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Best Riverside Hikes in Colorado

The directory currently contains 24 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Colorado. Their average mapped distance is 13.3 km and average recorded ascent is 643 m (2,110 ft); the longest route in the set is 37.0 km.

This subset represents 14% of the 168 quality-checked routes in Colorado. Its average distance is 13.3 km, compared with 40.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 643 m (2,110 ft), versus 793 m (2,602 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the river tag. The tag does not establish how much of the mapped line follows water or whether crossings are safe. Within this set, 4 routes (17%) are rated easy, 9 (38%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) 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

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

3.5 km

Uncompahgre River Walk Loop

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

15 m

Westerly Creek Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

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
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
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
Moderate

Westerly Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
15.4 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
15 m
Typical duration
3 hr 14 min
  • River
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
Moderate

Colorado River Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
5.9 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
327 m
Typical duration
1 hr 43 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Hard

Pearl Creek

Colorado · United States

Distance
23.0 km
/ 14.3 mi
Elevation gain
962 m
Typical duration
6 hr 29 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Mountain Plaza at Vail Village in Vail, Colorado
Easy

Village Streamwalk

Colorado · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • River
Moderate

Cutler Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
6.1 km
/ 3.8 mi
Elevation gain
177 m
Typical duration
1 hr 33 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Little Beaver Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
601 m
Typical duration
3 hr 10 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
Moderate

Little Beaver Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.8 mi
Elevation gain
601 m
Typical duration
3 hr 10 min
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Castle and ruins
Moderate

Browns Creek Falls Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
325 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Waterfall
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Triple Creek Greenway

Colorado · United States

Distance
9.1 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
1 hr 56 min
  • River
Moderate

Difficulty Creek Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
1 hr 53 min
  • River
  • Mountain
Moderate

Platte River Trail

Colorado · United States

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
267 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • River

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
Oak Creek TrailColorado10.4 km1,105 m3 hr 49 minHardJuly to September
Bear Creek TrailColorado10.7 km1,604 m4 hr 38 minHardJuly to September
Tonahutu Creek TrailColorado21.8 km1,210 m6 hr 34 minHardJuly to September
Westerly Creek TrailColorado15.4 km15 m3 hr 14 minModerateJune to October
Dexter Creek TrailColorado7.3 km871 m2 hr 49 minModerateJuly to September
Uncompahgre River Walk LoopColorado3.5 km41 m48 minEasyJuly to September
Colorado Trail Seg. 13 North Cottonwood Creek Road to Chalk Creek TrailheadColorado37.0 km1,762 m11 hrExpertJuly to September
Colorado Trail Seg. 12 Clear Creek to North Cottonwood Creek RoadColorado33.1 km1,506 m9 hr 41 minExpertJuly to September
Colorado River TrailColorado5.9 km327 m1 hr 43 minModerateJuly to September
Colorado Trail Seg. 11 Half Moon Creek to Clear Creek RoadColorado33.9 km1,200 m9 hr 25 minExpertJuly to September

Oak Creek Trail, Bear Creek Trail, Tonahutu Creek Trail 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

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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