The 6 best hikes in Colorado for Rocky Mountain adventures

12.09.2023 - 11:35 / lonelyplanet.com

Famous for its fresh mountain air, Colorado is a place to get high – in more ways than one. The mighty spine of the Rocky Mountains cuts through the west of the Centennial State, lifting the landscape up into a rugged tumult of towering mountains, high desert mesa and slot canyons. 

Colorado boasts the country’s highest concentration of peaks above 14,000ft – more than 50 in total – but in the east, the landscape flattens out into rolling grasslands which have their own special appeal. Whether you have your heart set on bagging a 'fourteener' or fancy a more gentle stroll in the wilds, there's a trail in Colorado to suit every kind of hiker.

The state's excellent trail system includes routes for all fitness levels, offering year-round access to almost impossibly beautiful landscapes and close encounters with some of the nation's most iconic wildlife. With so many routes to choose from, picking a definitive list of top Colorado hikes is hopelessly subjective. But to get you started, here is our shortlist, with hikes that showcase the state’s impressive variety of landscapes.

14.5 miles round trip, 10 to 15 hours, difficult
Driving time from Denver: 1¾ hours

Topping out at 14,259ft, Longs Peak towers over magnificent Rocky Mountain National Park, rising high above the Denver skyline. With soaring cliff faces, steep boulder fields and an uber-challenging final ascent, this hike is hugely popular – about 15,000 people attempt to summit it each year – but don’t let that fool you: this is a serious hike, no matter how you approach it.

Most hikers tackle the summit via the so-called Keyhole Route, which begins at the Longs Peak trailhead, between Allenspark and Estes Park on State Highway 7. The first 6 miles are on a moderate trail to a broad boulder field at 12,760ft, where the trail steepens as you pick up the path of the Keyhole Route, marked with yellow-and-red bull’s-eyes painted on the rock.

Even seasoned hikers will be slowed by the thinning air and the route’s precarious ascent over a series of rocky ledges that resemble a narrow cliff-side stairway with no handrails. From there, hikers scramble up a steep final home stretch to reach the boulder-strewn summit. The view from the top – with snow-kissed granite stretching out to the curved horizon – is dizzyingly beautiful.

To avoid afternoon lightning storms, you must summit before noon, so plan on an early morning start at around 4am. Alternatively, make a two-day summit bid; you can detour south just above the tree line to camp at Chasm Lake, a high-alpine wonder that sits below the jagged rock face known as the Diamond, where rock climbing gods and goddesses test their mettle.

5.2 miles round trip, 2-3 hours, easy
Driving time from Denver:  1½ hours

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