This guide to 60 of the best hikes in the Denver-Boulder area leads you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings.

It’s Time to Take a Hike in Beautiful Colorado!

The best way to experience Denver and Boulder is by hiking. Get outdoors with local authors and hiking experts Mindy Sink and Kim Lipker with the full-color edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected hikes transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body.

Explore the highlights of new Colorado trails, including a waterfall in Staunton State Park, aptly named Clear Creek as it tumbles alongside the Peaks to Plains Trail, and a historical ranch at Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Enjoy classic favorites along the Front Range, such as Mount Bierstadt, one of Colorado’s iconic 14ers. Take in the views of Horsetooth Reservoir just outside Fort Collins. See Boulder’s Flatirons up close from Chautauqua Park. With these Colorado authors as your guides, you’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of the region’s best hikes!

Each hike description features key at-a-glance information on distance, difficulty, scenery, traffic, hiking time, and more, so you can quickly and easily learn about each trail. Detailed directions, GPS-based trail maps, and elevation profiles help to ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. Tips on nearby activities further enhance your enjoyment of every outing. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor to the area, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder provides plenty of options for a couple hours or a full day of adventure, all within about an hour from Denver, Boulder, and the surrounding communities—including trails near Fort Collins and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Overview Map

Map Legend

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

60 Hikes by Category

Introduction

Denver (Including Foothills and Plains)

• Alderfer/Three Sisters Park
• Belmar Park
• Bluff Lake Nature Center
• Clear Creek Canyon Park: Peaks to Plains Trail
• Dedisse Park: Evergreen Lake Trail
• Deer Creek Canyon Park: Meadowlark and Plymouth Creek Trails
• Elk Meadow Park: Meadow View, Sleepy S, and Elk Ridge Trails
• Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Mountain Lion Trail
• Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Raccoon and Mule Deer Trails
• Meyer Ranch Park: Lodge Pole Loop
• Mount Evans Wilderness: Hells Hole Trail
• Mount Evans Wilderness: Mount Bierstadt Trail
• Mount Falcon Park: Western Loop
• North Table Mountain Park: North Table, Tilting Mesa, and Mesa Top Trails
• Plains Conservation Center Loop
• Red Rocks Park: Trading Post Loop
• Silver Dollar Lake Trail
• Windy Saddle Park: Lookout Mountain Trail
• William Frederick Hayden Park: Green Mountain and Hayden Trails

South of Denver

• Castlewood Canyon State Park: Inner Canyon and Lake Gulch Trails
• Colorado Trail: Segment 3 to Tramway Trail
• Devil’s Head Trail
• Greenland Open Space: Greenland, Luge, and Kipps Trails
• Mount Herman Trail
• Pine Valley Ranch Park Loop
• Reynolds Park Loop
• Roxborough State Park: Willow Creek and South Rim Trails
• Spruce Mountain Open Space: Spruce Mountain Trail and Upper Loop
• Staunton State Park: Elk Falls
• Waterton Canyon Recreation Area

Boulder (Including Foothills and Mountains)

• Betasso Preserve: Canyon Loop Trail
• Caribou Ranch Open Space: DeLonde Trail and Blue Bird Loop
• Chautauqua Park: Chautauqua, Royal Arch, and Bluebell Road Trails
• Eldorado Canyon State Park: Eldorado Canyon Trail
• Heil Valley Ranch: Wapiti and Ponderosa Loop Trails
• Hogback Ridge Loop at North Foothills Trailhead
• Indian Peaks Wilderness: Mount Audubon Trail
• Indian Peaks Wilderness: Pawnee Pass Trail to Lake Isabelle
• James Peak Wilderness: South Boulder Creek and Crater Lakes Trails
• James Peak Wilderness: South Boulder Creek Trail
• Mount Sanitas, East Ridge, and Sanitas Valley Trails
• Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge: Lindsay Ranch Loop
• South Boulder Creek Trail from Bobolink Trailhead
• South Mesa Trailhead to Bear Peak
• Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat and Sawhill Ponds Wildlife Preserve
• Walker Ranch: Meyers Homestead Trail

North of Boulder (Including Fort Collins and Rocky Mountain National Park)

• Button Rock Preserve: Sleepy Lion and Hummingbird Switchback Trails
• Ceran Saint Vrain Trail
• Crosier Mountain Rainbow, Glen Haven, and Summit Trails
• Devil’s Backbone Open Space: Wild Loop
• Greyrock Meadows and Summit Trails
• Hermit Park Open Space: Kruger Rock Trail
• Horsetooth Mountain Open Space: Horsetooth Falls and Horsetooth Rock Trails
• Lory State Park: Arthur’s Rock Trail
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Gem Lake Trail
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Glacier Gorge and Loch Vale Trails to Timberline Falls
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Lily Ridge and Lily Lake Trails
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Twin Sisters Trail
• Rocky Mountain National Park: Wild Basin and Bluebird Lake Trails
• Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain: Eagle Wind Trail

Appendix A: Outdoor Stores

Appendix B: Map Sources

Appendix C: Area Hiking Clubs and Organizations

Index

About the Authors