I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now so thank you to those of you who reached out asking me questions about one of my favorite places to explore in the U.S- Colo(rad)o! Whether you are going to CO to hike, backpack, camp, bike, ski, snowboard, fly fish…I could go on forever with this list…you are absolutely going to the right place. Travelling solo? With your family? This state has it all and I am so excited to share my top places to go with you.

I’ve visited CO many times before making the official move there and while I only lived there for a year before transitioning to full time RV/travel life with my pup, in the course of my one year there, I hiked, backpacked and ran over 100 different trails– that’s about 2-4 trails per week. I promise this is true, they are all logged on my AllTrails app! I say this only to make my point which is–I truly LOVE exploring Colorado and whatever adventure you decide to partake in, this state is sure to deliver.

Before you read my recommendations, I want you to know that I tried to thoughtfully curate this list in order to cater to as many individuals as I could so while a good portion does involve hiking– because let’s face it, it’s me–I do provide other suggestions as well. I’m also drafting this list to be specific to the summer/fall seasons as these typically offer the best weather windows for the activities I am going to mention (May-early June and October are known as “shoulder season” months where the weather is more unpredictable. In May-early June you will often still find a lot of snow in the mountains and roads may still be impassable to the trailheads. October is the time when you have a good chance to experience all four seasons in one day and it can become quite dangerous if you get stuck in the mountains unprepared). So now that I have provided this caveat, I hope you enjoy the activities I am about to share with you, but even more, I hope that they inspire you to get out and enjoy the true beauty of the so aptly named “Colorful Colorado,” and the state I absolutely fell in love with.

1. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Let’s start off with a fun little fact; this area has been known as Colorado’s own Grand Canyon; this national park derived its name from the fact that parts of the gorge only receive 33 minutes of sunlight a day! There are many great, easy to moderate trails in this area to explore and if you love wine like I do, the town of Paonia is only about 25 miles away. A lesser well known wine producing region of CO (Palisade to its northwest has often been called the Napa Valley of CO) but having been to both areas, I will say that I do prefer Paonia as it’s often less crowded and has better wine in my opinion! Must visit wineries in the area include: Azura Cellars (my personal favorite and top recommendation), Stone Cottage Cellars and Big B’s Delicious Orchards if you want to switch it up and try some yummy ciders or even go pick some fruit from their orchards while listening to some live music!

2. Boulder

Just a short, 30ish minute, drive from Denver lies the town of Boulder. Make sure to check out Boulder Creek Falls (technically located in Nederland, but it’s so close to downtown Boulder so I listed it here). The falls are super kid friendly with less than a mile walk on a dirt path and easily accessible right off the main road. If you want more of a challenge, try the Red Rocks and Anemone Loop, this offers nice views of the city–go early and watch the sunrise from here–you won’t regret it. This is a moderate hike at 4.4 miles roundtrip with 977ft elevation gain. Also, if you have extra time, make sure to check out the famous Flatirons down the road. This area offers many diverse trails, but also tends to be more crowded, especially on the weekends, so go early or go on a weekday if you can (I went in the winter because I deeply despise crowds). Be sure to check out Pearl Street Mall area as well for some eats and treats.

3. Breckenridge

For a challenging hike, I recommend Quandary Peak. This is one of Colorado’s many 14’ers as it’s over 14k ft in elevation, but also known to be a great 14’er for beginners (I’ve completed about 10 out of the 58 total 14’ers in Colorado and so far, Quandary has been my favorite for its stunning views the entire way and is also a great place to see some mountain goats). Afterwards make sure to go reward yourself and grab some beer and grub at the Breckenridge Brewery, you’ve earned it!

4. Carbondale/White River National Forest

Another stunning and super unique hike is to the Crystal City Mill. This is a moderate, 9 mile and 1300 ft elevation gain adventure that traverses all types of terrain and scenery.

Tip: It’s best to go early, this trail can also be accessed by high clearance vehicles and while the hike is well worth it, the downside can be getting stuck on the trail having to dodge vehicles.

5. Crested Butte

Or as I like to call it “Crested Beaut.” There is no limit to the true beauty of this area, even the drive there from Denver was absolutely jaw dropping- I don’t know how I didn’t crash my car because I felt I was looking everywhere but in front of me. I spent 3 days camping and exploring here; some favorite hikes were: Rustlers Gulch, a moderate 9 mile, 1800 ft elevation gain hike or Copper Creek Trail to Copper Lake, a moderate 12 mile, 2500 ft elevation hike. Definitely go enjoy this charming town; with a plethora of places to eat and drink, it’s hard to choose just one! I really enjoyed the specialty crafted cocktails at the Dogwood Cocktails + Kitchen and Montanya Distillers.

6. Ouray/Silverton-Durango

Drive on the Million Dollar Highway (maybe also make sure the driver isn’t scared of heights while taking this route, it can get somewhat hairy and there is a good portion with no guard rails, but other than the potential death factor part, it’s a beautiful drive). Drive through the cozy town of Ouray (stop here for a bite to eat or a drink at Brickhouse 737 or the Ouray Brewery) and visit the San Juan Mountains or take the Durango/Silverton Train ride from Durango deep into the wilderness (you can even hop off and literally go take a hike, and then jump back on when you’re done- I got off at the Needleton stop and did the Needle Creek Trail which was about 7 miles roundtrip; this was especially spectacular in the fall aka prime leaf peeping time). Some of my favorite hikes in Silverton are Ice Lake Basin, considered a hard hike at 8.3 miles with over 2800 ft of elevation or Columbine Lake Trail #509 also considered a hard hike at 7.9 miles and over 2800 ft elevation gain. Island Lake via Ice Lakes Trail is also another popular route, considered challenging at 7.7 miles and over 2600 feet elevation gain.

7. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Snag a camping spot and stay the night here. I’ve seen other sand dunes/national parks before, but this one is by far the best in my opinion…I mean I’ve never seen sand dunes with sweeping mountain views in the background and a river that runs through it all–overall a fun and unique experience–maybe even try your hand at sandboarding (insert sand in lieu of snow).

8. Leadville

I honestly just really love this little town, steeped in history, Leadville has had several names since its discovery, but landed on its official name, Leadville, after the lead ore found in the area. Leadville was also once a booming mining town during the Colorado gold rush and actually competed with Denver to be the capitol city of Colorado. At 10,152 feet, it is the highest incorporated city in the United States! Cool right?! or I’m just a nerd. Either way, this quaint rustic mountain town is rich in mining history and natural beauty. My favorite thing to do here is climb Mt. Elbert-Colorado’s tallest mountain sitting at 14,433 ft. Afterwards, treat yourself at the oldest establishment in the town- the Silver Dollar Saloon- part watering hole, part museum.

9. Aspen

Aspen is known for many things, but the Conundrum Hot Springs hike is by far one of my favorite memories and one of the coolest things I got to do while in Colorado. Located in Maroon Bells Snowmass Wilderness, this out and back 21 mile, 5000ft elevation backpacking adventure is a sure-fire crowd pleaser. ***Note: Advance reservation overnight permits are required for Conundrum Hot Springs, and must be purchased in advance at recreation.gov. I highly suggest trying to snag an overnight spot here if you can.

10. Fort Collins

Fort Collins is another short trek up north from Denver– about a 1 hour drive. It’s everything from a fun college town with great places to dine and drink to hiking, biking and fun at the lake. My favorite activity in this area is to hike the Horsetooth Falls and Horsetooth Rock Trail which overlooks the Horsetooth Reservoir and is a moderate hike of 6.4 miles with 1500 ft elevation gain. To top it off, there is even a waterfall to cool off in at the end (weather dependent of course) what could be better?!. my pup sure enjoyed it! Also be sure to check out the local breweries while in town. My top 3 favorites are: Jessup Farm Barrel House, New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing Company- in that order.

Honorable Mentions:

• Check out the picturesque Front Range in Nederland– one of my favorite, go-to hiking areas with too many great hiking trails to name here (may need to be a separate post in the future)!
• Explore and camp near the historic village of Twin Lakes, situated along the “Top of the Rockies” Scenic Byway
• Travel to the town of Estes Park-home of Rocky Mountain NP and The Stanley Hotel (famous for being one of the most haunted hotels in the US, the inspiration for Stephen King’s bestselling novel The Shining and the backdrop to one of my favorite movies…Dumb and Dumber.
• See a show at Red Rocks Ampitheatre– a must!
• Soak in some natural hot springs, CO has about 29 to choose from! The picture below is Strawberry Park Natural Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs-another fantastic area to explore!