Autumn is my favorite time to head into Colorado's high country. Though wildflowers depart, quivering gold Aspen leaves arrive. The trails are quieter, air cooler, lightning gone. Late last September, my husband, Dale, and I drove up gorgeous Guanella Pass to hike...
Hiking Videos
Hiking to Lost Lake – Hessie Trailhead, Nederland, Colorado
Nederland boasts some of Colorado's prettiest hikes, with waterways, wildflowers (or fall colors), and views of the Continental Divide. Around this time last year, my husband Dale and I hiked the three-mile round trip to Lost Lake - more like four miles since part of...
Hiking Eldorado Canyon Trail – Eldorado Springs, Colorado
Every year I think I'm going to stop discovering more hiking trails near Denver, and every year proves me wrong. Late last summer I discovered the Eldorado Canyon Trail in Eldorado Canyon State Park. This gem lies tucked away just past the Old West resort town of...
Hiking Beaver Brook Trail & Chavez Loop – Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado
After spending several weeks out of town this summer, and adding a few new activities to my life - such as learning Tai Chi, and writing part two of my novel - I've been keeping my hikes relatively low-key this season. I've been focused on trails that are closer to...
Hiking Mount Audubon: Brainard Lake Recreation Area, Colorado
To me, late September means it's time to hit Colorado's high country to see the Aspen turn the Rocky Mountains into shimmering gold. I love to drive the Peak-to-Peak Highway to see the show, and that makes a hike at Mount Audubon convenient. I've hiked this particular...
HIKING RED ROCKS & MORRISON SLIDE LOOP – Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado
The last time I hiked Red Rocks Trail, I started at the Matthews/Winters Park trailhead. But on Monday I wanted to focus more on Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the world's coolest natural outdoor amphitheatre - except for maybe that floating movie theatre in Thailand. So...
HIKING GEM LAKE – Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park, Colorado is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, and you don't even have to pass through the official park entrance to reach many a lovely hike. Gem Lake is an easy-ish uphill walk of about 3.4 miles round trip, with rewarding views. Boulders and...
HIKING BARR LAKE WILDLIFE REFUGE: Easy Walk to a Wealth of Animals
If you like easier hikes, this is a good summer to watch my Colorado hiking videos. In January, I had surgery to remove part of a herniated disc that put pressure on my spine, but not before it damaged the nerves in my left foot. I expect to get my strength back, but...
HIKING HERMAN GULCH TO THE CITADEL – A Thirteener Just Off Colorado’s I-70
I prefer hiking Colorado's thirteeners (13,000-foot-peaks) to its fourteeners, because they're less crowded with peak baggers, yet equally beautiful and often just as challenging. The Herman Gulch trail to The Citadel kicked my butt, and I loved every moment. I was...
HIKING BRIDAL VEIL FALLS – Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park, Colorado
Do you have a thing for waterfalls? If you've read my memoir, you know that my favorite hikes embrace "many waters and signs of water." Bridal Veil Falls fits that description, and it's as romantic a sight as the name promises. It's more like many veils, trailing one...