As the tree line is approached, at about 11,000 feet (higher in the south), subalpine firs take over along with bristlecone and limber pines. In the cold, windblown upper reaches they form thickets of twisted midget trees collectively known as krummholz, a German word for “crooked wood.” Above tree line is an Arctic-like zone of hardy, short tundra grasses and tiny wildflowers.
Flowers on the plains bloom in spring, while mountain meadows peak late June through early August. Among the hundreds of vibrant species a few really do stand out: lavender-and-white columbine, pink elephant’s head, purple monkshood, and fiery orange Indian paintbrush.
Anyone who hikes the Front Range will see mule deer at some point, and possibly a coyote. Elk and bighorn sheep are common sights as well, at different elevations depending on the season. It is unlikely you will ever see a mountain lion or a bobcat, but you will probably be observed by these elusive creatures at some point. Encounters with black bears are also rare. Moose have made the higher creek bottoms and forests their home in recent decades; several of these hikes almost guarantee a viewing. Frequent fliers include red-tailed hawks, bald and golden eagles, and peregrine falcons. In nearer view, mountain bluebirds flit between the branches and gray jays—also known as “camp robbers”—boldly land to greet you.
You won’t be alone above timberline. Marmots are plentiful here; many have lost their fear of humans and will try to rummage through your pack. You might almost step on a ptarmigan as it ambles through the tundra, muttering, looking nonplussed by your presence. Shaggy white mountain goats pose trailside for photographs. On top of high peaks you may hear a squeak and see a furry gray pika scurry across the rocks. These tiny, big-eared cutie-pies stay awake all winter in their burrows, even on top of Colorado’s highest peaks.
When to Hike Where
It’s simple: when it’s cold, stay lower; when it’s hot, go high. All elevations are within a few score miles of Denver, so there’s no need to fuss over drive times.
The cliché about Colorado weather—“If you don’t like it, wait 10 minutes!”—is misleading. Weather can come from any direction and change quickly, but it is usually predictable. Spring, from March to mid-June, is a cool, sunny period free of thunderstorms; mornings start out cold and days warm up quickly. Summer, from mid-June through September, is a time of afternoon thunderstorms and great weather otherwise. You’ll almost always have a clear hiking window before or after storms (which don’t hit everywhere every day). Later afternoons and evenings on long summer days are great for hiking because the lighting effects are beautiful, and solitude abounds. Autumn arrives by late September; it is a brief season of cooler weather, beautiful foliage, and few if any thunderstorms. Snow is possible in autumn, and can be heavy and then melt away. Winter, from late October to March, is a time of permanent snowpack in most places above 10,000 feet. This is a good time to bundle up and stick to foothills and prairie. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself unbundling on a 70-degree day in January!
From November to March, heavy winds can sometimes blow over the lower lands, and they can happen any time up higher. These winds come over the Continental Divide and descend like a waterfall over the foothills, reaching speeds of 120 mph. You can hike on such windy days, but it might not be much fun. Better to wait a day or two for things to calm down.
A “Best Season” recommendation is given for each of the hikes, and is assigned as follows:
Spring and fall: Medium-altitude hikes (approximately 8,000 to 10,000 feet), which are doable in summer but are more likely to be hot, dry, and crowded then. You’ll probably have a better time on these trails during the shoulder months of March to May and/or in foliage season.
Early summer: Higher-altitude hikes (approximately 10,000 to 11,000 feet, and some higher ones with southwestern exposure), which may be largely free of snow by late May or early June. Choose these when you’re aching for the higher country that is still caked in white.
Summer: All trails in this book can be hiked in summer, but these months are like precious jewels and their time should be spent wisely. The summer recommendation is therefore reserved for high-altitude hikes (approximately 10,000 to 14,000 feet), where significant snow cover is usually encountered except mid-June through September.
Fall, winter, spring: Hikes below 9,000 feet that can be walked all year, weather permitting. They aren’t the best choices for summer because of heat, dryness, and crowds, but mostly because so many options exist for hiking at higher and fresher altitudes at that time.
All year: Hikes below 9,000 feet that are fine all year, thanks to shade-giving foliage, remarkable scenery, and other qualities.
Hikes by Season
The hikes in this book are numbered north to south, but all regions are varied and interesting. If you have a special interest, for example in waterfalls or hiking with kids, consult the section called “Choose Your Perfect Hike,” beginning on page 371.
The 101
I considered nearly 300 trails as candidates for this book, and walked more than 200 of them to whittle the list down to the 101. Coincidentally, 101 turned out to be a perfect number to recommend near Denver. Fewer would not have done the region justice. More could be overwhelming, but more importantly, could point you to trails that might not be worth your time—until you’ve walked the 101, that is.
What is a day hike in the Front Range? In this book, it’s 7 miles long on average, with 1,500 feet of elevation gain. This means it doesn’t take all day. You can usually extend the hike, and you can always shorten it. The first mile or two are often great in themselves. The shortest hike in this book is just over 2 miles, and the longest is nearly 16; elevation gains range from negligible to 4,000 feet.
This book doesn’t sweat the minutiae. Distances are usually rounded to the nearest half mile, elevations to 100 feet. I feel that greater precision can create a false sense of accuracy, and more importantly, isn’t that helpful. The point is to get out there and hike, not to focus on hundredths of miles as read from GPS devices. What is most helpful, to me, is to pay attention to the physical world: to walk, look, and let the mountains speak.
Almost all the hikes are within a two-hour drive from downtown Denver; many are under an hour’s drive. A few push the three-hour mark, to reach amazing places west of Fort Collins. One chapter describes hikes in the stunning Gore and Tenmile Ranges of Summit County, which technically are not in the Front Range, but at less than two hours’ drive from Denver, how can they be refused?
I arrived at all the trailheads in an ordinary, front-wheel-drive passenger car named Ruby. However, a handful of drives were pretty rough on Ruby, and it would have been better to have a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Those cases are noted. The main car-beaters are Grays Peak (Hike 64) and High Lonesome (Hike 61), two hikes too incredible not to include in this book.
A word on parking. In the driving directions included with each hike, a “small” parking area means space for fewer than a dozen cars. “Large” means room for more than 50. Anything in between is listed simply as “parking.” Regardless of lot size, it is important to arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon to ensure a space, especially in summer. At the end of the driving directions, I have indicated how long it takes to drive to each trailhead from downtown Denver under optimal driving conditions.
About three quarters of the trailheads have no entrance or parking fees. Several are in Colorado state parks, which charged $7 per vehicle in 2018. Several more are on municipal open spaces that levy about the same fee; all cases are noted. It is a good idea to carry some $5 and $1 bills and/or a checkbook to facilitate payment, as cards are not always accepted, and many trailheads have self-pay envelope stations. The highest entrance fee is for Rocky Mountain National Park, which was $25 per day per vehicle in 2018, and was likely to go up.
Hike Ratings
Each hike description contains an “At a Glance” table, in which ratings of 1 to 5 are assigned in the following