Estes Park, Colorado

American Lakes are two high alpine lakes located within State Forest State Park and the Never Summer Mountain Range. The park is located about 75 miles west of Fort Collins, Colo. along Highway 14 on the west side of Cameron Pass.Coming down from Cameron Pass, look for a sign for the American Lak...

This 4.3-mile round trip hike gains 1300 feet of elevation before reaching the Mt. McConnel summit. The primitive trail is rated as difficult and has an ascent of many switchbacks, leading up to a wild flower-covered summit. The trail winds along the ridge line around 8,000 feet, offering panoram...

This is a fairly popular snowshoeing and cross country skiing trail in the winter and offers a variety of additional trail options from the lake. Starting at the parking lot, the trailhead is easily accessed and begins the very gradual assent to Lake Zimmerman. Once at the lake, there are beautif...

In State Forest State Park, you start at Agnes Cabin, a historic cabin built in 1925. Because of its rustic architecture, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. It is a one-story, lodge pole pine log cabin. The cabin is empty, bu...

WARNING! AVALANCHE DANGER!Make sure you have avalanche safety knowledge and equipment. This route enters avalanche terrain.If you are looking for one of the ultimate cross-country ski treks along the northern Front Range, look no further. This trip takes you to the American Lakes at the base of t...

From the front range, drive west of Fort Collins, Colo. on Highway 14 towards Walden, Colo. When you enter Highway 14 from Fort Collins, look for Ted's Place. Ted's is a gas station and convenient store, stop here to hit the bathroom, fill up on gas, and grab some snacks. There will be very few f...

To get to Cameron Pass, drive west out of Fort Collins from Highway 287, to Highway 14, into Poudre Canyon. Take the drive all the way through Poudre Canyon, and soon you will climb out of the canyon and towards the continental divide at Cameron Pass. Once you see the sign at the top of the pass ...

While the trail does have quite a bit of elevation gain you don't really feel it since it is dispersed among five miles of trail. The first part of the trail is a wider road with a few look out points of nearby Chambers Lake. About two miles in you reach the end of the National Forest area. From ...

Start at the Monarch Lake trailhead (where there is a $5 parking fee unless you have one of the national lands passes) and follow the cascade creek trail around the north side of the lake. After about 1.5 miles the trail splits with the Arapaho pass trail, follow the cascade trail to the left as ...

Some of my best nights in Colorado were spent in Stillwater Pass. There are numerous campsites with remade fire pits. I found this site when the Timber Creek Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park was full and I did not want to head back to Denver. There is a photo of a white plastic horse a...

Stretching 126 miles from its source in the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Cache La Poudre (pronounced: Poo-ter) river provides host to an entire treasure trove of outdoor recreational activities. From Fly Fishing and rafting to camping and photography. Carved away by thousands of years of flo...

The Nokhu Hut is part of the Never Summer Nordic Hut system, and makes for the perfect beginner Hut trip. The Hut has a stocked kitchen, wood shed, and small wood burning stove that keeps the tiny hut toasty warm.From the Hut, it is a short, easy hike to Lake Agnes - the trail often stays snowy u...

The climb to the summit of Arthur's Rock in Lory State Park provides relative isolation and solitude just 30 minutes from downtown Fort Collins along with great hiking, trail running, mountain biking, rock climbing, and horseback riding.Arthur's Rock Trail is the most direct route to the summit, ...

To reach the Sawmill Creek Trailhead you have to park at the Blue Lake Trailhead parking lot located across from Long Draw Road (Rd 156) Turn-off. Once you park here you'll see a big sign for the Blue Lake Trail but you'll have to continue following the road up (Southwest) for about 100 yards unt...

The Coyote Ridge Natural Area is one of several Larimer County "gateway" preserves and Open Lands that lead into the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, connecting the shrublands of the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountain themselves through a network of trails, parks, and preserves. The Coyote Rid...

Horsetooth Reservoir North Foothills Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Fort Collins, Colorado.