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Best Mountain Hikes in Colorado

The directory currently contains 105 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Colorado. Their average mapped distance is 60.9 km and average recorded ascent is 1,180 m (3,871 ft); the longest route in the set is 1175 km.

This subset represents 63% of the 168 quality-checked routes in Colorado. Its average distance is 60.9 km, compared with 40.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 1,180 m (3,871 ft), versus 793 m (2,602 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 5 routes (5%) are rated easy, 53 (50%) are rated hard or expert, and 4 (4%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Trails

The remains of the St John Mining town in Colorado, somewhat SW of Montezuma.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4

Colorado · United States

Distance
350 km
/ 217 mi
Elevation gain
7,273 m
Typical duration
93 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Cathedral Peak, elevation 13,943 ft (4,250 m), viewed from the southeast. It is located in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness within the White River National Forest.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5

Colorado · United States

Distance
148 km
/ 92.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,535 m
Typical duration
38 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Plateau Creek in Mesa County, Colorado. The creek flows through the Plateau Valley.
Expert

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6

Colorado · United States

Distance
297 km
/ 185 mi
Elevation gain
5,858 m
Typical duration
79 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Ute Pass, U.S. Highway 24, Colorado
Expert

ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 2

Colorado · United States

Distance
264 km
/ 164 mi
Elevation gain
2,733 m
Typical duration
66 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

CDT - Colorado Section

Colorado · United States

Distance
1175 km
/ 730 mi
Elevation gain
11,798 m
Typical duration
297 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

ADT - Utah - R - Seg 1

Colorado · United States

Distance
178 km
/ 111 mi
Elevation gain
2,690 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Box Cañon Falls, Ouray CO
Hard

Oak Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
10.4 km
/ 6.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,105 m
Typical duration
3 hr 49 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Mills Lake, Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Moderate

Glacier Gorge Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
263 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Glacier
The Dove glacier and Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. August 2021
Hard

Longs Peak Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
11.0 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,560 m
Typical duration
4 hr 38 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Expert

Horsethief Trial

Colorado · United States

Distance
22.6 km
/ 14.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,241 m
Typical duration
8 hr 18 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Upper Cascade Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
784 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Expert

Geneva Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
37.5 km
/ 23.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,175 m
Typical duration
11 hr
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 1

Colorado · United States

Distance
352 km
/ 219 mi
Elevation gain
859 m
Typical duration
84 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Wiggins Rest Area at Interstate 76 exit in Morgan County, Colorado.
Expert

ADT - Colorado A - O - Seg 3

Colorado · United States

Distance
388 km
/ 241 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
91 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

ADT - Kansas - N - Seg 8

Colorado · United States

Distance
126 km
/ 78.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Bear Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
10.7 km
/ 6.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,604 m
Typical duration
4 hr 38 min
  • River
  • Mountain
First National Bank of Douglas County (Colorao) on NRHP since April 14, 1995. At 300 Wilcox St. (at 3rd Street), Castle Rock, Colorado
Expert

Colorado Front Range Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
376 km
/ 234 mi
Elevation gain
2,299 m
Typical duration
92 hr
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
  • Long-distance path
Lake San Cristobal is the second largest natural lake in the U.S. state of Colorado. Located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 9,003 feet (2,744 m), the freshwater lake is 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long, up to 89 feet (27 m) deep, has a
Expert

Colorado Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
356 km
/ 221 mi
Elevation gain
6,778 m
Typical duration
94 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The Jefferson Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad Depot, located in Jefferson, Colorado. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Park County, Colorado.
Expert

Colorado Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
287 km
/ 179 mi
Elevation gain
6,354 m
Typical duration
77 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Fern Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
918 m
Typical duration
3 hr 50 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

North Longs Peak Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
1 hr 54 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Maroon Bells 7-4
Hard

Maroon-Snowmass Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
26.4 km
/ 16.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,078 m
Typical duration
7 hr 28 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Hard

Tonahutu Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,210 m
Typical duration
6 hr 34 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Mount Princeton is one of the fourteeners of the US state of Colorado. It lies in the Collegiate Peaks, in the central part of the Sawatch Range, just west of the Arkansas River. While not one of the highest peaks of the Sawatch it is one o
Expert

Collegiate East

Colorado · United States

Distance
124 km
/ 77.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,513 m
Typical duration
34 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Timber Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
443 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Three Collegiate Peaks - Mount Harvard, Mount Columbia and Mount Yale, taken from a hillside along the Continental Divide, just above Cottonwood Pass.
Expert

Collegiate West

Colorado · United States

Distance
128 km
/ 79.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,711 m
Typical duration
35 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
The Cheesman Park Duplex, located at 1372 South Pennsylvania Street in Denver, Colorado
Expert

Denver Orbital Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
284 km
/ 176 mi
Elevation gain
2,503 m
Typical duration
70 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rainbow Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
115 km
/ 71.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,809 m
Typical duration
31 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
40.3 km
/ 25.1 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
9 hr 27 min
  • Mountain
  • Wildlife watching
Expert

CDT ilcST

Colorado · United States

Distance
28.4 km
/ 17.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,383 m
Typical duration
8 hr 24 min
  • Mountain
Dream Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park
Moderate

Flat Top Mountain Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
6.8 km
/ 4.2 mi
Elevation gain
875 m
Typical duration
2 hr 44 min
  • Mountain
Expert

CDT iiyST

Colorado · United States

Distance
27.9 km
/ 17.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,456 m
Typical duration
8 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
Hard

CDT ilgST

Colorado · United States

Distance
17.6 km
/ 11.0 mi
Elevation gain
707 m
Typical duration
4 hr 49 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Barr Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
19.1 km
/ 11.9 mi
Elevation gain
2,303 m
Typical duration
7 hr 34 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Lower Cascade Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Waterfall
  • Mountain
Expert

Brookside-McCurdy Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
48.1 km
/ 29.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,836 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
20020823 1657 Forest Plants on Black Lake Trail
Moderate

Black Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.6 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Ditch Road

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
457 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
(1 in a multiple picture set) You look down from Fairview Curve and see the newly born Colorado River curving and twisting down the valley towards Grand Lake, CO.
Hard

Grand Ditch Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
24.1 km
/ 15.0 mi
Elevation gain
283 m
Typical duration
5 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Emerald Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
273 m
Typical duration
56 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Moderate

Lake Haiyaha Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
142 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Easy

Bear Lake Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Hard

Mt. Lamborn Summit Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
15.0 km
/ 9.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,647 m
Typical duration
5 hr 36 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Moderate

Dexter Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.5 mi
Elevation gain
871 m
Typical duration
2 hr 49 min
  • River
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4Colorado350 km7,273 m93 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5Colorado148 km2,535 m38 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6Colorado297 km5,858 m79 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Colorado B - P - Seg 2Colorado264 km2,733 m66 hrExpertJuly to September
CDT - Colorado SectionColorado1175 km11,798 m297 hrExpertJuly to September
ADT - Utah - R - Seg 1Colorado178 km2,690 m45 hrExpertJuly to September
Oak Creek TrailColorado10.4 km1,105 m3 hr 49 minHardJuly to September
Glacier Gorge TrailColorado9.2 km263 m2 hr 19 minModerateJuly to September
Longs Peak TrailColorado11.0 km1,560 m4 hr 38 minHardJuly to September
Horsethief TrialColorado22.6 km2,241 m8 hr 18 minExpertJuly to September

ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 4, ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 5, ADT - Colorado C - Q - Seg 6 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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