Seriously, The Best Backpacking Trips in Colorado

Writing a post about the best backpacking trips in Colorado felt overwhelming. I live here and have done some. But there are SO MANY options for backpacking trips in this incredible state. Mountains and rivers and National Parks and alpine lakes galore…

Where to even begin for this list?

I have done some backpacking trips in Colorado, but I know there are PLENTY of epic trails I have not hiked yet. So, selfishly, this list is for me too 🙂 

I’ve done a ridiculous amount of research for this post. I’ve read reddit threads, I’ve researched other bloggers’ posts about backpacking trips in Colorado, I’ve read other “best” lists, and I’ve looked at photos, ratings, and descriptions on Alltrails.

I will link to my blog for the hikes I’ve already done. But for the ones I haven’t backpacked yet, I will scour the internet and link to the best resources.

These are the 17 best backpacking trips in Colorado.

Let’s go backpacking!

Jump to Best Backpacking Trips in Colorado:

Backpacking Colorado Tips Before You Go

• First Backpacking Trip: Read all my backpacking tips for beginners before heading out on the trail.
• Permits: You sometimes need to book permits far in advance for the popular backpacking routes. You may also need to book parking, depending on where you go. Make sure you do this properly.
• Weather: Colorado’s weather can be crazy. Check it ahead of time and potentially cancel/reschedule your trip if it looks like the weather could make it dangerous.
• Start Early: The Rocky Mountains experience afternoon storms. If you’re hiking up mountain passes, start early so you’re down the mountain before a storm hits.
• Bears: If you’re hiking in bear country, be prepared. Some locations require bear hangs or bear canisters. Buy or rent these ahead of time and follow the rules.
• Navigational Safety: Bring a map and/or compass/navigation device on your trek. Ensure that you won’t get lost.
• Altitude: Colorado is typically at 5000 ft. If you travel into the mountains to backpack, try to acclimate for a couple days prior to a strenuous hike. If you’re from sea level, spend a couple days at 5000ft first. And be aware of signs of altitude sickness; if you think you have it, make a descent into lesser elevation.
• Water: Bring enough water or check water sources ahead of time and bring a filtration system.
• Leave No Trace: Always follow these principles. Respect nature.
• Campfires: Wildfires can really ruin areas of Colorado, so some backcountry sites do not allow campfires. Please respect that.
• Pack Everything You’ll Need: Keep a backpacking packing list of what you need for every trek, and use it each time.
• Use AllTrails: Check trail conditions before your trek to see if the routes are passable.
• Enjoy it. Be grateful to backpack in such an epic place. Have fun and enjoy the solitude.

About this Best Backpacking Trips in Colorado List

The average time to hike will be higher if you’re carrying a heavy pack.

If you click the location town link, it will take you to google maps with directions to the trailhead, as listed in Alltrails.

I am going to link to the Alltrails hike info and the best blogger resource I can find.

Every one of these hikes is listed as “hard” or “difficult,” so I eliminated that from the hike details. Just assume they’re all somewhat difficult. I feel like elevation gain, which is listed, is the best indicator for difficulty.

Also, each trail’s prime time to hike is typically June through September/October. Check trail conditions if you’re going early or late in the season to see if snow will affect your route.

I’m only sharing photos from the hikes I’ve done — but if you’ve done one of these and want to send me an awesome photo, I’d be happy to share it here and link to your blog or photography!

Trail highlights are listed, but these hikes are on the list because they’re extraordinary. If you’re like ehhh but I want the hike to be really pretty and worth it, I got you. These are all stunning.

I’ve done the research, and these have all made the cut. I don’t want to waste my time with a boring trail in Colorado. There are too many good ones! And I promise I want to do ALL of these.

Great Sand Dunes National Park – Incredible

Great Sand Dunes National Park

• Trail Distance: 3-ish miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: ?
• Average Time to Hike: Plan for it to take WAY longer than your normal hiking. Sand dunes take forever to walk up.
• Location: Great Sand Dunes National Park, 4 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Camping on the sand dunes. Open skies.
• How to Hike It Links: Info from the National Park’s website.
• Permits? Yes, you need a permit from recreation.gov. Blogger’s info.
• Trail Info: Hike past the first high ridge of dunes and camp among the sand dunes. “Otherwordly.”  Bring lots of water.

Hessie Trail to Lost Lake *The Only Easy Hike*

• Trail Distance: 4 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 830 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 2 hours
• Location: Eldora, 1 hour 20 mins from Denver
• Highlights: Pretty lake, easy hike – good for a backpacking beginner!
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails info. Blogger post.
• Permits? Nope
• Trail Info: There are 8 campsites near Lost Lake. Follow regulations. There is a free shuttle to the trailhead during busy season.

South Boulder Creek Trail to Crater Lakes Trail

• Trail Distance: 6.8 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 1,853 ft
• Average Time to Hike: ?
• Location: Nederland, 1 hour 20 mins from Denver
• Highlights: Mountain views and alpine lakes
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails info. Fellow blogger info – I couldn’t find any posts on camping here.
• Permits? Not Required
• Trail Info: 3 beautiful alpine lakes, not too far from Denver. It can be easy to lose the trail. US Forest Service info.

Island Lake and Ice Lake via Ice Lakes Trail

• Trail Distance: 7 miles
• Elevation Gain: 2,650 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 5 hours
• Location: Durango, 6.5 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Absolutely gorgeous lakes, aspen meadows, wildflowers
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Blogger’s link.
• Permits? None required.
• Trail Info: Water available; filter it. Popular hike, pack out waste!

Caribou Lake via Arapaho Pass

Caribou Lake via Arapaho Pass

• Trail Distance: 9 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 2,601 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 5-ish hours
• Location: Nederland, 1.5 hrs from Denver
• Highlights: Beautiful alpine lake, wildflowers, mountain views.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails hike info. My blog post on this epic hike 🙂
• Permits? Yes, you need a permit to camp in Indian Peaks Wilderness. See my post to have a better chance of snagging a sought after permit.
• Trail Info: Quite a steep hike at times, gorgeous views at the top of a mountain pass, and campsites near the lake. Lake water available; filter it. Pack out your waste! And beware of mosquitoes.

Spruce Creek Trail to Mohawk Lakes

Spruce Creek Trail to Mohawk Lakes

• Trail Distance: 9 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 2,106 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 5 hours
• Location: Breckenridge, 1 hour 45 mins from Denver
• Highlights: Gorgeous alpine lakes, a waterfall
• How to Hike It Links: AllTrails Link. I did a day hike of this one.
• Permits? Nope, be conscious of where you camp.
• Trail Info: Great beginners backpacking trip.

Mount Zirkel Loop Trail

• Trail Distance: 10.6 mile loop
• Elevation Gain: 2,444 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 6 hours
• Location: Clark, 4 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Alpine lakes, waterfalls, fall colors, wildflowers
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Blogger’s link.
• Permits? Nope!
• Trail Info: Counter-clockwise is the way to go. The views look incredible; it has a 4.9 rating on Alltrails.

Venable–Comanche Trail Loop

• Trail Distance: 12.3 miles
• Elevation Gain: 3,884 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 7.5ish hrs
• Location: Westcliffe, 3 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Beautiful mountain views, alpine lakes
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails Link. Fellow Blogger Link.
• Permits? Nope
• Trail Info: Nice, pretty hike. Especially beautiful in the fall.

Blue Lakes Trail to 14er Mount Sneffels

• Trail Distance: 13 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 5,501 ft
• Average Time to Hike: ?? hiking a 14er always takes way longer than you think
• Location: Ouray, 6 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Hike a 14er! Alpine lakes, wildflowers, incredible views
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails info. Fellow outdoor travel blogger info.
• Permits? Not required as of now (2024)
• Trail Info: Class 3 scrambling. There are 3 lakes, and the lower one has camping by it.

Chicago Basin

• Trail Distance: 15-ish mile out and back.
• Elevation Gain: 4,3330 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 9 hours
• Difficulty: Hard
• Location: San Juan Mountains in Southwest Colorado, 6 hours and 45 mins from Denver
• Highlights:
  • Waterfalls, mountain peaks, rivers, and alpine lakes.
  • You take the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train to the start of this hiking area.
  • It’s home to three 14ers: Mount Eolus (14,083′), Windom Peak (14,082′), and Sunlight Peak (14,059′) – head to this site for info on hiking them.
• How to Hike it Links: Alltrails summary. Fellow travel blogger experience.
• Permit Required? Nope. You fill out a paper registry with info about your hike, but there are no required permits or payment due to backpack here.
• Trail Info: Campsites are 5-6 miles in, you can spend the night(s) and summit the nearby 14ers, no campfires, pack out ALL waste. Review all San Juan National Forest Regulations before backpacking here.

Read Next: Backpack The Tour du Mont Blanc through Italy, Switzerland, and France.

Cascade Creek Trail to Mirror Lake and Crater Lake

• Trail Distance: 16 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 2,293 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 8-12 hours
• Location: Granby, 2 hours 20 mins from Denver
• Highlights: Waterfalls, alpine lake, wildflowers, aspen groves.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Outbound link.
• Permit Required? Yes, from June 1-Sept 15 for overnights. Info here. And a parking fee for Arapaho National Recreation Area.
• Trail Info: Beautiful hike with 12 campsites. Follow Indian Peaks Wilderness Regulations. It’s a very busy trail. Lakes and streams for water; filter it.

Abyss Lake Trail to Abyss Lake

• Trail Distance: 17 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 3,379 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 8.5 hrs
• Location: Grant, 1 hr 15 mins from Denver
• Highlights: Epic views of Mount Blue Sky wilderness, alpine lake.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails info. Fellow blogger info.
• Permits? Sort of… you do a free self-issued permit at the trailhead.
• Trail Info: You can camp at Helms Lake or Abyss Lake. Follow Wilderness Regulations. This trail looks especially beautiful in the fall.

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Conundrum Hot Springs

• Trail Distance: 17 miles total, out and back
• Elevation Gain: 2,800 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 8 hours
• Location: Aspen, 3.5 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Hot Springs!  Wildflowers, mountain views
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Fellow blogger post.
• Permits? Required! Info here, and book at recreation.gov.
• Trail Info: Very popular trail – difficult to get a camping permit. Your feet will get wet while hiking. Camping by hot springs sounds so amazing.

Rawah Lakes Loop

• Trail Distance: 23.2 mile loop
• Elevation Gain: 4,041 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 11 hours
• Location: Read Feather Lakes, 4 hours from Denver
• Highlights: Alpine lakes, wildflowers, mountain views
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Fellow outdoor blogger’s post.
• Permits? No, as of 2024
• Trail Info: Can be muddy, bring an extra pair of shoes.

Pawnee-Buchanan Loop/Northern Indian Peaks Loop

• Trail Distance: 26 mile loop
• Elevation Gain: 6,800 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 14.5 hours
• Location: Ward, 1.5 hours from Denver.
• Highlights: Absolutely beautiful scenery. 2 mountain passes, lakes, waterfalls.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Fellow blogger info.
• Permits? Yes, for Indian Peaks Wilderness. You also need a Parking Permit.
• Trail Info: Go clockwise. Streams and lakes for water; filter it!

Maroon Bells – Four Pass Loop : The #1 Backpacking Trip in Colorado?

• Trail Distance: 27 mile loop
• Elevation Gain: 7,752 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 3-4 days
• Location: Aspen, 4 hours from Denver
• Highlights: 4 12,000+ ft mountain passes, alpine lakes, crazy beauty.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link. Fellow blogger’s link.
• Permits? YES, Forest Service info. You must purchase permits ahead of time at recreation.gov. You also must get a parking permit or reserve a shuttle spot.
• Trail Info: This hike is probably at the top of my list; it’s known to be SO beautiful. It’s not easy, and it’s super popular. Bear canisters are required!

The Colorado Trail

• Trail Distance: 567 miles
• Elevation Gain: 89,000 ft
• Average Time to Hike: 4-6 weeks if doing the whole thing.
• Location: Denver to Durango
• Highlights: The whole thing is incredible.
• How to Hike It Links: Alltrails link.
• Permits? For parts, yes. See the Colorado Trail Foundation site.
• Trail Info: Maybe I’ll do this whole epic trail one day. I couldn’t do a best backpacking trips in Colorado without including this one. Here is the Colorado Trail Foundation info. The trail is divided into 33 segments if you want to do just parts. Doing the whole thing would definitely take some planning!

The Best Backpacking Trips in Colorado

Seriously, these are the best ones. I’m so pumped to do all these and would love to hear your experiences in the comments below. 

If you’ve done a backpacking trip in Colorado that you LOVED and should be on the list, add it to the comments or email me [email protected]. 

And please share with a friend who would love to go backpacking with you 🙂