We loved our hike to st marys falls. St Marys is a moderate hike around 6.5 miles and 1394 feet of…read moreelevation gain. The main road to the falls parking lot is closed and you have to take gold camp road over. This is around 3 miles of dirt. Its narrow with some pot holes and also 2 tunnels you will need to go through. A lot of the road is very narrow and really only wide enough for just one car. So be prepared for a little bit of a hairy ride. it will be the 2nd parking lot on your right. There is a fairly large parking lot, however it fills up quickly especially on a weekend. If you want to do this you will want to arrive sooner rather than later. Dogs are allowed but are supposed to be on a leash. The parking lot for saint marys is the same as for some other trails over there, seven bridges and silver cascades being 2 of them. You will have to walk around 1 1/4 miles up a dirt road until you get to the trailhead. The trail follows a creek most of the trail. It is rocky and at times a little slick with the loose rock. It is beautiful, surrounded by forest. It was very magical and lovely. it felt so nice to be out in the woods. Mountain bikes and motorcycles are also allowed to use this trail. We did not see any motorcycles but there were a few mountain bikers. And they dont necessarily signal so well beware. There is a trash can at the trail head. Be sure to PACK out what you pack in! My friend and i were picking up garbage that people had left along the trail :( There is no reason to leave your garbage. Please take it with you.

Inadvertently found this trail while looking for a different place to hike with the pup, who is…read moreyoung and just learning how to be a good off leash hiking dog. I'm not 100% certain, but I think that you are allowed to take your dogs off leash on this trail. I certainly never saw any signs stating otherwise and out of maybe 10 dogs we saw, half were on leash and a half off. It was a beautiful hike however we were not prepared and did not have water or maybe a hiking stick for me, at least. The beginning part of the trail is a wide open fire lane, but once you get back there it's a trail with a gradual uphill climb the entire way that turns even steeper towards the end. I was definitely asking "how much longer" for the last half-hour and really regretting that I didn't have water with me as my sensitive back started to ache. On our way down as we passed other hikers, they were asking the same question about "how much longer". The gradual uphill climb the entire way can be a little much if you're not prepared for it and the journey back down to the car is much quicker since it's basically downhill the whole way. Took half the time to get down than it did to get up. The waterfall and stream were beautiful and soothing. Walking with shady tree cover much of the way and a stream next to us was a plus for the pup to get his first experience of playing in a stream. The pup definitely enjoyed himself most of all. We took this hike in early June and on our way back we got hit with a rainstorm that dropped the temperature about 20° and we were freezing and poured on by the time we got back to the car, so be prepared when coming here in the summertime!

Huron peak is my favorite 14er out of the 16 I have done. The views were beautiful from start to…read morefinish and the wildflowers were so diverse and vibrant! I saw my first columbine on this hike, which made it extra special. The treelike portion has beautiful Mountain View's peaking out through the forest and once you're above tree line, you have an unobstructed view of beautiful Huron and surrounding peaks. The hike itself is very easy! Less than 7 miles and only a few thousand elevation. The road up is a little rough. I thought I parked at the 2WD lot, but my friend saw my stats and said I actually made it through the 4WD portion and just didn't park all the way at the trailhead. If you have a 4WD it's totally doable, only a couple of sketchy spots. We needed up just walking about 1.5 miles along the road since we didn't know what we were doing. 10/10 14er

What a cool tribute to John Denver! The garden is beautiful and free!! We were there during…read moreoffseason so I can only imagine what it looks like in the summer. It's a nice walk around, right in the town of Aspen. Kid friendly dog friendly but not wheelchair accessible, it was a rocky path with some stones crossing little streams. If you're in Aspen you should definitely check it out !

What an incredibly gorgeous, peaceful, and ethereal place to take a stroll…read more Im more of a walk-not-hike and I-like-plants-not-nature kinda gal. I could've sat and admired the landscape of this place forever. Wildflowers, and natives, gentle water and little animals about. 10/10 explore if you visit. Bonus if you're the type of person to pull out Zillow and see what some of these places backed against the sanctuary go for. (Seems fair to me!)

You have to stop here during fall. Thé color of the water is so gorgeous! The trail is easily short…read moreand accessible, pet friendly and not long at all. Wonderful views and one of my favorite places around this area. Just listening to the water was so relaxing. A beautiful place to visit.

I absolutely loved this hike soooo much . I have a bad foot with so many medical issues . I chose…read morethis trail because is so short . When we reached the ice cave I Decided not to risk lowering myself into the cave only because of my foot. There was another guy who had just had foot surgery and also decided against going down into the ice cave only. But he had made it too all the way down the trail . My husband did and showed me amazing pictures. This hike was just beyond words. I took it slow and was careful . There was a breathtaking waterfall . Of all the things we have done on this trip THIS is my favorite.

Spring canyon is an amazingly beautiful space with a small lake and multiple wooden bridges. There…read moreare around 10 picnic tables and a couple picnic benches. The lake is available for fishing and small paddle boats. The space is private but I didn't learn of this until after exploring it. There is also a trail with marked numbers and a trail map to guide you. I wasn't able to explore the trail because the snow blocked the path. The area is about 3 miles away from Cottonwood Lake (take the left road when you see the split to get to the lake rather than Spring Canyon).

it's the best way to spend time with your family and the Lord…read more it has activities for you and your family.You can go to service while your kids go to a smaller group!

The lakes were beautiful and the falls were also very beautiful. The hike was challenging but…read moredoable and not too hard. Good shade in a lot of places but lots of mosquitoes as well you need bug spray for sure! Really crowded but less crowded than a fourteener.

I arrived close to 8AM, and the parking lot was full but I still parked pretty close to the…read moretrailhead. The hike up was quite shaded for most of it, and it wasn't too bad until the steep section about halfway into the hike. Views were pretty with mountains in the distance and being surrounded by trees, and the waterfall was small but pleasant. The lakes were pretty as well, and there were lots of places to sit around it. Good hike! I didn't (know to) go all the way to the last lake, just went to Upper Mohawk Lake which took me 3.5 hours round-trip not including time spent at the top.

Beautiful spot to chill and relax after you survive the gravel road to get there. Rustic…read moreaccommodations. Wildlife abounds and is so used to people they get very close.

Sad to hear that Thomas no longer enjoys this place but everyone I've spoken to (all long times…read more10/20 year members) are lifers. The ethos behind this place is respect & preservation. "Naturalism" (aka nudism) was one of the founders aims & it's common to see folks not only speaking, but hiking up the trails au natural. And the trails are amazing, as are the views, the springs, the Astronomy pad, the very kind staff, & the wildlife viewing. Along with the keeping it natural vibe, is the dedication to keeping it affordable & family friendly. Cabins & bunk house with shared no frills bathrooms & showers, a well equipped camper kitchen & VERY affordable rates are all part of this effort. Personally, I appreciate the rules & the emphasis on everyone being responsible for making this a comfortable, safe & welcome space for all. Anytime I'm in the neighborhood, I'll be back. Check the website for details on accommodation, fees, pets, etc...

When I need a break from the traffic the city the hustle bustle Buena Vista is my favorite getaway…read more The beauty is just majestic and having a guide to take me on a walk through the hills and joyfully point out edible plants along the way is really super cool. Stopping for mountain meditation with a world class view is honestly life changing. I wouldn't miss this opportunity. A total delight.

From the owner: Backyard Agrarian's Liz Morgan combines edible plant nature walks with yoga. Combining foraging &…read moreyoga, Liz will show you her favorite edible plant stashes and guide you to deepen your connection to this beautiful, peaceful, hospitable planet. Connecting to edible plants and breathtaking landscapes is an amazing way to find that peaceful, compassionate place in our hearts from which to deepen and enliven our yoga and meditation practices. Located in beautiful, sunny Buena Vista, Colorado (2.5 hours from Denver, 2 hours from Colorado Springs). Come visit! Yoga: Liz teaches weekly classes at Soul Vista Yoga (SoulVistaYoga.com) in Buena Vista and Integrate CrossFit Spa (IntegrateYourself.com) in Salida. She is also available for private & group yoga, birthday parties, bachelorette parties, and events. Nature Walks: There is a luscious, wild pantry, stocked to the gills with the freshest, healthiest foods imaginable, across the hills and riverbanks of Colorado. Come explore!

Deer Valley Ranch was an absolutely beautiful place to get married, and we're so glad we chose it…read morefor our wedding. We booked fairly last minute, so the main lodge was already reserved for a family reunion, but we were able to rent Centennial Hall for our reception, and it worked out wonderfully. One thing to be aware of if you're planning a summer wedding is that Centennial Hall does not have air conditioning, so it can get quite warm during the reception. Even so, everyone had a fantastic time. We also experienced an unexpected issue with a neighboring property owner playing loud music during our reception. We later learned this has been an ongoing issue because he has expressed that he doesn't enjoy living next to an event venue. Fortunately, our DJ was able to drown out most of the noise, and, behind the scenes, Cammie handled the situation quickly by contacting law enforcement. Everything was resolved promptly, and it never became an issue that took away from our celebration. Overall, we couldn't have been happier with our experience. Deer Valley Ranch is a gorgeous venue with an amazing staff, breathtaking views, and affordable value. We'd absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful mountain wedding venue.

Lovely place! Lovely people! And Chalk mountain!!!! Nothing negative to say at all- come visit -…read moresee GODs Country!!!

What a cool find. This trail is just right outside of local BV. So close to town!…read more There is a big parking lot. There is a restroom but it was closed for winter currently. There were however port a potties set up in the lot. The trail was 5.3 miles and 1627 feet of elevation gain. It is geared for either hiking or mountain biking. Once you start climbing you do start doing some climbing. The trail was mostly dry in spite of snow on so many other close by trails! The views at the top were perfect! It was wonderful to chill at the top for a few and just take it all in.