Your Top Ten Best Hiking Trails in Colorado is a list of all of your choices for outdoor enthusiasts who want to find the most beautiful and rewarding hiking trails in the state of Colorado. Colorado is famous for its beautiful scenery, and its hiking trails go through rocky mountain ranges, lush alpine forests, glacial lakes, and fields full of wildflowers, among other places. There are some great camping spots in Colorado that are easy to get to, have beautiful scenery, and offer exciting activities.
This book is a great resource for anyone planning a trip to Colorado that they will never forget. There are many beautiful hiking trails in the world. Some go over the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, while others take you through quiet areas. These trails were carefully chosen to show off the most beautiful natural features that Colorado has to offer. They range from easy hikes that are great for children to difficult trips with stunning views. They are picked not only because they look nice, but also because they are different, available at different times of the year, and well-liked in the community.
Top Ten Best Hiking Trails In Colorado
10. Painted Wall View Trail (Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park)
Perched at about eight thousand feet at the South Rim, this quick viewpoint walk delivers a dramatic introduction to Colorado canyons. The trail is just one third of a mile round‑trip with roughly sixty five feet of elevation change, leading to a rim where Painted Wall looms two thousand two hundred feet straight down. It is not strenuous, yet rewarding for first timers visiting Black Canyon. There is no lake or alpine summit here, but the vertical drama makes it one of the best hiking trails in Colorado for sheer depth view.
9. Royal Arch Trail (Boulder Flatirons)
This iconic Boulder hike climbs nearly fourteen hundred feet over about three point three miles round‑trip. After passing through meadow and forest, the trail veers upward on natural stairs among the Flagstaff Flatirons to reach a massive natural sandstone arch framed by valley views. It is a classic escape for front range hikers. Scenic photo spots and civic popularity make it one of the best hikes in Colorado for rock formation and city access.
8. Hanging Lake Trail (Glenwood Canyon)
Arguably the most famous short eco hike in the state. The trail gains roughly one thousand two hundred feet in just over a mile each way. Permits are required year‑round and include parking. Hikers cross multiple bridges over Deadhorse Creek before arriving at emerald waters skirted by travertine ledges, and a waterfall above. TIMED entry ensures the fragile ecosystem remains protected. For vivid lake scenery close to I‑70, this trail consistently ranks among best hiking trails in Colorado.
7. Blue Lakes Trail (Mount Sneffels Wilderness, San Juan range)
Set in southwest Colorado, this hike leads past three brilliant alpine lakes beneath 14‑000‑plus peaks. From the trailhead at 9 350 ft, the Lower Blue Lake sits around 10 990 ft. Round‑trip to that lake is around 6.5 miles with 1 600 ft gain; continuing to upper lakes adds up to eight to ten miles and about 2 400 to 3 650 ft of total gain. The upper wetlands and tundra show wildflowers in summer. From the pass at 13 000 ft there are endless vistas of Sneffels, Dallas Peak, and Yankee Boy basin. A true scenic Colorado alpine lakes hike.
6. Emerald Lake via Bear Lake Road (Rocky Mountain National Park)
This is a short but worthwhile Rocky Mountain alpine lakes hike. Starting at Bear Lake trailhead, the trail reaches Dream Lake then climbs another mile to Emerald Lake at 10 111 ft, from a start of about 9 475 ft. Total gain is roughly 770 feet over 3.6 miles round‑trip, with paved sections among aspen groves and wildflowers in late summer. The views of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain reflecting in alpine water are iconic. Easily considered among the best hiking trails in Colorado for early trail beauty in RMNP.
5. Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge—Alpine Loop (Rocky Mountain National Park)
This full alpine circuit is about 9.4 miles round‑trip with 1 700–1 800 ft of elevation gain. Along the Glacier Gorge Trail hikers pass Alberta Falls, Loch Vale, Timberline Falls where a short scramble leads above to Glass Lake, then onward to Sky Pond at about 10 900 ft. The final mile enters a cirque ringed by granite peaks above the frozen waterfall. Year‑round timed park entry is needed May through October. Popular but epic, it is a top choice for scenic Colorado hikes with lakes and granite walls.
4. Mount Bierstadt (Guanella Pass)
One of the most accessible fourteen thousand foot peaks in Colorado, this hike starts at Guanella Pass at 11 670 ft and pushes to the summit at 14 065 ft. The round‑trip is typically about 12 miles with 4 900 ft of gain. The standard route via the west slope is rated class two but is straightforward. Views from the top capture Grays, Torreys, Blue Sky mountains, and the Clear Creek valley. Acclimatization is key. This is a classic fourteener and remains among the best high altitude hikes in Colorado.
3. Mount Elbert (San Isabel National Forest)
Colorado’s highest peak and the tallest point in the Rocky Mountains at 14 433 ft. The most common routes are the North and South Elbert trails, each covering between 5 to 6 miles one way with approximately 4 400 to 4 600 ft of climb. The standard Northeast ridge route is class one to two, non technical but demanding at altitude. Most hikers complete it in six to nine hours round‑trip. Weather can shift rapidly above treeline, so early start and layering are essential. Many consider it the ultimate high point hike in the state.
2. Ice Lakes Basin Trail (San Juan range near Ouray)
A gem of southwestern Colorado. From the last trailhead the hike climbs about 2 400–2 500 ft over 3.5 to four miles to reach vibrant electric blue alpine lakes at about 12 200 ft. Round‑trip length is roughly eight to nine miles. The basin sits beneath treeless tundra and steep talus flanks of the San Juan peaks. This is often ranked the best Colorado alpine lakes hike by hikers. Trails may still hold snow in early season and micro spikes can help in icy sections.
1. Combination of Ice Lakes Basin and Mount Sneffels via Blue Lakes
This long day hike combines two alpine lake classics: climb from Blue Lakes Trailhead into the basin and summit Mt Sneffels via Blue Lakes Pass. Most complete in one push of about 12 to 14 miles with over 5 000 ft of elevation gain, reaching 14 150 ft summit. The route passes by turquoise lakes, water falls, wildflower meadows and then along exposed ridgelines to the summit ridge. Ranked by many high volume users and thru hikers as the most rewarding epic scenic Colorado high alpine loop, blending lakes, wildflowers, dramatic peaks, and summit.
