Best Dog Vacations In Colorado – I grew up in Littleton, Colorado, and I had no interest in the mountains until I left. I guess that’s normal – we take things too seriously…Dallas’ change in college made me like the Rockies and I started walking and exploring every time I got home. Now, as much as I love New York City, I need to return to the mountains several times a year.
Alice may be small (and grown), but she’s strong, hardworking, and fearless! When we go to Colorado, we ride as much as possible – usually just the two of us, but sometimes friends or family join us. Whether you live in Denver or are traveling above water level, altitude awareness is essential when visiting the Rockies – this is true for both people and dogs! Alice and I stayed at low altitude for the first two days in Colorado until we realized we were about a mile above sea level. Summer can be intense even when the sun is high – wear sunscreen and be careful with tan or dark colored dogs. Even if you only plan to walk a mile or two, bring plenty of water for you and your pup! Be well rested and aware of their energy levels.
Best Dog Vacations In Colorado
I divide dog-friendly trips into two categories: within an hour or less of Denver, and within two hours of downtown Denver. This is an estimate, but if you are outside of Denver, driving may be different! Unfortunately, there are not many opportunities to travel without a car. Some of these hikes include questionably rough and rocky trails…so a clean car is recommended. Expect music titles to disappear from your mobile carrier! So, even if you can’t connect directly to Google Maps, take note of the directions around you.
Discover The Best Dog Friendly Campgrounds In Colorado
Especially in the mountains, most of these hikes are from late spring to fall (easy). Even in June or July, the road can be wet or muddy as the snow sticks to the higher elevations. You can check the latest trail conditions for the trail you plan to hike by checking the All Trail Reviews.
To run on ice and swim in a frozen lake in the middle of summer. The hike to the lake is short, about 3/4 mile, but steep and rocky. I recommend walking around the lake and climbing the glacier! You can also visit this site. There are two parking lots on either side of the main road with a $5 fee and plenty of restrooms.
It’s a medium, four-mile walk. Mary’s Glacier, which leads to another beautiful mountain lake. Most of the roads to the lake are service roads, but with beautiful views. The pool itself is beautiful and you can walk around it or if you’re feeling adventurous you can go to the upper pool! On a July weekend, there weren’t many other people on the road.
The Eagle View Trail in Reynolds Park is one of my favorite views! You can see Pikes Peak and many other mountains. There is plenty of shade and a flowing area, but it’s usually not crowded. Big, high, recommend this moderate (sometimes hilly) 4km loop trail near Conifer. Reynolds Park has free parking and restrooms!
Dog Friendly Day Trips From Denver
Alice and I love this park. There are several trails, all of which are easy to access – some for hikers only, some for runners, hikers and horse riders. All trails are dog friendly, provided dogs are kept within six feet. One of the closest trails is the Horse Trail that runs through the visitor center. The trail features wildflowers in late spring and summer, and beautiful goldenrods in fall foliage in September/October. But it’s a short drive to Panorama Point, which has amazing views, then the Mule Deer Trail or the Raccoon Trail. Pay a 10-day pass at the visitor center (with restrooms) upon arrival. You can also register here!
My mother, Alice, and Emmy walked four miles in early April. The trail was full of snow, so we used Yaktrax traction straps, which you can walk with your shoes on. The mountains are beautiful in the snow – it’s amazing how the trees stand out against the white ground. There are many views, including mountain views. Evans.
Echo Lake itself is beautiful, and would be a great stop if you’re on your way to Blue Sky Mountain (North America’s highest highway). The route is really interesting, with beautiful views and stream crossings. The route is about an hour from Denver.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/herman-gulch-trail-colorado-DOGHIKES0421-551829933dc64afda037fb26fcb7b5d4.jpg?strip=all "Best Dog Vacations In Colorado")
The view from the observation deck of the Continental Divide is divine. It’s a pretty scenic drive, and you’ll pass hotel ruins along the way! I would stop here and start and take the Fowler trail short cut to the Rattlesnake Valley trail for about 3-4 miles (depending on how you hike the loop). $10 per car, restrooms available on Fowler Street.
Pet Friendly Vacations: The 34 Best Destinations For 2024
The Flatirons is the heart of Boulder County. You can walk through Chataqua Park for 3.5 miles to get to Step One and Step Two. It’s a little bit more intense and requires a little bit of lifting! For most dogs, this is impossible, but it’s great to get to that level. There are many other trails in the park that you can explore. Chataqua
It gets very crowded in the summer, so get there early in the morning or on weekends if you’re hoping to find a parking spot!
The Royal Arch Trail is also part of Boulder’s Chataqua Park. I would describe this 4 mile trail as moderate, but it does have some steep sections and large rocks to climb/roll over. When you reach the top, you’ll see a beautiful, large, stone arch and the Boulder Valley below.
Maxwell Falls is a popular four-mile hike near Conifer and Evergreen, so parking can be difficult at times—there are two ways up and down. The trail itself is shaded with a beautiful view of the falls. Easy to get around, free parking, no restrooms.
Dog Friendly Alpine Lakes In Colorado
This trail is located at Corvina Park in Morrison. It’s an easy three-mile hike that includes an out-and-back hike along the creek that takes you to the Break Creek Trail. Halfway through the area you’ll find Panorama Point, which offers a great view of the Continental Divide. The main trail is easy to get to, and parking is free – although there are no restrooms on the main trail, you can on the nearby Bear Creek Trail. You can also reach Panorama Point from this route, but if I remember correctly you will lose access/view of the stream.
Yes, the famous Amphitheater of Rocks is also a popular park! All trails are easy and short, and offer views of Denver and the beautiful cliffs surrounding the park. Don’t use white – red dust tends to leave you a different color than when you came – and be aware that there are no shadows on these streets! You can park in the free parking lot and use the restrooms at the amphitheater (and if there’s no music that day, walk around the amphitheater and look out over the city of Denver).
This trail is on the east side of Red Rocks, and on the way to Red Rocks Park! The hike is 5 miles up and down, with lots of ups and downs along the way. Our friends Casey (@caseylaynechampagne) and Chess joined us! The road was busy on Sunday afternoon, although several sections were warm to the end of March. There is a large parking lot, but when I arrived in the morning, maybe three spaces were full. Although there are no toilets on the road, there are two gas stations on the other side of the road. The location is close to I-70 so you can get to the mountains quickly!
There are several trails in Morrison Park, which is about 30 minutes from Denver. Don’t forget to take the Castle Road for amazing views of the burnt castle ruins, Eagle’s Eye Shelter and Lighthouse Adventure. Other paths take you through the forest, around the meadow and to the border
