Looking for the best fall hikes near Denver? Whether you live there full time or are visiting Colorado, fall in the mountains is very fleeting which means we have a small window to maximize seeing the gorgeous fall foliage! In this blog, we’ll go over some of my favorite hikes for “leaf peeping” and even a few general areas that are great to visit. Autumn in Colorado flies by in the blink of an eye, and I have found that the last two weeks of September into the first half of October is usually a good rule of thumb. Keep in mind, the higher the elevation, the faster fall starts when planning your travels. Now let’s dive in so you feel confident exploring CO during peak fall colors!

Meyer Ranch Park Loop (which is also known as Lodge Pole Loop Trail) is short, sweet, and offers great up-close exposure to fall colors. It’s about 2 miles long with minimal elevation gain, so take your time to soak in all the beauty the season has to offer. It is about a 35 minute drive from downtown Denver.

Frasier Meadow is another great option that takes you up into a wide open meadow surrounded by fall colors, an old cabin, and a few mountain views as well. It’s just under an hour drive from Denver, and about 4 miles out and back with about 750ft of elevation gain. It’s honestly the perfect day hike to warm up the legs and then bask in fall colors once you reach the meadows. 

Upper Maxwell Falls is another fairly easy and short hike that is just over a 2 mile loop with roughly 500ft of elevation gain. This trail is popular for families and dogs since there is water access available for them to drink and quite a lot of shade and it’s only about 45 minutes from Denver. Fall colors here are mixed in with evergreen forests giving you a more surrounded forest feel. 

Elk Falls is one of my favorite waterfalls within an hours drive of Denver. In autumn, the water might not be flowing as heavily, but the tradeoff of the added fall foliage keeps it ranked high for me! This hike is a bit longer – about 11 miles round trip with 2,000 ft elevation gain. The nice thing about the elevation is it is a mix of gains and losses throughout the hike so you have uphill and downhill relief along the way. 

Blackbear Mule Deer Horseshoe Trail Loop is in the same area as the above listed Frasier Meadow, but it is a longer option with different terrain incorporated. You get a mix of rock outcroppings, meadows, mountain views, and fall colors with this hike. It clocks in at just over 9 miles round trip and right around 2,100 ft elevation gain. 

Clear Branch Trail is last but not least. This trail doesn’t have much for wide-open views itself but it is a great option to get out and stretch the legs along a scenic drive while enjoying the foliage. It is an easy 2 mile out and back with about 500ft of elevation gain just under an hour from downtown Denver.
I hope you are able to get out on foot to really immerse yourself in the gorgeous fall foliage that makes Colorado this time of year so iconic. If you want to feel confident hitting the trails, but aren’t too sure where to start, check out my Free Week of Workouts.

Lastly, for more general areas to explore by both car and by hiking be sure to check out Kenosha Pass, Guanella Pass, Mesta’aehehe Pass, and Golden Gate Canyon State Park. All of them off unique experiences and jaw dropping views!

Happy + Healthy Trails this fall!

Bradee