The Portland Trail, just outside Ouray in southwest Colorado, offers close-up views of one of the area’s most striking features: a highly sculpted, bowl-shaped cliff face known as the Amphitheater. While composed mainly of grayish, volcanic rock, this west-facing wall is illuminated in the evening light, bringing out the whites, yellows, and purples and allowing …
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The Ouray Perimeter Trail, as the name suggests, forms a circuit around the picturesque town of Ouray in southwest Colorado. Far from being an easy city walk, however, this rugged track traverses high ledges, crosses deep canyons, and passes waterfalls and rocky outcrops in a half-day hike that offers vistas of Ouray from all sides. …
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The 58-mile drive between Leadville and Aspen, Colorado is one of the finest scenic byways in the state. Highlights include the rushing waters of the Roaring Fork River, a stop at the mysterious Grottos, and stunning panoramas from Independence Pass, which—at 12,095 feet—is one of the highest points in the country reachable by paved road. …
Maroon Creek Recreation Area near Aspen, Colorado is generally swarming—for good reason—with visitors in the non-winter months. The scenic Maroon Creek Trail, however, is a pleasant change of pace. That the trail is sparsely crowded is not due to a lack of splendor: the rushing rapids and sweeping meadows make for a blissful hike through …
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Aside from the short, easy trail around Maroon Lake, the moderately difficult Crater Lake Trail is probably the most popular hike in Colorado’s magnificent Maroon Bells Recreation Area. The 1.5-mile hike (plus 1/3 mile on the Maroon Lake Trail) takes visitors to over 10,000 feet, ending at a fantastic basin near the confluence of Minnehaha …
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There is perhaps no landscape more iconic in Colorado than the classic view—used in nature calendars everywhere—of Maroon Lake, set before the beautiful backdrop of aspen trees and the snow-streaked Maroon Bells. Situated less than 11 miles from Aspen, Maroon Lake is a popular destination for photographers and hikers, and the short Maroon Lake Trail—wide …
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Situated just off Colorado’s Highway 82 west of Independence Pass, the short but spectacular Grottos Trail is a must-see in the Aspen-Leadville area. In the course of 1/2 mile, the stem-and-loop visits both a splendid set of tumbling cascades on the Roaring Fork River and an undulating slot canyon, the latter a rare sight in …
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Less than a half-hour drive from the heart of Denver, Colorado, Mount Galbraith is a hikers-only park comprising 1,969 acres of sweeping hillsides, deep ravines, conifer forest, and, of course, the summit of the 7,260-foot peak. The 4.2-mile hike described here—including a loop around the mountain—is a popular destination for trail runners and dog walkers. …
Continue reading Mount Galbraith Loop via Cedar Gulch Trail (Mount Galbraith Park, CO)
Less than 10 miles from the heart of Colorado Springs, it’s hard to beat the accessibility of central Colorado’s North Cheyenne Canyon Park (a.k.a. North Cheyenne Cañon Park). In fact, the 1,626-acre park is owned and managed by the city of Colorado Springs itself. The canyon cuts sharply into the evergreen-studded Front Range and boasts …
Continue reading Silver Cascade Falls Trail (North Cheyenne Canyon Park, CO)
The East Canyon Trail is the longest—and probably the least visited—trail in Colorado’s Castlewood Canyon State Park. The rugged path weaves east along slickrock rims from the Bridge Canyon Overlook, descends to the canyon bottom, and forms a short circuit around the East Canyon Preservation Area, which protects a variety of flora and fauna in …
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