along the road. It…read morestarts quickly on an incline with switchbacks to accommodate the climb, but levels off after a while. Within a few minutes we were far enough up the trail that we did not hear any traffic. From there on out, it was just us. No animal sightings, but we did see tracks and scat. It was a windy day, but once in the trees and after working just a little bit, we were amply warm and happy. I felt like we could have hiked for hours and never seen another person. It was the perfect first time experience at snowshoeing. I think the Lost Creek Wilderness would be great during any season. In fact I learned of this hiking/snowshoeing destination from an REI employee who helped me find the right snowshoeing shoes. He got married in this forest preserve. I envy him that beauty and experience. The Ben Tyler trailhead is at 8260ft elevation and over 11 miles in length. The link I provide is of a map. Each trail name is linked to a history and description of the trail.

This Jefferson County park is well maintained with plenty of parking and better than average…read morevaulted toilet. Has two large reservable shelters with many picnic tables and also gazebo at the island for that special occasion. Today's visit, did not see any rangers. Lots of picnic tables by the creeks too. No open fires allowed at this time but allowed to bring gas grills. Lots of anglers, hikers and bikers were present while at the site

Had a great time snowshoeing here! Snow was scarce in some places but was still fun. Not a…read morestrenuous hike and was scenic and nice. Parking lot was not full and spacious. The ice on the lake is thick enough so there were people ice skating and ice fishing. I would say that spikes are better than snow shoes but was still a fun experience and it's also pretty here in the summer.

I prefer Mt Blue Sky over Pikes Peak (Pikes Peak and Mt Blue Sky are the only 14ers in Colorado…read morethat you can drive to the top of). I think the views at the top are better. You can see a lot of other mountains from Mount Blue Sky and feel more in the wilderness. Fun fact, It is also the highest paved road in America! On our visit we got to see mountain goats. This was my first time seeing mountain goats in the wild. We did the quick walk up to the top of the mountain which was really cool and stopped over at summit lake. Make sure to reserve your timed entry! I actually do not mind that they do this because I feel like it would be hazardous if too many people were on the road up to Mt Blue Sky. There are no guard rails, cliffs off the side of the road, potholes, and the roads can be narrow in areas so not the ideal road to be busy. Very much a bucket list activity, though I definitely want to come back again vs just checking it off my list.

Although I've lived in Colorado for nearly 40 years, I'd never visited Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway…read more when it was still called Mount Evans because I'd heard the road was very steep. When I saw news reports about the name change, I realized the scenery was indeed stunning, and the road was entirely flat asphalt. Although most of the route runs along the edge of a cliff, if you drive slowly and pull over a bit when there's no oncoming traffic, it probably isn't as heart-stopping as the legends suggest. I was just planning to go when, unexpectedly, the scenic byway closed for two years. So as soon as it reopened--while there was still snow on the summit and road conditions were good--I hurried over. Driving from the city on I-25, then taking Highway 6 and connecting to I-70, it took about 40 minutes to reach the small town of Idaho Springs at the base of the mountain. On a Sunday afternoon, the town wasn't too crowded. While there are restrooms further up the mountain, they aren't as clean or convenient as the ones at the town's visitor center, so many tourists take care of business here before heading up. The visitor center also houses a paid museum where you can learn more about the history of this mining town. Across the street from the visitor center stands a statue honoring American pilots from World War II, modeled after the famous comic book hero Steve Canyon. This is also the last place before entering the mountains where you'll have a stable cell phone signal; once you're in the mountains, the signal disappears. The 14-mile drive from Idaho Springs to Echo Lake--located at an elevation of 10,600 feet just before the scenic byway entrance--follows a lush forest road that's a pleasure to drive. Since fishing is free in Colorado this weekend, there are quite a few anglers at Echo Lake. With its rippling turquoise waters and the lush, layered mountains in the background, the scenery is truly breathtaking and refreshing. There is an outdoor picnic area next to Echo Lake, and if you find the sun too strong or the weather unfavorable, you can take a break in the picnic area inside the stone building nearby. Less than a minute's drive from Echo Lake, a right turn leads to the Scenic Byway ticket booth. The attendant will tell you about the wildlife you might see on the mountain that day and remind everyone to just watch them--do not feed or touch them. The drive from the entrance to the Mount Goliath Natural Area at 11,540 feet is about 3 miles. Although the road follows the cliffside, towering pine and evergreen trees line both sides. Except for the final stretch, the valley is only faintly visible for most of the journey, making it a relatively easy drive. Looking out from the rest area, you'll see endless, layered mountain vistas. There's a trail through the tundra nearby that leads to the summit of Mount Goliath. After passing the Mount Goliath rest area, it's 6.2 miles to Summit Lake at an elevation of 12,830 feet. The entire route consists of tundra and mountain roads with no guardrails on one side--just a sheer cliff. Since the road winds around the mountain, the route runs half on the inner side and half on the outer side of the mountain, and it's very winding. It's fine when you're on the inner side, but when you're on the outer side, the cliff is right there. Fortunately, everyone drives slowly, but it's still quite nerve-wracking. Just before reaching Summit Lake, there's a patch of snow that hasn't melted yet by the roadside. Set against the western ridge of the summit, it looks as if you're on a glacier--it's a whole new world. Not far from there is Summit Lake, a high-altitude glacial lake. A short walk from the parking lot leads to the lakeshore. The surface of Summit Lake is as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the snow-capped ridges with such clarity that they appear to be exact replicas on the water--truly a scene of icy mountains mirrored in the water, ethereal and crystal-clear. The 5.3-mile stretch from Summit Lake to the summit at 14,264 feet is steeper and more rugged than the previous section. Many visitors turn back at Summit Lake, and I, too, didn't have the confidence or fortitude to drive another 10-plus miles of mountain road round-trip. So, after taking in the scenic beauty of Summit Lake, I headed back as well. Although it's only about 9 miles from the ticket booth to Summit Lake, the speed limit is no more than 20 miles per hour, so the round trip takes roughly an hour. Adding in the time spent at the scenic area, the total trip takes a little over two hours.

We have been coming to this area for 20+ years and it never disappoints! 3 day backpack with our 15…read moreyear old and the most amazing campsites with huge boulders, water all along the way and moose/ dear encounters!

This was my first backpacking trip and we chose a difficult trail! We hiked this trail in 3 1/2…read moredays and 3 nights. We started counterclockwise from the lost park campground on a Monday and the campground was pretty scarce. When we finished on Thursday morning the campground was filling up and there were more hikers coming in for the weekend. Water was not plentiful the first day hiking counterclockwise. After we summited Bison Peak we couldn't find water to camp next to for the night and weren't able to get any until 2 miles in the following morning. Overall, this was a great hike with spectacular views along the entire trail. The trail was marked well and well kept. I purchased a map off of Amazon for $8 which was a great investment!

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.

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!

This area is just a grand area to Hike, Backpack, Snowshoe, and see the Autumn Colors...and yes…read moreI've done all. Part of the CT, Kenosha pass can give you many options: You can do the easy east part with a gentle slope of 400 feet and two miles, go the West and do a nice 10 mile hike/snowshoe, visit Chair rock, Little Scraggy peak, or Hike all the way down to the North Fork South Platte River ( Great fishing too). Two nice parking lots and easy to get to from Denver.

Absolutely gorgeous weekend this past Saturday to see the leaves. All the lots were so crowded but…read morewe managed to find parking. Everywhere was so crowded but still worth it to see the beautiful leaves. Definitely recommend in the fall.

I did this as part of a larger loop last weekend. The trail conditions for this segment were really…read moregood. It's a long trail, but not too difficult for a reasonably in shape person. Usually, you can walk two abreast and the river crossings are not hard. Lots of nice campsites every mile or so, visible right next to the trail. Once you get away from the trailhead, firewood is plentiful. Some camp sites are right next to water, so you can filter it and you're good. Others, you may have to carry water there. We did have some wet weather, which wasn't bad if you have good raincoats. Naturally, if you go to higher elevations, the rain comes down as snow, or hail, even in June. If you're just doing Goose Creek, within the first 7-8 miles, it's super easy to follow. However, good maps are available for free from the USGS web site. We also had a good map for Lost Creek from Amazon. Not too hard to get to the trail head, although you do have to drive about 15 miles of windy dirt road. It takes about 45 minutes for that part, especially if you have to back up to let someone go the other way on one of the single lane parts.

When Spring hits Colorado snow is most likely still in the mountains... but towards the end of…read morespring there is one wilderness that most locals know will most likely NOT have snow, and that is why the Lost Creek Wilderness becomes so popular. People want out of their homes and into the mountains and they want it now, so they all go. This is a great trail to either take a short hike on or a trek. I did a one night day/trek and saw my first bear in person! I am still so excited to this day that I tell people about seeing my first bear in person. He saw us first and was walking away from us, but I was scared the rest of the trek. We found the most amazing camp site under these beautiful grove of Aspens and by a nearby running river. At that particular time, we were allowed to have fires, so we made a nice controlled fire, had an amazing dinner of burritos and rice and enjoyed ourselves as the night grew cooler. You better bet your booty that we hung all of our food, wrappers, and trash in a high high tree, far, far away from our tents... You are not a true hiker if you don't! Make sure to see the shaft house.. The short mile hike will grant you awesome sites of gigantic boulders and rock formations... A sure different view then the rest of the hike. * Star one for my first bear sighting ** Raise your hands tall or talk low star two is for learning what to do if a bear approaches you talk that lasted a mile *** Wow this is old star three is for the old not-in-use shafthouses that are a perfect short trek off of the main trail **** Fire fire star four is for the first mile which shows you in person how a much a forest fire rips apart a wilderness... But the star is for the new growth... I am so cheesy! 239.

Nothing too crazy but a nice little walk with some incline. On our way here, we saw lots of deer…read morenearby which was cool. Bathrooms at the bottom were really helpful. Not the cleanest but not bad. Lots of rocks

This review is specifically for the Evergreen Mountain Trail, and it's also more for previous…read moreexperiences here rather than today. Even though many on AllTrails said the trail was fine within the past few days, it was clearly iced over today. No worries, as we had our spikes with us. Well, one worry, as one of my wife's spikes decided to sabotage our day and start to tear. After fighting with it for 30 mins or so, we abandoned our attempts to continue on the trail. Other than today, the Evergreen Mountain Trail is one of our favorites in Colorado. The views from the top are amazing. I can't recommend it enough; however, if you're going this time of year, take your spikes...you'll need them.