Denver, CO: Beaver Brook
One of the Front Range's best hikes, this 10-mile point-to-point offers solitude, mountain views, and a couple of thigh-burning climbs.
| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Colorado featured hikes / reader trips
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Colorado 14ers: Castle PeakThis stiff climb to the tallest peak in the Elk Range offers unforgettable views of the Roaring Fork River and Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area. Grand Junction, CO: Zippety Do DaThis 6.5-mile mountain bike loop features the best of the Bookcliffs trails: Zippety Do Da's steeps, the gnarly drop off Joe's Ridge, and Kessel Run's slalom course. Boulder, CO: Mount Sanitas via Dakota Ridge TrailThis 4-miler starts with a gentle climb along rolling ridgeline, then cranks it up a notch with an obstacle course of steep rock steps and tightly-spaced boulders.
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Colorado Springs, CO: Air Force Academy Falcon TrailRecently renovated, the Falcon Trail is great for beginner riders looking to learn the skills to fly through obstacles like an Air Force Cadet. Boulder, CO: Betasso PreserveThe 1,000-foot climb from Boulder to Betasso Preserve pays off with a 3-mile circuit on banked and off-camber singletrack--an ideal cross-country primer. St Mary's FallsRebecca, Shadow , and I. Experienced some weather. Got rained on and hailed on! Perfect temperature however and some really cool pictures.
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National Parks Hall of Fame: Best Cross-Country AdventureTraverse alongside delicate ecosystem, open tundra and hit nine summits on this "grand slam" of cross-country treks. 
America's Scariest Trails: Supernatural SightsAlpine views and starry skies are nice, but on these unsettling hikes you might see something really stunning. |
Your Daily Tread: Local Hikes Across the U.S.What's better than hiking every weekend? Hiking every day. Here are the best big-city escapes from New York to Los Angeles. Plus: Bill Donahue explores the remote reaches of Portland's Forest Park and discovers secrets even locals don't know. 
Free Maps! Our Contributors Favorite Local HikesOnline or via your cellphone these trips are ready to be downloaded and explored. 
Footprints Needed: Colorado's Undiscovered Black CanyonDescend into Colorado's Black Canyon and explore a park that has everything–life-list scenery, challenging terrain, a revitalized river–except hikers. |
Keyhole Route, Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, COIn May 2006, BACKPACKER editors Jon Dorn and Kris Wagner made an early-season summit attempt on the highest peak (14,255 feet) in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photos by Jonathan Dorn) 
The CDT Project209 BACKPACKER readers were dispatched to GPS map the CDT & they sent along some amazing photographs. |
The BACKPACKER Interview: Ken BurnsAward-winning documentary filmmaker Ken Burns joins us to talk about the people, places, and lasting importance of his latest project, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea." 
3D Flyover: Rocky Mountain National Park's Grand LoopExplore the quieter side of Rocky Mountain National Park with writer Dougald MacDonald on this historically inspired route up Longs Peak. 
Boulder's Gregory Canyon TrailTake an abandoned wagon road near Boulder's Flatirons with Backpacker editors Jon Dorn and Anthony Cerretani in this trail profile. |
The CDT Project: WildlifeBig and small, the Backpacker teams spotted a variety of wildlife along the CDT |
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Photos + Videos
Gear Lab: Boots Torture TestCan any hiking boot survive 15 minutes in a cement mixer filled with rocks, sticks, dirt, and bricks? Gear Lab aims to find out. |
Gear Lab: Tents Torture TestWho wants a mountain tent that buckles under pressure? Not us--so we blasted four top tents with a carwash pressure washer to see which one comes out on top. |
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Adventure Weekends: Luxury Hiking and Camping
We've got a selection of cozy shelters and trail-side restaurants from Washington to Maine. Check out these hikes in the Rockies, the Northeast, and the Northwest.
Hiking The Annapurna Circuit: Q&A With Shannon Davis
Associate editor Shannon Davis tells us more about the highs and lows of his honeymoon trek (featured in March 2009's "The Perfect Circle") on the sky-scraping Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.
American Classic: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
In this ultimate guide to the country's favorite footpath, you'll find our picks for the best hiking and camping, and a complete plan for thru-hikers. Plus, meet a man who has made it his job to help AT hikers.
Mt. Adams: Solitude On Ice
Test your self-arrest skills on Mt. Adams's 12,276-foot fractured glacier.
Hiking Hip Deep in Florida's Swamps
Get your feet (and more) wet on the Florida Trail's best section.
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