26 1 Day Treks to Explore in Boulder County

South Arapaho Peak is in the Indian Peaks Wilderness in the northern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It also holds claim to being the highest summit on the Continental Divide north of Denver. The easier of the two climbs is certainly South Arapaho Peak, which has the added bonus of getting better views of the glacier and North Arapaho Peak. There are several ways to summit South Arapaho Peak, but the longest route and arguably the most scenic is the Arapaho Glacier.

This hiking area is known for its historic homestead vestiges and a landscape that’s a pleasing mix of rolling meadows and hilly pine forests, loaded with wildflowers and birds.

The Switzerland Trail is an old railroad grade that zigzags across the mountains of Boulder County.Begin your adventure at either end. In the south, the trail starts below the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain off the road of the same name. From here it winds along a relatively level grade, gradually descending to Fourmile Canyon Drive, along Fourmile Creek. Regardless, the trail is popular with mountain bikers, ATVs and 4X4s, so whatever your mode of travel, be considerate of other trail users.

This lake sits amidst farmland utilized for livestock grazing, crop production, and even beekeeping. The water sometimes attracts interesting waterbirds and Dickcissel has at times bred in the fields to the south. Lark Bunting and Blue Grosbeak have also been spotted here. It has a dirt and gravel trail that has two trailheads. This flat and easy trail cuts through prairie and farmland.

This beautiful and risky trailhead provides access to eight miles of singletrack trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding west of the Peak-to-Peak Highway south of Nederland. Exploring Magnolia is the best way to discover the hidden gems that exist with in this section of the Roosevelt National Forest.

Wild Basin is part of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is one of the iconic trekking destination and it has an old ranger station.