Winter hiking in Colorado
 

Hello,
Did anybody hike in Colorado in winter? I want to go there in December and I was wandering if somebody could suggest any hikes around Denver or Aspen?
Sincerely,
Inga

How about snowshoeing if in the mountains. But I'm sure there are hikes around Denver.

No one really hikes in the mountains during the winter months as there is just too much snow. Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing is the way to go. There are trails here in Denver such as the Cherry Creek Trail which runs along Cherry Creek from downtown out to Cherry Creek Reservoir or along the Platte River from downtown to wherever. The city usually manages to get the trails plowed if it snows.

Hiking is not generally a winter sport in CO. Try snowshoeing instead. Also be aware of avalanche dangers. Several people die every year in CO.

Not quite that bleak. If you stick to the foothills, sometimes there are hiking opportunities around Golden to Boulder. Very weather dependent but anything further into the mountains is out of the question due to snow.

Lots of winter hiking around Fort Collins and Loveland- Devils Backbone or Arthur’s Rock in Lory State park are great in the winter. You could also try Pawnee National Grasslands and see the Pawnee Buttes. It is all about the elevation, stay out of the snowy high country if you don’t want to snowshoe.

For reference -- Fort Collins is about 90 miles north. Since you specifically referenced Denver, you can find some hiking in this area.

Fort Collins is 60 miles north and takes an hour. For sure there are lots of hiking options in Boulder or Denver, I was just giving the OP some other options.

I did a quick search of "front range winter hiking" and came up with these two links right away:
http://dayhikesneardenver.com/best-w...nver-colorado/
https://www.theoutbound.com/jennifer...-s-front-range

Interestingly, most of the photos on one of the sites were not taken in winter.

There is plenty of hiking in the lower elevations between Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, and beyond in either direction. Conditions will depend on what has been happening in the past few weeks but in general expect a mix of dry trails, mud, snow, and solid ice. Some kind of traction device for boots is usually a good idea, but rarely snowshoes.

In the higher mountains, say above 8,000' feet, then you will likely need snowshoes. An exception might be if ski towns like Breck or Aspen keep their paved bike trails clear, which I'm not sure about. If so, then you can hike on them.

Please remember that Aspen is about 4 hours from Denver in good weather. Even if it is sunny in Denver, it could be snowing anywhere in the mountains. Are you accustomed to driving in snow? Make sure you are prepared with basic emergency supplies if you venture into the mountains.

There is a great flagship REI in Denver which may have good suggestions for hikes or other activities in the immediate Denver area.

If you are in Denver, I suggest you take either the Bustang bus or the Amtrak California Zephyr to Glenwood Springs.
Both leave Union Station in Denver around 8AM (when the Zephyr is on time).
There is good bus service from Glenwood Springs to Aspen and Maroon Bells.
There is a great hiking and bike trail east of Glenwood Springs along the Colorado River if there is not too much snow.

Thank you very much for the suggestions.
Inga

Here's a couple of websites I've bookmarked in case we ever make it to Colorado in the winter. Each has a few hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park:

http://www.westword.com/arts/the-ten...rado-7481625/2

http://theknow.denverpost.com/2017/0...denver/137327/