Black Hawk, Colorado

County Road 47 is between Lyons and Estes Park. It's an easy drive from Denver and is a great place to get away for the weekend. I have camped here in the summer, fall, and winter. I have to say that snow camping was my favorite. I didn't see anyone the whole weekend and had the entire area to ex...

Reynolds Park is part of the Jefferson County Open Space system. Located a few miles south of Conifer, off Hwy 285 on S. Foxton Road, it is a foothills park geared for families, groups, and the casual hiker. The network of trails on the west side of the road offers hikers and equestrians anything...

Day 1: Park at the Payne Creek/Brookside Trailhead (8,040 ft.) right outside Bailey. You'll go on the trail for about a mile before the trail parts to Craig Meadows or Craig Park. If you start this in the nighttime, it's best to camp before you part ways on the trail as it's a little more spaciou...

This adventure began at the Longs Peak trailhead in southeastern Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. I followed the Longs Peak trail for 6 miles to the Boulderfield backcountry camping area. This is a fairly steep on-trail climb of 3,360 feet. After setting up camp at 12,760 feet, my partner...

For the most part, this hike is very straightforward, so I'll essentially skip over the first 5.5 or so miles of the hike, but, in case you don't know: Start (very early so you get a parking spot) from the trailhead right next to the parking lot (the road to it is paved - seriously this mountain...

The peacock pool is a cool little tarn below the outlet to Chasm Lake. Please note that this adventure is best done in the winter/spring when snow is present to prevent erosion in the sensitive area. That is how the description will be written, assuming winter conditions. The approach is the sa...

Boulder Field is a high alpine backcountry site on Longs Peak, and is a popular camp for backpackers attempting to summit Longs Peak via the Keyhole route. At an impressive elevation of 12,760 feet, Boulder Field is a vast wasteland of rocks that sits 500 feet below the famous Keyhole feature, an...

The 4-mile trail climbs around 2500ft from the Longs Peak trailhead and starts by winding through dense forest. In the morning darkness, trudging through thick trees isn’t the most exciting, but when you finally climb out above treeline, the massive profile of Longs and the slowly growing light o...

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...

Looking to catch some fresh trout? This might be the place to get it! If it's your first time fishing Lake Granby, here's some pointers:Those of you coming from Denver, take US 40W past Winter Park, Fraser and Tabernash until you hit Granby. After you pass through the town of Granby, turn right o...

This is a great hike/trail run in Boulder County. It is located between Longmont and Lyons and is part of Boulder County Open Space. Rabbit Mountain has over 5 miles of trails and 2,733 acres of beautiful open space. The views are incredible as most of your hike you are looking out at the entire ...

Bison are the largest and heaviest land animals in North America. They are a symbol of a wild and free landscape. Despite their size these big beasts are extremely agile. They can run up to 35 miles per hour and jump 6ft high from a stand still. Very few animals pose a threat to a healthy, fully ...

Waterton Canyon is the beginning of the Colorado Trail which stretches 500 miles from Denver to Durango. Camping is allowed on the Colorado Trail but is not allowed in the first 6 miles section of Waterton Canyon, which is managed by Denver Water. The gravel road is great for running, biking, hi...

Westerly Creek Trail is an out-and-back trail that is good for all skill levels located near Denver, Colorado.

The trailhead starts close to 9,000 ft elevation. It continues at a gradual slope through the forest for a long way. The trail does not exit the tree line until close to the top, where there is a boulder field, of sorts (slightly over 11,000 ft). Don't worry, there is a nice trail all the way to ...

Lily Lake allows boating in non-motorized watercraft and is only a short carry from your parking area by 7. Parking can be limited so get there in the morning early so that you can enjoy the morning wildlife and decreased crowds. You can spend an hour or so here kayaking slowly around enjoying th...