There’s a chance that you are from a sunny state where a low of 65 degrees is freezing, or maybe maneuvering front wheel drive around on black icy roads of death freaks you out a little. Whatever the case, cautious one, you are not alone. Winter is here, and while you love bundling up in a snuggly hat and mittens, sipping cocoa and watching the flakes fall through your foggy breath like a Michael Bublé song, your uber fit friends are not going to convince you to hike a fourteener anytime soon.
But do not despair. Let it snow because you can take a hike this winter with a trail that won’t have you heavily gasping for breath or remembering Discovery Channel facts about frostbite warning signs in subzero temperatures. Here are some beautiful hiking trails where you can enjoy the magic of a winter wonderland without experiencing your own version of Everest.
Remember to check national or state park websites before you hike to make sure trail conditions are good and bring recommended gear. Happy hiking!
1. St. Mary’s Glacier
Where: Arapaho National Forest near Idaho Springs
Length: 1.4 miles out and back
Highlights: If you’re looking for a shorter hike, the trail to St. Mary’s Glacier is straight out of snowy paradise. With an ascension through the trees ending with an amazing panoramic view of the Rockies, this trail caps our list since it features a year-round glacier (rather a large snowfield) that is typically used for sledding, skiing and hiking. Use caution when walking on the glacier, or if you’re feeling less adventurous, simply enjoy the beautiful lake it feeds below. No matter what you do once you get to the top, you’re definitely bound to enjoy this chill spot only a short hour drive from Denver.
2. Nymph/Dream/Emerald Lakes
Where: Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park
Length: 1 mile, 2.4 mile, 3.2 miles out and back
Highlights: Nothing beats Rocky Mountain National Park. Depending on how much time you want to spend hiking, these three majestic lakes are interspaced on the same trail, but all feature the same breathtaking view of icy waters and snowcapped mountains. With a nice moderate incline, this trail is well-crowded year-round and for good reason since the views can’t be rivaled elsewhere.
3. Waterton Canyon
Where: Chatfield State Park near Littleton
Length: 12.4 miles
Highlights: If you don’t want to travel far from Denver or exert yourself physically, hiking a section of the Waterton Canyon Trail offers the perfect winter stroll. Frequent bikers and joggers use Waterton Canyon due to its flat path surrounded by beautiful rock formations and the flowing South Platte River. In the winter, you’ll see the massive canyon all frosted over and even catch a glimpse of wildlife such as bighorn sheep, mule deer and even wild turkeys in their natural rocky habitat.
4. Alderfer/Three Sisters
Where: Alderfer/Three Sisters Park near Evergreen
Length: 6.9-mile loop
Highlights: If you love walking through the woods, the Alderfer/Three Sisters Trail features gorgeous Ponderosa pines blanketed in snow. As one of the less commonly used trails on our list, Alderfer/Three Sisters is a great hike for clearing your head and enjoying some peace and quiet in the winterized wilderness.
5. Alberta Falls
Where: Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park
Length: 1.7 miles out and back
Highlights: Another gorgeous and popular winter hike in Rocky Mountain National Park offers stunning views of the most scenic waterfall in the park with only a steady incline. Frozen Alberta Falls is absolutely picturesque, and you won’t have to hike long to reach it.
6. Willow Creek
Where: Roxborough State Park near Littleton
Length: 1.5-mile loop
Highlights: If you don’t want to drive all the way to Garden of the Gods and want a hike that’s not Red Rocks, but want to see some colorful rock formations all covered in snow, Roxborough State Park has got you covered. Relatively short and easy, the Willow Creek hike features protruding red rock formations along this little loop trail that’s so easy babies could do it.
7. Lake Isabelle
Where: Indian Peaks Wilderness near Nederland
Length: 4.5-mile loop
Highlights: Lake Isabelle is the perfect moderately easy hike on our list that’s long enough for a good workout, but won’t have you worried about dangerous terrain. This winter hike features a waterfall and stunning mountain views of a frozen lake in an alpine valley.
Editor’s Note – After November, roads can be closed and may add on an extra four or more miles round trip to Lake Isabelle. Go here to check conditions and to plan your route. Shorter trips include stopping at Brainard Lake which is approximately two miles from the gateway trailhead to the lake.
8. Sallie Barber Mine
Where: White River National Forest near Breckenridge
Length: 2.8 miles out and back
Highlights: Breckenridge isn’t just good for skiing! Some of Colorado’s most beautiful winter hikes are up in this high elevation area, but rarely get much attention. The old Sallie Barber Mine is the pit stop for this hike which includes ruins of the wooden building dating back to the 1800s. Sallie Barber also offers striking views of the French Gulch and beautiful stretches through snowy forests.
9. Lair O’ the Bear
Where: Lair O’ the Bear Park near Idledale. Exit off Highway 74.
Length: 14.5 miles
Highlights: Hiking a stretch of the Lair O’ the Bear Trail through this popular park is definitely year-round fun for the whole family. You’ll see lots of attractions along the way: a beautiful creek, a flowing river with scenic bridges, mountain views and a real-life castle hidden in the woods. Lair O’ the Bear never gets boring.
10. Kenosha Pass
Where: Pike National Forest. Exit off Highway 285 at Kenosha Pass Campground.
Length: 29.3 miles (this is for the whole loop, but you can opt to take a shorter route)
Highlights: Everyone can’t stop talking about Kenosha Pass in the fall, but those aspens are just as gorgeous in the winter. With a slow, easy climb from the campground, hiking a section of Kenosha boasts snowy aspen tunnels, rolling hills and amazing views of the flat plains and the Rockies.
11. Lily Lake
Where: Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park
Length: 1.1-mile loop
Highlights: Another hotspot lake in Rocky Mountain National Park for taking some pretty pictures is Lily Lake. This beautiful lakeside loop trail is simple enough for a daytime stroll, but offers the same stunning backdrop of mountains you might find on a more challenging hike. On a clear day from Lily, you can see Lily Mountain, Estes Cone, Mt. Meeker and Longs Peak.
Is the road to the Lake Isabelle parking lot open in the winter? I thought they closed the road at a gate closer to the entrance but I’ve never been up there in the winter.
It depends on the weather.The image of Lake Isabelle in the article is from winter 2016 so it was open at the time. But check out the park’s information before you go to make sure it’s open on that particular weekend: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recarea/?recid=28182
They actually close the Brainard road each November, not weather dependent. So it is never open in calendar winter. This adds about 5 miles roundtrip, not to mention that after a snow, there can be some serious route-finding and trail breaking, as well as some slide potential in a few areas. This is a really poor suggestion for a beginner winter hike.
We added an editor’s note about the road closure. Thank you for your comments. We appreciate the feedback.
Thanks, Anna. That’s what I was thinking too. Now that I looked at the picture more closely, there isn’t much snow in it so it was probably taken in September or October after the first light dusting.
I found this site when looking for beta on snowshoeing to Lake Isabelle. It’s a great beginner summer or fall hike, but in the winter I agree with Anna. If no one has been out first the route finding can be daunting if you have never been in the area before and the trail breaking can be rough. I would not recommend Lake Isabelle as an easy winter hike. Brainard Lake is a much more reasonable suggestion as you follow a road the entire time and getting lost is way less likely.
Great information. Exactly what I needed re winter hikes.