This is a great trail in summer & winter. Minimum is 7 miles with 1800 ft elevation, slightly…read morelonger to explore around any of the lakes more than the shortest trail provides. It's easy to reach in all seasons: due to the train tunnel, the dirt road to the trailhead is kept well maintained and plowed. Definitely way way more crowded on summer weekends than in winter. Several little waterfalls and tons on wildflowers even in late August made it a rewarding trail along the way, not only payoffs at the lakes. The trail from the lower two lakes to the upper lake is much steeper, but worth the added effort. Just note that when you first reach what you think is the upper lake, it's actually the drainage (albeit also lovely, see my attached photo); you need to go just a bit further over the boulders & through some bushes to reach the final upper cirque.

James Peak Wilderness area is one of my favs close to Denver. That and Indian peaks wilderness…read more Crater lakes is a moderate hike to 5 fantastic lakes that you can hike, camp, backpack, fish at. Last time I was there I saw two amazing Moose...just gorgeous. Area gets insane on the weekends with tons of peoples and dogs. Last three times I have been there I have been in thunder and hails storms after 1 pm. So if you are planning to hike getting off the mountain before might be a good idea. You can also take the more strenuous Heart Lake trail which is also fantastic and if you really want to kick your ass go up to Rogers pass for beautiful vistas. Great parking.

We stopped by for a quick view of the lake and this kind man stopped by and got out of his truck…read moreand asked if we wanted our picture taken. He was absolutely so kind and made this moment and place that much better! The views are stunning all around as well - great place to have a picnic, relax, stretch your legs, fish, or just enjoy the views! Come in June to be sure to avoid the ice and have amazing summer views of the lake :)

Beautiful Trail along the reservoir for a hike! The trail is relatively flat so it was great to…read moretake our dogs for a walk. It's about a mile and a quarter one-way so 2 1/2 mile round-trip. The area was really clean and well-kept for the most part, except for the trash cans which were all overflowing at the beginning, middle, and end of the trail. We didn't come across very many other hikers but those did meet were all friendly, and most of them were also walking their dogs. What I did like is most of trail is covered by trees, but you still have a great view of the reservoir and the mountains. The trees provide a lot of shade and kept you out of the wind for the most part. Overall a nice little trail for a quick crisp walk.

An easily accessible little lake with picnic areas. Good spot for a short and flat hike through the…read morewoods. The lake is a bout 5 minutes from the parking lot. The name is misleading. This place is very beautiful.

December 2020 family trip!!! BEAUTIFUL trails and well maintained facility. People were out with…read moretheir dogs, some were riding off road bicycles, some just hiking with friends, and we were out with all 9 of our kids. HIGHLY recommend taking the time to make the trip.

It is hard to review this trail after Rocky Mountain National Park. This is a neighborhood…read morewalkway, so local, you are passing homes at times. Flat mixed terrain and very easy. Most times, you are 50 feet or more from the lake. Even so, it is hard to believe a trail exists so close to Broadway. Just don't set your expectations high. Upon reaching the lake, I would go left. It is a loop so it really doesn't matter, but the eastern side is more naturalistic with a view. It is the closest point of contact with the lake. If you go the other way, you abruptly come to a residential neighborhood and most head up the block to continue the trail. Picnic tables and playground on the other end (midpoint). As a side note, how are lakes the size of ponds and reservoirs the size of lakes around here?

If I lived nearby, I'd frequent this trail but otherwise it's not worth visiting. The trail…read morenetwork isn't that long, there are no (visible) restrooms nearby, parking is tight and it's a bit crowded. The lake is pretty but nothing to get all excited about. There are so many trails in the general area that are worth the effort IMO. We've had a rainy season (which has been heavenly) so the bugs were bad by the water.

Nice butt burner in the Boulder area. Lots of steps. Great views and experience for those not…read morewanting to venture out off the beaten path. Take breaks on the ascent. Unless you're an Olympic trainee :)

Bring Water! This is an amazing hike to get a full view of the city, but it is a lot of stairs…read more(actual stairs, but a slope like other hikes).

Probably one of favorite hike in the Denver Boulder region. It is a great test of endurance and…read moreagility. My go to is start from NCAR start which is roughly 8.1 miles. You will enjoy fern gulch...lol. Have fun and be safe a good friend went to fast a few days ago and broke their ankle...so chill

We saw a couple of snakes and got some great views. The trail network can be hard to follow, as we…read moredid make a couple of incorrect turns, but it's because the trails aren't labeled with different colors or different symbols and a few parts could use some additional markers. The atmospheric research center is good to park at and has bathrooms. The trails were well manicured.

Having spent ample time hiking in the area, I finally decided to check out Forest Lakes. Whoa! I…read morecan't believe I slept on these beautiful mountain lakes! GETTING THERE: There appears to be a couple different approaches for this lake complex depending on the, "choose your own hiking adventure" you're seeking. If you have access to a high clearance vehicle, and off-roading is more your wheelhouse (see what I did there), you can take Forest Road 149 (Rollins-Pass Road) to the trailhead and have a very short walk to the larger of the lakes. However, if like me, you are seeking to push yourself a bit more, you'll start at the East Portal Trailhead and take in all the glorious scenery on foot. EXERTION: Coming in at 8.2 miles and 1,800+ feet of elevation gain, this trail makes for a moderate to hard hike. It's shaded almost the entire time, follows Arapahoe Creek a good portion of the trail, and the elevation is spread out fairly well. EXPERIENCE: There are a few lakes that make up this complex, but two really notable ones. The larger of the two, Upper Forest Lake, has a ton of trout. It was relaxing to kick back and watch them swim and jump for the bugs near the surface of the water. I chose to hike this trail a bit later in wildflower season, but there were still so many gorgeous blossoms on display! All in all, Forest Lakes impressed me! I'll definitely be adding this moderate adventure to my hiking short-list for future adventures.

This view never gets old any time of year. But a warm day in Feb is rare in most years but not this…read moreyear. We took a ride up to this point just as another was leaving from sunrise viewing. I just don't need to be up that early these days. There is a display with information describing the parts of the view and since this is my little city, I know what is where. In some light and times of year you can easily see my street if you know where to look. The campus and downtown are easy to identify. Enjoy a ride up but know the gates to all viewing spaces on Flagstaff are now locked at night to prevent issues that might start a wild land fire that could sweep down into town.

Baseline Rd (40th parallel north) defines the Nebraska/Kansas border. At Base-Mar shopping center…read moreyou can actually land one foot on the south side of the USA and the other foot on the north side slicing our country in half. Directions from downtown Boulder: drive 15 minutes west on Baseline road all the way up the hill to arrive at a parking lot for panorama point. They have picnic tables and benches for your ultimate make out sesh.