Have you thought about a Colorado vacation this year? During the summer, Colorado blooms with wonderful sights and outdoor adventures. And it's hiking that tops the summer activities on a Colorado vacation. While most people think of winter and skiing when they think of vacationing in Colorado you should know that Colorado is known as a summer Colorado vacation destination too.
There are so many things to do and places to see in this centrally located state. Colorado is such a varied destination. You can enjoy the rolling plains on the eastern side of the state, mountains and valleys in central Colorado, and mesas and buttes in the west. In every area, there are hiking trails to get you into the remote places that most people miss from there cars.
Hiking is a family favorite when vacationing in Colorado. There are many easy hikes that don't demand more than a couple of hours to complete. Other hikes can take the whole day, while there are even long-distant, camping hikes you can partake in. It doesn't matter if you're a couch potato, from the city, or an athlete, when you come to Colorado you will want to get out of your car and enjoy the abundance of views that Colorado has to offer.
While hiking in Colorado, you will be able to enjoy seeing a myriad of wildlife and wildflowers. This is what Colorado is noted for in the summer months. There are numerous public lands that make a short nature hike possible for your family.
Just to the southwest of Gunnison you will find the Dillon Pinnacles. Here you will find the Blue Mesa Reservoir. This is the largest body of water in the state of Colorado. If hiking is in your Colorado vacation plans, this is a nice area to meet your needs.
Along the shoreline of this reservoir is easily the most scenic hiking you will find for a day trip. The Dillon Pinnacles present a fortress of brown, eroded-rock spires that loom menacing over the lake. The four mile (round trip) hike will take you through sage brush-covered shoreline areas all the way to the foot of these volcanic pinnacles.
A favorite hiking spot in the northeast portion of the state is the Pawnee Buttes. In the spring, the buttes and surrounding plains comes alive with flowers of all colors and the arrival of many species of birds to the area. The Pawnee Buttes rise 300 feet above the rolling grasslands and were a favorite spot for the Indians of the area to spot animals when hunting. They are an anomaly in the flat plains that can be seen for miles.
Wildflowers add a splash of color to the green plains. Rocky Mountain locoweed breaks the green grasslands with purple, wild sunflowers dot the area with yellow, and penstemons blend blue and other hues. You will also find an assortment of different cactus while hiking, so watch your step. This area doesn't provide the hiker with much shade, so its best to hike the Pawnee Buttes early in the morning or late at night.
Little Causeway lake in the idyllic Flat Tops Wilderness Area is a nice three mile round-trip hike in the Northwest portion of Colorado. Little Causeway Lake sits just below the buttressed walls of the Devils Causeway. This is an extraordinary fin of volcanic rock that connects two high alpine mesas.
The short hiking trail passes though wildflower-filled clearings and arrives at the tranquil Causeway Lake. This area is home to beavers, ducks woodpeckers, and elk. You will love watching the wildlife and viewing the colorful wildflowers in the area.
A Colorado vacation has to include the Rocky Mountains. Here you will find hiking trails that are a bit more difficult and it will usually take a full day to complete most hikes in the area. Be sure you have acclimated to the high altitude before you attempt a long hike in the mountains.
Blackface Mountain to the southwest of Telluride is a great day hike in one of the most spectacular mountainous areas in Colorado. This is a hefty, calf-busting hike through the meadows of wildflowers and up the mountain to the timberline and above. But its worth it to view the panoramic view at the top. You will look down a canvas saturated with beauty and color.
From Blackface Mountain the hiker can see such unusual mountains of the area as Lizard Head, Golden Horn, Pilot Knob, and Vermillion Peak. This is a breath taking view that you will never forget. The hike to the top of this 12,147 foot mountain peak is about 10 miles. Be sure to include a jacket in your pack as, even in the summer, you will need it.
If you're looking for a day hike and want to view an area that rarely receives attention from Colorado vacationers, you might want to hike through the Missouri Lakes and Missouri Pass region. This valley contains fifteen lakes that are scattered around a high alpine cirque.
Each lake is hidden like an Easter egg waiting to be found behind woods, boulders, and cliff faces. You can hike to the pass atop the valley and gain a splendid view of a sixteenth lake, aptly named the Treasure Vault Lake. The round trip is 9.5 miles and will take you up to 11,904 feet above sea level.
For another great day hike you might want to visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The only path you will follow through the Great Sand Dunes are the footprints of the hikers that just preceded you. You might not even find their footprints if the wind has come up and erased them.
This wilderness of sand covers 33,000 acres and rewards hikers with a sublime and majestic isolation among the towering sand dunes that are constantly changing with each breeze. After reaching and descending the first dune, you will imagine that you are in the Middle East.
It is a two mile hike through the dunes, but on arrival back to the visitor center you will be greeted by the refreshing river that flows at the base of the dunes. Children love playing in the river as it is like spending a day at the beach. The sand backs up water and makes the river pulsate with waves.
When you're looking for a hiking expedition while on your Colorado vacation, you might want to do a long-distance jaunt. Long distance hikes are intended for the gonzo backpackers. A long-distance trail in Colorado is very strenuous but, because you will be camping along the way, they can be experienced in segments.
The Gore Range Trail, which is outside of Vail, runs 55 miles down the entire length of the Gore Range. Those vacationers that have skied Vail, Copper Mountain, or Keystone in the winter have experienced moments of inspiration created by the spectacular views of the rugged granite peaks of the Gore Range. In the summer, these peaks of the Gore Range provide the best, easy-access backpacking in Colorado.
The Gore Range Trail ascends over one magnificent mountain pass after another. With each mountain crest, the trail descends into lush valleys ablaze with wildflowers. If you want to backpack hike this trail, plan your Colorado vacation for at least two weeks. You can shorten the hike though by hiking to Wheeler Lakes from a trailhead at Copper Mountain.
You will be hiking from 8,700 feet to 12,000 feet along the Gore Range Trail. Remember that this is a leave-no-trace area and you should stay on the trail at all times. Take only photographs and leave no footprints.
The Colorado Trail running 471 miles from Denver to Durango. This epic trail passes though some of Colorado's most impressive scenery. The entire hike takes three months. Most likely you won't have that much time for your Colorado vacation to trek the entire route. Many vacationers only hike certain segments of the trail. They then return to Colorado in other years to complete the trek.
One popular segment is from Waterton Canyon near Denver across Kenosha Pass to U.S. 285. This is a beautiful hike taking you through aspen glades and mountainous areas. The trail rises up from the Animas River Canyon south of Silverton. Numerous waterfalls will be found here along with wildflower-filled meadows. The trail crosses Molas Pass just before its final push to Durango, ending at the Junction Creed trailhead.
The hiker of the Colorado trail will hike to altitudes varying from 5,520 feet to 13,334 feet along its length. Hikers are told to observe the leave-no-trace ethics and take only photographs while leaving no footprints.
Enjoy your Colorado vacation by hiking and viewing the scenery that most people miss from their car. You will love the different parts of the state that you will see while hiking in the tranquil countryside and mountains. You will never regret your Colorado vacation as you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in North America.
