It is officially fall, and in Colorado, that’s when the state truly shows off its full array of mountain beauty. Hikers, drivers, and mountain bikers can enjoy eye-popping fall foliage without trekking too far from the metro area, but others travel deep into the Centennial State for those fleeting red and golden leaves.
Many meteorologists feared recent cold and rainy weather would knock off most of the colors, but scores of them survived and are just waiting to be ogled if you know where to go. That’s why we at Colorado Community Media put together a list of some of the most rewarding hiking experiences for autumn sentimentalists.
As weekend adventurers hit the mountains after the work week, traffic is sure to pile up. So, if you can, try one of these stunning hikes during the week, or at least get up early to beat the morning weekend crowd.
Here are 12 hikes to show off the state’s best autumn colors. Some may require a bit of a road trip, but most are easy day hikes not far from the metro area. Sometimes, you just have to get out there.
AllTrails.com provides all trail stats listed below. Remember that terms like “easy,” “moderate,” and “hard” are subjective and depend on your judgment, experience, stamina, and more.
Easy
Raccoon Trail
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, near Rollinsville
- Type: Loop
- Length: 2.6 miles
- Elevation: 462 feet
- Time to complete: 1:14
- Drive from Denver: 35 miles
Old Dillon Reservoir Trail
Dillon Reservoir Recreation Area, near Silverthorne
- Type: Loop
- Length: 1.7 miles
- Elevation: 213 feet
- Time to complete: 0:40
- Drive from Denver: 72 miles
Kebler Pass/Irwin Lake
Gunnison National Forest, near Somerset
- Type: Loop
- Length: 2.2 miles
- Elevation: 98 feet
- Time to complete: 0:44
- Drive from Denver: 196 miles
Lily Pad Lake Trail
Eagles Nest Wilderness, near Frisco
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 3.3 miles
- Elevation: 403 feet
- Time to complete: 1:21
- Drive from Denver: 71 miles
Moderate
Silver Dollar Lake and Murray Lake Trail
Arapahoe National Forest, near Guanella Pass
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 4.2 miles
- Elevation: 1,085 feet
- Time to complete: 2:00
- Drive from Denver: 55 miles
Mason Creek Trail
Staunton State Park, near Conifer
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 8.4 miles
- Elevation: 1,574 feet
- Time to complete: 4:00
- Drive from Denver: 39 miles
Chief Mountain Trail
Arapahoe National Forest, near Idaho Springs
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 2.8 miles
- Elevation: 948 feet
- Time to complete: 1 hour, 47 minutes
- Drive from Denver: 37 miles
Grizzly Gulch Trail
Arapahoe National Forest, near Silver Plume
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 5.2 miles
- Elevation: 1,131 feet
- Time to complete: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Drive from Denver: 50 miles
Flash of Gold Trail
Medicine Bow-Routt National Park, near Steamboat Springs
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 10.5 miles
- Elevation: 1,250 feet
- Time to complete: 4:18
- Drive from Denver: 160 miles
Hard
Kenosha Pass North
Pike National Forest, near Jefferson
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 11.5 miles
- Elevation: 1,666 feet
- Time to complete: 5:00
- Drive from Denver: 66 miles
Oh-Be-Joyful Trail
Gunnison National Forest, near Crested Butte
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 13 miles
- Elevation: 2,148 feet
- Time to complete: 6 hours
- Drive from Denver: 195 miles
Abyss Lake via Abyss Lake Trail #602
Mount Evans Wilderness, near Guanella Pass
- Type: Out-and-back
- Length: 16.7 miles
- Elevation: 3,379 feet
- Time to complete: 8:19
- Drive from Denver: 63 miles
Honorable Mention
Trail Ridge Road (to drive)
Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park
- Type: Peak-to-peak drive
- Length: 39 miles
- Elevation: 3,891 feet
- Time to complete: Depends on traffic and speed
- Drive from Denver: 73 miles