Is there such thing as a quick day hike? (Denver: home, neighborhoods)

[katysalsa]

Hi everyone,

I moved here to CO from AZ about 1 yr ago and not to compare AZ to CO, but well, I'm going to, for the sake of this post.

People say, there are no mountains in AZ. That's flat out just not true. In fact I would say the mountains there are more accessable than the "BIG ROCKIES" here in CO. What I mean by that is that you can go on a hike after work and be home at a reasonable time... 6ish. You can hike Squaw Peak, Camelback, North Mountain, South Mountain, Superstition and many many other "nameless mountains" around the valley. I'm not going to lie, I REALLY miss that about AZ. However, I'm on a mission to find something like this here in CO. Is there something like this here in CO?

I think I asked this a while back, with almost no response. Not sure if that's because it doesn't exist, or what, but just wondering if anyone can help me?

[zionvier]

Well it completely depends on where you live. If you live and work in Aurora and want to do a day hike and get home at 6pm, it's not going to happen. If you live in Morrison, Golden, certain parts of Littleton/Lakewood... then absolutely it can happen. If you're downtown... I'd say it's not going to happen, unless you take a hike along the South Platte or something on the concrete trail that runs along side it.

If you get off at 5pm and want to be home by 6pm, then you really do have to live and work close to the mountains to go hiking in the mountains.

[ottodog]

Yep, totally depends on what part of town you're in. There's obviously a ton of great trails in Boulder, but if you don't live or work there, getting into town at that time of day will be a total pain in the arse.

The closet trail (with any kind of hills) I can think would be Green Mountain trail at Alameda & Jewell. If I remember right its about a 7 mile loop. I used go there for a quick mt bike ride during the day. Of course at that point you're not to far from the "real" mountains.

[DenverAztec]

Originally Posted by katysalsa

Hi everyone,

I moved here to CO from AZ about 1 yr ago and not to compare AZ to CO, but well, I'm going to, for the sake of this post.

People say, there are no mountains in AZ. That's flat out just not true. In fact I would say the mountains there are more accessable than the "BIG ROCKIES" here in CO. What I mean by that is that you can go on a hike after work and be home at a reasonable time... 6ish. You can hike Squaw Peak, Camelback, North Mountain, South Mountain, Superstition and many many other "nameless mountains" around the valley. I'm not going to lie, I REALLY miss that about AZ. However, I'm on a mission to find something like this here in CO. Is there something like this here in CO?

I think I asked this a while back, with almost no response. Not sure if that's because it doesn't exist, or what, but just wondering if anyone can help me?

To answer the question in your title of this thread, yes, there are 'day' hikes. But in your comments, you ask about wanting to hike for only an hour or two and within the city. The answer there would be no.

I travel to Phoenix often and I have hiked all the peaks you mention and all after work. Started because some of the ladies didn't want to hike alone due to a rapist on the trails there, hope they caught him by now. He was mostly around Squaw Peak and Superstion. I would have love to have come acrossed him and taught him a thing or two. That is the tough guy in me talking, but I digress.

If you allow yourself an afternoon off, then that will open a whole new world to you with hiking here. So many more options with trails, views, lakes, wildlife then AZ, but it does take a drvie from the city. At least a 30 minute drive to the foothills.

I liked when the temps coooled in Phoenix and the quick hike, but it was mostly for exercise then beauty, unless you caught the sun set. Here, a hike is for exercise but also for the scenic beauty. It is much more vast here and you will need to prepare yourself if you go deep into the woods and national parks, but your will understand all of this once you take the time to do it.

My favorite hikes are in Rocky Mountain National Park and second would be the Maroon Bells in Aspen - get to the foot of the mountain not just the pond where all the tourist stop. Here are some others and things to consider:

Best Hiking in Colorado | Best Colorado Hiking

Home Page

Hiking in Colorado - www.hikingincolorado.org

SIGN-UP Today For Instant Access To Colorado Hiking Trail Info & Maps

[Scott5280]

I live in central Denver and routinely take hikes in the mornings or afternoons, are you kidding me this is the hiking, biking mecca--foothills have so many locations I couldn't begin to list them all...Here are a few of the closer ones Jefferson County Open Space: Mount Falcon, Reynolds Park, Matthew Winters, Aspen Meadows,Waterton Canyon. White Ranch .Boulder: Chataqua--mesa trail. Mt. Sanitas, Wonderland Hill area, Eldorado Canyon State Park, Walker Ranch, Switzerland Trail, Gold Hill.Bear Peak ..I take off all the time--I tell people I just went for a hike and they don't believe me because I'm only gone for short periods...You can be alone with nature within 25-45 min.. from Downtown Denver...This is actually one of the reasons I chose to return to Colorado from California is to have foothill serenity so close...

[DenverAztec]

I agree Scott, tons more trails here and I do them all the time. However, I think she is thinking a 10 minute drive to a hill and about an hour hike. At least that what I do in Phoneix. In Denver, I can get to a hill and hike in about a 30 minute drive, but I like to hike for more then an hour.

[Scott5280]

My bad got to start reading the OP. comments a little closer between Ever Clear shots.... Ten min. or less to hike from central Denver your right Aztec no such animal--That's why those Boulderites are spoiled...

[DenverAztec]

LOL, you started early and alone! Maybe you shouldn't be hiking just now? Then again, a good hike will keep you away from the shots!

To the OP, I love to walk the neighborhoods of Denver due to the interesting streets and fantastic architecture. I can get so carried away that I end up walking for hours. This is not something I would do in Phoeix for multiple reasons. Denver is always in the top ten list of most walkable cities. This has less of a benefit physically then hiking a steep desert hill, but much more to see and experience. The Rockies are for the long afternoons or weekends.

[vegaspilgrim]

What part of town do you live in? There's tons of plains open space nature preserves, creeks with multi-use paths, and state parks all over the metro area. Where my parents live in SE Aurora is only about a mile from Cherry Creek State Park. If you're talking about mountain hiking, and you wanted that 10 minutes away... obviously you should have planned that out and researched before you moved. Even just a google aerial view of Denver could have demonstrated that the mountains only exist on one side (as well as a semi-mountainous area south and southeast of Denver), plains on the other. There are a number of suburbs right next to or close to the foothills with tons of close hiking. Denver unfortunately is very "lopsided" in its physical orientation, but it's kind of hard to argue with geography.

That being said, I do agree Phoenix is usually easier to get to some form of mountain (or dirt hill). When I lived in Tempe I liked going to South Mountain Park a lot at the 24th & Baseline trailhead, which was still a 25 minute drive. Although that depends a lot where you live, if you're buried deep within the "grid" in the east or west valley, hiking there isn't so convenient either. And then for half of the year it's plain too hot to do any hiking. Phoenix, unlike Denver has NO flat land nature preserves or natural creeks lined with cottonwoods within the urbanized area-- ALL they have are mountain preserves, which are pretty much unbuildable anyway.

[Scott5280]

I'm headed out to Red Rocks now, but I'm out at my dad's he lives In SouthWest Denver--it's only ten minutes from here...it's a pretty solid place for an evening stroll--Later guys..