Best Front Range Hikes

The best hikes in Colorado's Front Range, selected by members of the Colorado Mountain Club.

7 hikes chosen for the beauty of the scenery, the variety of the terrain, and the quality of the hike itself

A wide range of hikes, from easy to difficult

Complete trail descriptions, color photos, and maps

The Front Range of the Colorado Rockies rises abruptly from the plains in a 15-mile stretch of foothills, rounded summits, and jagged peaks between Fort Collins and Colorado Springs.

The hikes in this book were selected by members of four major groups of The Colorado Mountain Club, in an occasionally contentious process. The selection criteria were agreed upon, and then the members voted on their favorite hikes. After some heated arguments, quiet horse trading, and uproarious laughter, members of the oldest and largest Colorado hiking and climbing club decided on their favorites- so these really are the best hikes in the Front Range.

Each description starts with some basic information about the hike, including elevation gain, difficulty level, and round trip distance and time. Those statistics are followed by comments on the hike by the writer/photographer, directions to the trailhead, and a complete route description, including pictures from the route and a color topo of the trail.