colorado for outdoor fans
Colorado

Things to do outdoors in Colorado

When planning our first real US roadtrip a couple of years ago, many people told us to go to the West Coast, like any other tourist does. However we decided that instead of following the crowds, we’d head out to Colorado. Even though we only spent about a week there before moving on to Utah and Wyoming, we discovered it’s a true paradise for the adventure minded. Today we’ll share our favorite things to do outdoors in Colorado for those who love the active lifestyle like we do.
 
This article was first published in 2015 and updated in 2021
 

Shop at REI in Denver

If you are flying to Colorado, you will most likely arrive in Denver. And basically, you just can’t leave Denver without visiting the REI Flagstore. For us Europeans, shopping in the US always used to be great fun. Outdoor gear is generally much cheaper than in Europe and they have so many cool brands that are not for sale here. Visiting REI is a great start of your Colorado adventure anyway, even if you are not planning on buying anything it’s still worth checking out all the awesome gear they have. While there, we bought bear-spray, new rainpants and some basic first aid items. And while you’re there, take a moment to enjoy the view over downtown Denver and the Platte River – especially on a sunny day it’s pretty gorgeous!
 
More things to do in Denver:
– Take a walk around downtown Denver and the Platte River
– Go shooting at the Silver Bullet shooting range
– Visit the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
 
downtown denver
 

Camping and hiking in Mueller State Park

Most travelers that visit Colorado, will most likely head out to Rocky Mountain National Park. If you fancy some amazing wilderness but then without the crowds, then make sure to head out to Mueller State Park. It’s only a two hour drive from downtown Denver and yet it feels like you are lightyears away from the rest of the world. At least, when we were visiting, which was early June. We were the only ones on the tenting-area and when we went hiking we only saw one other couple. The views of the Rockies in the distance are truly stunning and will give you a preview of what is yet to come when driving further out into the mountains. You can read our full blogpost about Mueller State Park here.
 
things to do outdoors in colorado
 

Biking to Maroon Bells in Aspen

Do you know what the most photographed mountains in the US are? They’re called Maroon Bells and located just outside of Aspen. You can easily drive up there with your car but in our opinion, the way to go is by bicycle. According to Lonely Planet, it would be quite a challenging ride up but since we are from The Netherlands, we decided we would give it a try. It’s a sturdy 11 mile ride up but once you are there, it will be totally worth the pain in your legs. If you haven’t had enough exercise, make sure to take a hike to Crater Lake, a moderate 1.8 mile (one way) track that will get you the best views of Maroon Bells. Just remember that one the way back, you don’t really have to pedal but just roll down… it will make walking up much easier. Read all about biking to Maroon Bells here.
 
cycling to maroon bells biking to maroon bells
 
Accommodationis popular so make sure to book your accommodation well ahead! We stayed at St. Moritz Lodge which was good and comfortable. Alternatively, all options for Aspen can be found here.
 

Hike up to Hanging Lake

Located near the town of Glenwood Springs, the hike up to Hanging Lake is truly outstanding. We didn’t know what to expect but upon arrival at the parking lot, we knew we were up for some crowd-walking. However since we are fairly quick hikers, we didn’t mind the crowds and we passed most of them on the way up. Although the walk is described as strenuous, it was fairly easy for us,  so if you hike in the mountains occasionally, don’t let the word strenuous scare you. The first bit of the walk is a bit of a drag but once you really start to gain elevation, you are up for some of the most beautiful views of the canyon. And the icing on the cake is definitely the arrival up at Hanging Lake. Never in my wildest dreams I would have imagined this beauty. Just a shame we had to share it with a ton of other people.
 
Note that at this moment the Hanging Lake Trail is closed due to a mudslide. It may or may not reopen in 2022.
 
If you decide to do this hike – try to beat the crowds and head up early. You will definitely be rewarded. You can read our full story about this hike here.
 
Hanging Lake
 

Camp in the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park near Lake Verna

Sure, RMNP may attract quite some crowds but once you venture off into the backcountry, these will be soon gone and you’ll be just by yourself. We decided to hike out to Lake Verna and stay there for the night. There’s only one campsite at the Lake and it needs to be pre-booked, meaning that you will have the whole place to yourself. The walk up is fairly straightforward and not very demanding, however you will definitely feel your calves burn every now and then when. After you’ve put up your tent, just sit down, relax and enjoy the peace of mother nature. This area is well known for seeing moose and just 10 minutes before we reached the parking lot on the walk back, a giant bull stepped out of the bush right beside us. A-MA-ZING! Bears are also around but I have to say that we didn’t really mind not running into one…
 
colorado for outdoor lovers lake-verna-camping lake-verna-morning
 

Conclusion and disclaimer

It may be clear, one week in Colorado (out of 4 weeks in the USA) isn’t enough to see it all. We’d love to come back one day to discover more, hike further out into the mountains, discover the area around Glenwood Springs and see more of the Rockies. Make sure to order your copy of Lonely Planet Colorado here for planning your trip the best possible way. Colorado is like a playground for the outdoor lover. There is wilderness all around generally you don’t even have to go far from the land of the living to experience some truly cool adventures! We sure can’t wait to go back here one day and enjoy more things to do outdoors in Colorado.
 
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23 Comments

    • anto

      Yeah, go and visit them, I’m sure you’ll love it, no matter what season (cos it’s also supposed to be heaven for skiing!)

  • Meg Jerrard

    I have a confession to make – we left Denver without visiting the REI Flagstore!!! Will have to head back – we LOVE the Rocky mountain National Park though and the amazing opportunities for outdoor activies Colorado has in general so we’ll definitely be back! Great list!

    • anto

      Nooo Meg, how could you?! Good reason to go back. And visit the one in Anchorage when you’re there. If you head up to Alaska, also go over to Sportsman Warehouse, I loved the gunsection there. For someone from Europe, it’s quite amazing to see they just got their guns hanging there…

  • Hannah

    Hanging Lake looks AMAZING. I want to go now!
    I also need to check out this REI next time I’m in the US. Everyone talks about it, I’m assuming it’s like MEC here in Canada but would be worth looking anyway 🙂

    • anto

      Yeah, REI totally rocks. I’m heading back to Anchorage this summer and can’t wait to check out their latest collections …

    • anto

      Ahh thanks Mary for coming over to leave a comment. I really enjoyed your post about bloggers … it’s such a true thing you said. Happy to hear you enjoy our blog and hope to see you back here some day!

  • Tam Gamble

    wow stunning landscapes. I would definitely have to take a walk up to hanging lake and potential spend some time camping in the area – not sure I would want to leave with views like that! 🙂

  • Nancy Benitez

    Ah, you’ve missed the most beautiful part of the state, the western slope. The San Juan Mountain range is spectacular!The drive on Hwy 62 between Ridgway and Telluride is unbelievable. Also towns of Silverton and Durango. Plenty of camping in so/west of Colorado.

    • anto

      Ahh yes, I need to come back to Colorado once. So much to see, so little time. Thanks for the suggestion, will definitely keep that in mind for a next visit!

    • anto

      I’d say from July onwards. I was there in June but that was a bit too early because there was a lot of snow. I’m looking into going back next summer and then be in Colorado end August – early September maybe …

  • Rich

    If you come during Autumn season Durango/Telluride is covered with shimmering gold colored Aspens. Long drive but definitely worth it.

  • Anna

    I hope next time you come to visit, you’ll be able to spend some time at Breckinridge (esp during Octoberfest), take a walk around Lake Dillon on the way to Breck and then head down to Vail which is truly beautiful and has some of the best hiking trails. Glad you enjoyed Colorado, I’ve lived here for the last 20 years and still find new trails and places that take my breath away.

    • anto

      Thanks for the suggestion! I’m hoping to come back next summer as I really enjoyed my time in Colorado and I already heard that there’s so much more to see. How are the fall colors during Octoberfest? I’m hoping to see a little bit of them!

      • Anna

        Octoberfest weekend in Breckenridge is September 8th – September 10th. The leaves are already turning that weekend and typically peak at around Sept 27th, so that’s a great time to visit. Plus there are tons of festivals in the mountains during that time and the weather is perfect for hiking. But do be weary, it is also the most active season for black bears since that’s their last chance to fatten up for hibernation.

        • anto

          Sounds amazing! I wish I lived closer because it sounds like an amazing place to enjoy the outdoors. And yeah, I’ve hiked a lot in Alaska so know about bears and their safety. I was solo hiking in the PNW last summer and wary all the time …

  • Bethel Smith

    Colorado looks like such a lovely place to visit. My husband and I are avid hikers and campers. I am excited to see that there so many great places to hike around there. We will definitely need to plan a vacation there soon.

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