Trailblazing in the Centennial State: Colorado’s Best Running Routes

If you are looking for a new destination for your next adventure, you might want to consider these routes perfect for running and enjoying nature, starting from the most accessible roads to the challenges for the most athletic hikers. 

10. Red Rocks Trading Post Trail

Just outside of Denver, in Morrison, Colorado, is this easy 1.4-mile loop hiking trail perfect to walk for about an hour. This trail has incredible views, such as an extensive glance at the Red Rocks Park and even the amphitheater. 

Though families often visit it during the summer, it is advised that parents be careful with their children as many rocks can be loose and can hurt someone. 

9. Turquoise Lake

The Turquoise Lake is one of the most beautiful running routes in America, and perhaps even on Earth. Located in Leadville, this 6.4-mile road has become a very popular destination during the summer.

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8. Bear Creek Regional Park

This trail’s best asset is how close it is to downtown Denver. Inside the regional park, you can enjoy many other activities, like picnics with your family or entering the Bear Creek Trail. 

This road is among the trees in the middle of the city, and though you can choose the longest way and take about two hours to finish, you can take the loop trail that will last about fifteen minutes. The Bear Creek Trail is perfect for new hikers, kids, or if you are on a quick visit to Denver. 

7. Eccles Pass

To actually get to the Ecless Pass, you have to walk through the Meadow Creek Trail first. It is in the middle of north Frisco through the wilderness, among an aspen-pine forest and the Lily Pad Lake. 

This might not be considered a hardcore hike unless you plan to camp overnight or spice the trip by climbing through the forest up to 2.700 ft to get to the top of the peak. 

6. Mount Falcon Peak

Mount Falcon is in downtown Denver, and it is the perfect place to glance at several iconic landmarks of Colorado, such as the Red Rocks Amphitheater. Here, you can see the former house of the founder of the amphitheater, John Brisben Walker, which has remained since the early 1900s. 

5. Manitou Springs Incline 

Originally, it was a railway for a hydroelectric plant and water tanks to reach the mountain’s top. Also known by locals as “The Incline,” it is about 9 miles long, and it can be finished in under an hour, depending on your desire to stop and admire the landscape. 

4. Royal Arch Trail

Located in Boulder, Colorado, this is a route for experts. Most local hikers are familiar with this route, but it might work for those amateurs who want to have a challenge after training in other trails. 

Still, remember to pack a lot of water and a map in case you have no reception. It can only be accessed through the Chautauqua Trailhead; it’s over a hundred miles long and has an elevation gain of 1153 ft, so many hikers have to rest while climbing. Though it is open for dogs, it can get rocky at the top, making it a little dangerous for pets.  

3. Pawnee Pass Trail

With a length of 9 miles, the Pawnee Pass trail is one of the best trails in Beyond Boulder, Colorado. Though it is considered one of the most difficult roads to walk, it is very popular among hikers, mainly because of the view you get as a reward once you have reached the top. 

On the journey, you can see Long Lake, Lake Isabelle, the Indian Peaks, and part of the Rocky Mountain National Park. 

2. Huron Peak

The Huron Peak is part of the Collegiate Peaks of the Rocky Mountains. This fourteener peak is seven or eleven miles long, whether you take the upper or lower trailhead respectively, and it’s very inclined and surrounded by purely wilderness. 

Though you might see a bit of the other peaks of the area, you can’t access them through this road; however, you can hike, climb mountains, and even camp overnight. 

1. Four Pass Loop

The Four Pass Loop is more than a weekend journey. It is a harsh but amazing trail that takes about three or four days to complete, only for those adventurous hikers willing to spend some nights under the stars with nothing but backpacks.

 The loop starts at the Maroon Bells and extends for a little more than 26 miles, with a few optional stops, like the Willow Pass or the Geneva Lake. As it is located in Aspen, it is recommended to visit during the summer or, if you want it to be a little bit less crowded, early fall. 

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