Colorado Hiking Areas

By Rick Chapo

From the Front Range to the beauty of its parks, Colorado is an undeniable top destination for hiking. Colorado hiking areas are plentiful and present a wide array of challenges and scenery.

Colorado Hiking Areas

Whether at Denver, Lyons, Boulder or Leadville, Colorado offers an outstanding outdoor experience. From the Longs Peak, Estes Park, and Green Mountain Loop in Boulder Country, to the Aiken Canyon in Colorado Springs, you have the chance to get close to unique flora and wildlife that call this area home. Throw on a pair of boots, jump in the car and within 30 minutes you can be hoofing it through the scenery

Glacier Gorge, located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, is one of many beautiful Colorado hiking areas. On the 9.6 mile hike, you will come across alpine lakes, cascading waterfalls and spectacular peak views. Much to the surprise of many, you also get to hike on the actual glacier, a rare event in the continental United States. 

For those who prefer a "through the woods" hiking experience, Canyon Loop in Boulder is the place. This hiking area is located within the Betasso Preserve, which encompasses over 700 acres of forested ravines and open meadows. The path runs past the old mining town of Oradell and offers the chance to experience peaceful solitude while also seeing wildlife and flora that is simply amazing.

If you have ever heard about or watched the famous Pike’s Peak race, I have some good news. For the hearty souls that like to break a sweat on a hike, you can go from the bottom of Pike’s Peak to the top. You can either take the very road used for the race or meander up one of the many trails. Roundtrip is just short of 13 miles, but it will be a tough hike. The journey is considered a buster because of the massive elevation gain and length. As always, bring plenty of water and make sure you are in good shape.

Colorado offers a wide variety of opportunities to escape the rat race. From mountain peaks to meadows to ravines, the sky is truly the limit.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of writing journals. Visit us to read more hiking articles.