Golden: North Table Mountain Park

This is a beautiful hike with excellent views, and is extremely close to Denver. The area has no trees and is extremely exposed to the sun and wind. I wouldn't recommend coming in the hot summer months because you will run the risk of getting fried. No matter what the temperature, remember to wear sunscreen and dress in layers.

We did the North Table Mesa loop, beginning at the southern entrance, which turned out to be about a 2 hour hike. The trail is gravel and wide enough to drive a car on. Although we ran into a number of mountain bikers, there really weren't that many hikers out on a Sunday afternoon. The beginning and end of the hike is steep, however the majority of the trail is flat and easy sailing. I would like to come back and do the bigger loop in the future. The views of Denver/Golden, the mountains, and nifty rock formations are incredible, so don't forget to bring your camera!

An interesting side note: this park has the nicest outdoor public restroom that I have ever seen! Running water, two bathroom stalls, and actual toilets (that were extremely clean, for the record). Stay classy, North Table Mountain.

Driving directions from Denver: Take the Golden exit, right on Hwy 93, drive a few minutes while looking for "North Table Mesa" signs. The parking lot and trailhead will be on the right.

Golden: Centennial Cone Park

We did a small loop, which lasted about 1.5 hours with a few breaks. From the trailhead we took Elk Range Trail to Travois Trail to Juniper Trail to Mayhem Gulch Trail to Travois Trail, which makes a nice little 2 mile loop. Map and park information here: http://jeffco.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R95.htm.

The hike was pretty gentle and mostly flat. Great for a hungover Sunday afternoon when you just want to get some fresh air and a little exercise in a beautiful setting. No water in the area. Hiking is allowed on odd numbered days, and mountain biking is allowed on even numbered days. There are some really nice overlooks and not a lot of people on the trail. I would like to come back and do the bigger loop. There is a bathroom at the trailhead.

Directions from Golden: Take 58 to US 6 toward Black Hawk. There will be a sign on the road for Centennial Cone Park. Go up the road and go straight when the road splits (the paved road will turn into gravel). The trailhead parking lot will be less than a mile up the road. Or, to add 1.5 miles onto your hike, park at the Mayhem Gulch parking area which is just off of US 6 before you see the sign for Centennial Cone Park.

Guanella Pass & Mt. Bierstadt

Best camping spot ever! And the hike wasn't bad either.

From Denver, take I-70 to the Georgetown exit. Go through town and follow the signs to Granella Pass. Once you turn onto Granella Pass Road and begin climbing up the mountain, drive 7-8 miles and look for our camping spot on the left. There are lots of camping spots in this area, but this one can accommodate many tents. Hint- you have to cross a stream to access the camping spot.

To access the Mt. Bierstadt trail, drive up Granella Pass about 12 miles. You will see a paved parking lot on the left with bathrooms. The trail starts right beside these bathrooms.

The Mt. Bierstadt hike is about 7 miles roundtrip, and is extremely intense (for me, anyway). You will climb almost 3,000 feet to get to the peak, which is 14,060 feet. This is apparently one of the easiest 14ers to hike, so you will encounter a ton of people, especially on the weekends. For the best weather, go in July, August, or early September (we went over Labor Day weekend).

Start the hike as early as possible to avoid afternoon thunderstorms. We arrived at the trailhead around 9:30 and hit the trail by 10, and were done with the hike around 3. Remember to pack lots of layers, because it gets colder the higher you climb! I was freezing once we reached the summit.

One more thing- pack a bunch of food and water. And make sure to stretch before you start!

Golden: Genesee Park

Although my memories are a little fuzzy, I remember this being one of my favorite hikes of the year. It will give you a good workout (you should definitely break a sweat) but won't leave you absolutely exhausted and wanting your bed. A good mix of shady forest in the beginning of the hike, followed by exposed rocky outcroppings later on. Make sure to bring plenty of water in the summer- you'll definitely need it.

Map at the trailhead

We followed the Beaver Brook trail, which will take you all the way to Windy Saddle Park in Golden (that would be quite a hike!). There is nice elevation gain on this trail, with some sweet overlooks a few miles in. You pretty much go as far as you want to go before turning around (there isn't a loop from what I remember). This picture was taken probably about 2 or 3 miles up the trail. Our friend said that there was an even better overlook about another half an out up the trail, but we didn't make it that far.

Photo credit to Miss Laura

Directions from Denver: Take I-70 to Exit 253 (Chief Hosa exit). Turn right off of the exit and take the first right onto Stapleton Drive, which turns into a gravel road. Follow this road for a mile or two until you see the parking lot for the trailhead on the left. There is a kiosk with a trail map (and I think a bathroom) at the trailhead. Start on the Braille Nature Center trail which will take you to the Beaver Book Trail shortly. Enjoy!

Kitana is a daring dog (or maybe just stupid?)

Highlands NC: Gorges State Park

I was born and raised in Western North Carolina, and have been on a lot of hikes in this area. The "holy trinity" of waterfalls in Gorges State Park (Turtleback Falls, Bust Your Butt Falls, and Rainbow Falls) is one of my favorite places in the entire country, and definitely worth checking out. But make sure to come during the summer, and bring your bathing suit.

First waterfall on tap: Rainbow Falls

The trailhead to Gorges State Park was going through construction the last time I was here, and I'm pretty sure they are putting in a new visitor's center. As of summer 2011, there is a huge parking lot with restrooms and a large trail map. From the trailhead, take the Rainbow Falls trail, which is about 3 miles round trip. The trial is a nice length to give you a little workout without being exhausting, and takes you through a beautiful area of shaded forest. The first waterfall you will come to is Rainbow Falls, which is one of the most photographed waterfalls in WNC. You can swim at the bottom of the waterfall, and if you are careful, can climb up on a ledge (about 20 feet from the water) to the left of the waterfall and jump in.

Like these guys

After Rainbow Falls, keep following the trail for another few minutes and you will hit Turtleback Falls. This is an awesome place to swim, and you can slide down the waterfall into a deep pool of water of pretty frigid water. There are also lots of rocks where you can sun after you freeze yourself in the river.

Turtleback Falls

After you've had your fill of Turtleback Falls, you can choose to wander back to the *forbidden* Bust Your Butt Falls. Keep following the trail on the right side of Turtleback Falls a few minutes and you will see a fence with a "No Trespassing" sign posted on it. Go around the fence (if you don't mind possibly getting a ticket for trespassing, that is) and make your way down to the river. Even if you don't want to slide down the falls into the water, there is a great swimming hole to chill out in or rock hop around. This area is private property, although it used to be open to the public a decade or so ago, and I'm not sure if park rangers patrol the area. So, proceed at your own risk.

Forbidden!!!

Driving directions from Brevard: Take the Asheville Highway past Rosman and up into the mountains around Highlands (US 64). Keep your eyes open for signs directing you to Gorges State Park. Enjoy!

Boulder: Bear Peak

This hike kicked my ass. Maybe it was the mad dash I made to find cover in a sudden hailstorm that did it, but my legs were hurting for at least three days after.

Fact: this is the highest peak in Boulder, elevation 8,461'. It is a 4-5 hour hike, so get started early.

Serious!

I was led to the trailhead by a Denver native, who navigated us through suburbia and parked along some street that I don't remember. After consulting a map which can be found here, I concluded that we ascended Bear Peak from the east (using the Fern Canyon trail), but I don't know what other trails we used. I remember that it took quite a bit of navigating, but there was plenty of signage to take us where we needed to go.

This was definitely one of the best hikes I took in 2011. The trails wind through areas of lush forest, rocky outcroppings, and steep drop-offs. The hike was absolutely exhausting but the view at the top was worth it.

My crew at the top

Tips for the hike: bring snacks and lots of water! And wear a good pair of shoes that won't give you blisters- ouch. Also, leave early in the day- like climbing a 14er, you want to be out off the peak by the time afternoon thunderstorms come rolling in. We got to experience one first hand, and it was pretty crazy.

Golden: White Ranch Park

Despite the seemingly racist name, this is my favorite hike in the neighborhood so far!