Sights & Attractions in Rockies Near Denver

The Front Range Mountains are the easternmost mountains in Colorado and run more than 180 mi from the Wyoming border to Cañon City. The Continental Divide flows along much of the northern portion of this spine, which includes several "Fourteeners," 14,000-foot peaks, among them the famed Longs Peak (14,255 feet), fifth highest in the state. A boon for high-country lovers, the Front Range is easily accessed from the metro area via Interstate 70, Colorado's major east-west interstate, or Colorado Highway 285, the major route heading southwest into the mountains toward Fairplay in the now infamous South Park. On I-70, it's less than an hour's drive from downtown Denver to the St. Mary's Glacier trailhead, where you can take an exhilarating 20-minute hike to an alpine lake. I-70 stitches together Denver, Golden, Idaho Springs, and Georgetown before crossing the Continental Divide near Loveland Ski Resort.

The Gore Range, with steep, rugged peaks, intersects the Front Range just west of Loveland Pass and runs northwest toward Steamboat Springs before petering out into low rolling summits. Highway 40 climbs northwest from I-70, west of Idaho Springs, making a switchback ascent up Berthoud Pass before dropping into Winter Park and continuing on to Steamboat Springs.

Water is sparse in this arid land. Although the Front Range is a luminous green in May and early June, by midsummer, if rain is scarce, fire danger signs begin flashing. Currently, large swaths of mountainside throughout the Front Range and Summit County look brown because the lodgepole pines are dying from a pine beetle epidemic. What little water reaches the eastern slope comes from the South Platte River; the mighty Colorado gathers its waters on the western side of the Divide.

About the Parks & Recreation Areas

Most recreational lands in the foothills west of Denver, including Mount Falcon, Meyer Ranch, and Elk Meadow parks, are protected by Jefferson County Open Space Parks (303/271-5925. www.co.jefferson.co.us/openspace/index.htm). These relatively small county parks are heavily used and have excellent hiking, mountain biking, and horse-riding trails. Golden Gate Canyon State Park (303/582-3707. www.parks.state.co.us), just west of Golden, has great hiking and wildlife viewing. For Class II to IV rafting and kayaking, try Clear Creek (800/353-9901. www.clearcreekrafting.com), which offers rafting on Clear Creek near Idaho Springs and on the Arkansas during the early spring snowmelt season and throughout the summer.

Much of the northern Front Range region is within Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest (303/541-2500. www.fs.fed.us). The Indian Peaks Wilderness Area is northwest of Denver and encompasses a rugged area of permanent snowfields, alpine lakes, and 13,000-foot peaks. Although it is the most-often-visited-wilderness area in Colorado, it is a good choice for overnight trips. Some of the trailheads on the eastern side are about one hour from Boulder and almost two hours from Denver. Because 90% of the people enter from the east side of the forests, visitors entering from the west side will find more solitude.

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