![]() Vrain Creek, which burbles by the trail most of the way, and the meadows of blue columbine and other wildflowers that crop up between bouts of forest. The big effort required to take on this sixteen-mile out-and-back is eased by the beautiful Middle St. ![]() Park and take the free shuttle to the Bear Lake trailhead.įor a multi-day Front Range journey, it’s hard to beat the Gibraltar Lake hike in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Drive south for 9.2 miles along Bear Lake Road. 36 west of Estes Park to RMNP’s Beaver Meadows entrance. Emerald Lake is another perk, 1,300 feet below, and while you may be worn out before you can add the extra mileage to Hallett Peak, the short scramble to the top culminates in 360-degree views all the way out to the Gore Range. And that’s where it gets crazy: The views include the summit of Longs Peak, the craggy outline of the Keyboard of the Winds attached to Pagoda Peak, and the ridgeline of Storm Peak. Keep your eyes peeled for wild blueberries on this path, which will help fortify you for the trek above timberline. Next up: Dream Lake, tucked in the Tyndall Glacier, one of six active glaciers in the park. You’ll get to see Bear Lake from way above, along with fantastic views of Longs Peak and then Bierstadt Lake. You start the hike alongside the hordes headed to Bear Lake, but quickly after you take in that view, the trail breaks away toward Flattop (follow signs to Flattop). The bounty of picturesque stops along the way makes this hike well worth the extra work, too. Like Fern Lake, the Flattop Mountain/Hallett Peak trail sits in Rocky Mountain National Park, but with 3,238 feet of elevation gain, it’s quite a bit more challenging. 7 miles to the trailhead to see if there’s parking. From there you can either take the shuttle 1.25 miles away or go another. After 1.2 miles, take a right to Moraine Park Campground and then a left toward the Fern Lake trailhead (the route is well marked). 36 west of Estes Park to RMNP’s Beaver Meadows entrance and drive a quarter-mile to Bear Lake Road turn left. Extend the hike about another mile to Odessa Lake for a 9.7-mile day. The packed-down dirt trail gains 1,375 feet, so it’s a bit of an uphill slog in places, but the scenery is so gorgeous that you may not even notice. En route, the Big Thompson River weaves in and out, and after the falls comes Fern Lake itself at the end of a thick section of pine and spruce forest the lake is lined with trees as well. ![]() ![]() At Eldora, take the right fork and drive five miles to the Fourth of July trailhead at the far right end of the Buckingham Campground.įern Falls is a bonus to this verdant and somewhat strenuous 7.6-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park. Turn left onto County Road 130 and drive 4.7 miles. Get there: Take Colorado 72 north until you get to Nederland. That makes it a good choice for families with younger kids - and dogs are allowed, too. One of the shortest hikes on this list - it’s 2.5 miles out and back - Diamond Lake also offers some of the best camping, with primitive sites scattered around the lake. Endless carpets of wildflowers add to the allure, along with old-growth conifers and the chance to spot one of the many beavers that make their dams around the lake. Park at the NCAR lot.ĭiamond Lake sits in the Indian Peaks Wilderness and counts creeks, small waterfalls and a good look at the Continental Divide among its many charms. Get there: Head west out of Boulder on Table Mesa Drive for about 2.5 miles. To get more (and tougher) mileage, add the summit of Green Mountain, which will make for an 8.8-mile out-and-back day that gains 2,374 feet. You reach Bear Canyon - and its elaborate rock formations interspersed with a variety of native trees - after traversing the weather trail and Mesa Trail, for a total of 6.8 moderately strenuous miles out and back (1,430 feet in elevation gain). Pei-designed National Center for Atmospheric Research is a unique trailhead marker it leads to the Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail, which starts off the hike. Just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Boulder takes you to Bear Canyon, lined with its Dakota Hogback-tilted flatirons that periodically open up to peeks at the eastern high plains. Here are our ten favorite hikes that reward you with unparalleled vistas. This state offers everything from short, casual strolls to strenuous, multi-day treks, and most are easily accessed. That also means that there’s a payoff for your hiking hard work: views you won’t find anywhere else. From the highest peaks in North America to the lush forests of lodgepole pine and aspen, wildflower-blanketed meadows that go on for miles to river- and glacier-carved canyons, the Rocky Mountain landscape is ideal for exploring. ![]() Let’s face it: Colorado was made for hiking. ![]()
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