Homestead Meadows
Estes Park is the eastern gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. But some of the region’s best hiking routes are actually outside of the park, including this 2.8-mile out-and-back route (5.6 miles round trip) through the towering aspens and pines of Lion Gulch. Wander past the crumbling remains of eight homesteads built between 1889 and 1923 and keep an eye out for moose, which are frequent visitors to this area.
Hidden Valley
This easy, out-and-back trek is the perfect way to start a day in Loveland, a charming city that’s roughly an hour north of Denver. Located within the 3,007-acre Devil’s Backbone Open Space, the Hidden Valley Trail is just 3.2 miles round trip, so it makes for a good warm-up. But if your legs—and lungs—are feeling good, you can easily extend your hike by continuing on to other connecting trails, like the Hunter Loop and the Laughing Horse Loop. As the name of this open space suggests, you’ll be hiking alongside spiky rock formations that look like vertebrae (or dinosaur back plates) sticking out of the ground.
Green Mountain
Wander among the 100-plus-year-old buildings of Independence Ghost Town before setting off on this challenging, lightly traveled route to the 12,791-foot summit of Green Mountain. The 5.4-mile round trip trail south of Aspen crosses the Roaring Fork River and climbs past the remains of mining log cabins before opening onto wildflower-speckled meadows. From the top, enjoy panoramic views of Colorado’s Elk Range and the river valleys below. Tap a guide from Aspen Alpine Guides for help making the trek.
Royal Arch
Boulder is a quick, easy shot out of Denver, and no visit to this quirky college town is complete without a hike at Chautauqua, a historic park and cultural center that dates back to 1898. A favorite among locals is the hike up to Royal Arch, which offers views of Boulder’s iconic Flatirons and ends at an arched rock formation. Hikers can connect to the Royal Arch Trail from a handful of other trails, all departing from the Chautauqua Trailhead, but the most direct way is 3.4 miles round trip and is an intermediate/difficult route.
Cathedral Lake
This out-and-back hike south of Aspen is hard, but relatively short at 5.6 miles round trip. Plus, the stunning views are worth it, no matter what time of year you’re hiking. The route gains nearly 2,000 feet of elevation through the alpine meadows, forests, and scree fields of Pine Creek Canyon before arriving at an Instagram-worthy alpine lake (though be sure to read up on Aspen’s “Tag Responsibly” campaign before posting a photo, which encourages travelers not to geotag lesser-visited areas to prevent overtourism).
