I am admittedly new to the whole winter hiking thing. I always thought that it was something that I couldn’t do because I didn’t have the proper equipment (and couldn’t afford to add another outdoor activity to my mix). Turns out that wasn’t true! There are many hikes, especially more popular ones close to Denver, that you can safely do with just a pair of microspikes and your normal hiking equipment! I have the Kahtoola spikes and love them.
Ever since I discovered this, I’ve been trying to get out and find more winter hiking options. Here are a few good ones that I’ve found so far:
- Emerald & Dream Lakes (Rocky Mountain National Park)
- Mayflower Gulch
- Royal Arch Trail
emerald & dream Lakes
3.2 miles | 698 ft levation gain | Hike info
This is probably one of the most popular hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park in the summer, and it remains popular in the winter months but it’s much less crowded. So if you’re looking to share these amazing views with less people, the winter could be a great option! When I got to Emerald Lake, I was able to enjoy it alone for most of the time I was there.
It is a pretty easy hike with not much elevation gain. Though remember that the snow does make it slightly harder as each step requires a little more energy.
It takes about a mile to reach Dream Lake which honestly would be a beautiful hike on its own. But if you more or a workout, continue on to Emerald Lake. You will actually walk across Dream Lake since it’s frozen which adds a cool factor, then hike another half mile to reach Emerald Lake.
Tip: Even in the winter, you’ll need to pay an entrance fee to get into the park. If you plan on visiting a National Park a few times throughout the year, the America the Beautiful Pass is definitely a good investment. It will give you a full year’s access to any National Park and many National Forest areas that require an entrance or parking fee.
Mayflower Gulch Grand Traverse
6.1 miles | 1,548 ft elevation gain | Hike info
This trail is an easy 1.5 hour drive from Denver as it’s not too far off I70. The first part of the trail is usually a ATV/Jeep road in the summer, so it’s pretty wide. And in the winter, the snow gets packed down by hikers and skiers that are skinning up.
About 1.5 miles in you will reach an area with three old abandoned cabins, where you’ll likely see some people taking photos 🙂 From there you can continue on up the main trail for a bit, though the snow did get less packed down the farther I went. I made it 2 miles in (4 miles roundtrip) and still got to see all of the beautiful views.
Royal Arch Trail
3.4 miles | 1,469 ft elevation gain | Hike info
This trail is in the Boulder area, so it’s very easy to get to from Denver. It’s a bit challenging already in the summer months, so it’s even a bit harder when there’s snow. So be prepared for a short workout!
This does tend to get crowded even in the winter, so it would be helpful to arrive earlier in the day. The trail is uphill the whole way, with a few pretty steep inclines. It’s definitely helpful to have your microspikes for this whole trail.
