Arvada, Colorado

The Peak to Peak Highway is a 55-mile stretch of road that winds its way from Nederland to Estes Park (or Estes Park to Nederland). This road connects to many points of exploration, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and Rocky Mountain National Park to name a couple, but the drive itself is an adventur...

The Fountain Valley Trail at Roxborough State Park is a very easy trail that's perfect for those that want to enjoy the outdoors but not subject themselves to the rigors of climbing a 14er. This very well maintained trail is wide and flat and perfect for groups, families, or for taking visitors t...

Roxborough State Park is one of the closest parks to the Denver metro area and is the perfect place to go if you're looking to experience the great outdoors without having to drive too far from the city.One of my favorite trails in the park is the South Rim Trail which takes you on an easy to mod...

Carpenter Peak stands at 7,166 feet above sea level. While that altitude might not exactly take your breath away, the views from the top certainly will. Starting at the Visitor's Center, the trail to Carpenter's Peak begins as a relatively flat, well-traveled trail. A little less than a mile into...

Roxborough State Park is located on the outskirts of Littleton, Colorado. Boasting incredible red rock formations and abundant wildlife, it is the perfect place for a quick escape outside.The Willow Creek Loop connects to the two parking lots in the park, so it is impossible to miss. With only th...

Davis Ponds Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Conifer, Colorado.

The Caribou Ranch Open Space is about two miles north of the town of Nederland. From Nederland, at the town’s roundabout, head west on CO 72 for about two miles. Turn left onto CO 126 at the sign for Caribou Ranch Open Space. Follow the dirt road for about .8 miles until you see the large parking...

Begin on Staunton Ranch Trail for 3.3 miles. Switch to Bugling Elk Trail for the next 1.1 miles, then to Lion's Back Trail for the last mile to the overlook. From here, you can create the loop by backtracking to the Chimney Rock Trail, which then connects with the Elk Falls Trail. To head back to...

McIntosh Lake is in northwest Longmont. The 3.6-mile loop extends all the way around the lake, with the first half being on a paved cement trail with neighborhood playgrounds, basketball, volleyball, and a seasonally open restroom. The trail turns to dirt on the western half of the loop, and here...

Accessed by Hessie Trailhead, Lost Lake is a relatively moderate 4 mile round-trip hike with about 1,000 feet of elevation. The core of the hike is uphill and on a gravel path, 2/3rds of the hike runs parallel to a rushing waterfall.  After parking your car, head towards the Hessie Trailhead. Yo...

While the Mt. Evans Wilderness never has a shortage of visitors, thanks to its proximity to Denver, it is possible to find a more private hike if you know where to look. Lincoln Lake Trail, accessible from Echo Lake year-round, is not as glamorous as its sister trail, Chicago Lakes, but is a wond...

The normal route from the east side is via the Hessie trailhead outside Nederland Colorado. From the west it is most often accessed via the short trail from Rollins pass, which is open in the summer. As noted above, it is also a lake and area ripe for creating your own adventure. The description ...

Driving through the towns of Nederlands and Eldora alone is a beautiful experience. Once you come up to Hessie Trailhead, you'll already be in a daze because you'll be staring at Eldora Mountain and will see some ski runs in the distance.Getting to the trailhead early is best. Parking starts alon...

Starting at 9100 feet, the Hessie trailhead is easily accessible by both 2 and 4 wheel drive cars (depending on how far you want to travel down the road). The trail is fairly easy and often packed down snow up to the cut off point to the Devil's Thumb Bypass, which allows a bypass of Lost Lake an...

Lost Lake of the Indian Peaks Wilderness area is a scenic short hike (about 3 hours) with a lot to see. The trailhead is tucked at the end of a road that passes through Eldora, a charming village of cabins and old abandoned buildings. You will pass by the lost "town" of Hessie on foot, which is w...

On the way to the summit of Mt. Evans sits a small 160 acre preserve of some of the world's oldest living trees. The Mount Goliath Natural Area protects a rare site of Bristlecone Pines that make excellent photographic subjects.Immediately after parking you're surrounded by a miniature forest ful...