The Best Fall Dayhikes Near Denver
Get your foliage fix on these 23 trails.
The mosquitoes have faded along with summer thunderstorms. The air is crisper. A panoply of yellow and orange hues paint the mountainsides. Yes, it’s officially fall, the best time of the year in Colorado. Of course, the season is best experienced from the trail, where you can see quaking aspen trees, their leaves catching sunlight and reflecting it back in flashes of gold. The scent of pine mingles with damp earth, and footfalls are muffled by leaf litter. Every step brings a reminder that autumn doesn’t linger—it flares up, dazzles, and then quietly slips away. Which is all the more reason to lace up your boots now, while the backcountry is still aglow and the season feels like a secret worth chasing.
Below, 23 trails perfect for the occasion.
One Hour or Less From Denver
Central City: Central City Cemetery
Golden: The Golden Gate Canyon State Park Loop
Empire: Stanley Mountain Trail
Golden: Raccoon Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Conifer: Meyer Ranch Park Loop
Silver Plume: Watrous Gulch Trail
Golden: Peaks to Plains Trail
Boulder: Left Hand Trail
Conifer: Elk Falls at Staunton State Park
90 Minutes or Less From Denver
Two Hours or Less From Denver
Not Close, but Worth the Drive
More Ways to See Fall Foliage
7 (Safe) Ways To See the Elk Rut in Estes Park This Fall
The Oversimplified Guide to Photographing Fall Foliage
8 Leaf-Peeping Mountain Getaways You Should Take This Fall
7 Leaf Peeping Road Trips Perfect for Electric Vehicles
5 Colorado Train Rides Perfect for Leaf Peeping
