HomeHiking GuidesBest Hikes in Colorado

Best Hikes in Colorado

Colorado hiking is a short season at high altitude, and two of its best areas now need a reservation before you can drive to the trailhead. These are the trails worth the thin air, with the timed-entry rules and the altitude advice that keeps a first day from being a wasted one.

21 trail guides and 8 ready-to-book itineraries

Ready-to-book trips

Day-by-day, with the permits and the stays already worked out.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison: A 2-Day ItineraryWestern Colorado · Gunnison RiverIndian Peaks Wilderness: Weekend Backpacking GuideFront Range · Continental DivideColorado River Kayaking Trips: A 3-Day Moab and Lake Powell ItineraryUtah & Arizona · Red Rock Canyon CountryMaroon Bells Four Passes Loop: Backpacking GuideAspen, Colorado · Maroon Bells-Snowmass WildernessRocky Mountain National Park With Kids: A Family Adventure ItineraryColorado · Estes Park gatewayRocky Mountain National Park Itinerary: 3 Days in Estes ParkColorado · Estes Park gatewayHikes in Joshua Tree: A 3-Day Best-of ItinerarySouthern California · Mojave & Colorado DesertsWeminuche Wilderness: Chicago Basin BackpackingSan Juan Mountains · SW Colorado

National park hikes

Denver to Yellowstone National Park: Drive, Route & StopsHow to drive from Denver to Yellowstone National Park: roughly 560 miles and 8-9 hours via I-25, I-80 and US-191 through Jackson. Best Time to Visit Black Canyon of the GunnisonWhen to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison for hiking, fall color, fewer crowds, and open roads, broken down month by month and seCamping at Black Canyon of the GunnisonEverything you need to know about camping at Black Canyon of the Gunnison, including all three campgrounds, reservations, hookups,Best Hikes in Black Canyon of the GunnisonA trail-by-trail guide to the best hikes in Black Canyon of the Gunnison, from easy rim walks to the brutal Gunnison Route into thBest Hikes in Rocky Mountain National ParkFrom the tundra-crossing Trail Ridge Road corridor to the alpine lakes above Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park packs more wo

Backpacking and multi-day routes

Chicago Basin 14ersA practical climber's guide to bagging the three Chicago Basin 14ers deep in Colorado's Weminuche Wilderness.Riding the Durango Silverton Train to Backpack the WeminucheEverything you need to know about using the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to access remote Weminuche Wilderness traiIndian Peaks Wilderness PermitsEverything you need to reserve an overnight backpacking permit for Indian Peaks Wilderness, including zones, fees, and how to book

Day hikes

Best Day Hikes in Indian Peaks WildernessSix of the best day hikes in Indian Peaks Wilderness, from easy Brainard Lake strolls to the climb up to Lake Isabelle and Pawnee Crater Lake Trail at Maroon Bells: A Day Hike GuideA complete guide to the Crater Lake Trail at Maroon Bells near Aspen, with distance, elevation gain, trail conditions, and what toEmerald Lake TrailA practical trail-by-trail guide to the Emerald Lake hike from Bear Lake, including distance, parking, and how to string together

More guides in this state

Easy Hikes in Rocky Mountain National ParkThe best short, flat, and stroller-friendly trails in Rocky Mountain National Park for families, beginners, and anyone short on tiEstes Park Elk Rut: Where and When to See the Fall BuglingA local's guide to the Estes Park elk rut: the best viewing meadows, peak weeks, safe distances, and how to combine wildlife watchRocky Mountain National Park Timed EntryA clear walkthrough of Rocky Mountain National Park's two timed entry permits, when you need them, how to book on Recreation.gov, Trail Ridge Road GuideA complete guide to driving Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, including the best stops, when it opens, weather, anBest Time to Backpack the Weminuche Wilderness in ColoradoA season-by-season guide to timing your Weminuche Wilderness backpacking trip in Colorado's San Juan Mountains.Where to See Elk in Rocky Mountain National ParkThe best meadows, times, and seasons to reliably see elk in Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park, including the fall rut anColorado 14ers GuideColorado has 58 peaks above 14,000 feet, and most of them are hikeable by fit non-climbers, if you understand the altitude, the we

Rocky Mountain National Park and Maroon Bells both gate access by reservation, and both release them on a schedule. The guides above cover how each system works before you book flights around it.

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Free permit watch

You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.

The best hikes in America run on lotteries that open once a year and sell out in minutes. Every trail runs on its own calendar. Pick the ones you want and we do the watching.

28 trails watched daily

How it works

  • An email the morning each window opens, never the day after.
  • A 14-day heads-up so you can line up your group and dates.
  • Win odds and a ranked backup plan for every trail you pick.

Didn't win? We keep watching. We check recreation.gov every day for The Enchantments, Half Dome and Angels Landing, and email you the moment a sold-out date frees up. Cancellations are the second chance most people never hear about.

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