Am I going to get hit by lightning?

Don't be above treeline after noon in July–August. Start at dawn, turn around if the sky darkens. Storms here kill hikers most years.

Do I need to acclimatise?

If you're coming from sea level, spend 2 nights above 7,000 ft before attempting anything above 12,000. You'll feel terrible for 24 hours otherwise.

Which fourteener is the best starter?

Mt Bierstadt. Short, straightforward, and you'll see 200 other people doing it — which is reassuring on your first one.

Jagged rocky peak glowing at sunset above a winding mountain pass road and parking area with a lodge

Best Hiking Trails in Colorado

The fourteeners get the headlines, but Colorado's best hiking is often below treeline. Our team's picks from Durango to Estes Park.

Colorado is the state we send beginners to when they ask where to try "real" mountain hiking. The infrastructure is good, the trailheads are well-marked, and the summer weather pattern — clear mornings, afternoon thunderstorms — is predictable enough to plan around.

Rae spent a season as a ranger-hut caretaker outside Aspen; Jake has a weird obsession with the 13ers nobody climbs; Mia has done the Maroon Bells hut traverse three times. The short version: the fourteener list is good, but some of Colorado's best days are on the 11,000-foot ridges nobody is racing to bag.

By region

Front Range

RMNP, Indian Peaks, Mt Evans. Easy access from Denver; crowded but the trails are good.

Sawatch + Elk

Aspen, Crested Butte, Leadville — classic Colorado scenery, more remote, prime August–September.

San Juans

The wildest range in the state. Purgatory, Silverton, Telluride. Long drive-ins, huge reward.

When to go

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best good ok poor

Plan a hike in Colorado

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More hikes in Colorado

Common questions

Am I going to get hit by lightning?: Don't be above treeline after noon in July–August. Start at dawn, turn around if the sky darkens. Storms here kill hikers most years.
Do I need to acclimatise?: If you're coming from sea level, spend 2 nights above 7,000 ft before attempting anything above 12,000. You'll feel terrible for 24 hours otherwise.
Which fourteener is the best starter?: Mt Bierstadt. Short, straightforward, and you'll see 200 other people doing it — which is reassuring on your first one.