Of the four wilderness areas close enough to my home for day hiking, the one to which we most frequently return is the Holy Cross Wilderness Area. Named for the Mount of the Holy Cross, and dominated by the Sawatch Range, the Holy Cross Wilderness Area is most easily accessed from the south via the Fryingpan River valley, and from the north via several roads leading out of the Eagle-Edwards-Avon corridor along I-70.
Some of our favorite hikes, including those we do annually, include:
Lyle and Mormon lakes
Savage Lakes (and the Savage-Carter loop)
Josephine Lake
Eagle Lake
Coming out of the Roaring Fork valley, these are the ones most accessible to us, but the area is rich with great trails, and contains some of the best scenery you'll find anywhere.
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A photographic diary of my exploration of the trails in Colorado's wilderness and backcountry areas. If you're planning to camp or hike in Colorado, here are some great trails for you to explore and photograph. I've also got some pages with tips for a more comfortable backpacking trip.
Welcome to the Colorado backcountry
The vast acreage of wilderness and backcountry beauty in Colorado make it one of the more popular locations for camping, backpacking, and day-hiking.
In addition to a eight National Parks and Monuments, Colorado boasts an equal number of Wilderness Areas, millions of acres of National Forest and BLM land, and over three dozen state parks.
From mountains to deserts, and grasslands to canyons, one could spend a lifetime hiking the trails of Colorado and not cover all of them.
In addition to a eight National Parks and Monuments, Colorado boasts an equal number of Wilderness Areas, millions of acres of National Forest and BLM land, and over three dozen state parks.
From mountains to deserts, and grasslands to canyons, one could spend a lifetime hiking the trails of Colorado and not cover all of them.
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In all the years I've been traveling the United States, hiking is my favorite way to see an area. From Hawaii to Maine, and Alaska to Florida, walking a trail is the best way to visit the natural wonders of an area. For the last ten years, I've been living in Colorado, and this is where I do most of my exploring. Explore these pages for hiking trail suggestions, as well as useful advice on backpacking and camping. From checklists for what to put in a backpack or day pack to advice on choosing campsites and minimizing your impact on the environment (i.e. leave no trace), to reviews of outdoor gear and equipment, it's all here.
Your trip guide:
- Craig
- Mountains, Colorado, United States
- I've been hiking and photographing the mountains of Colorado for over three decades. Though it's nice to return to some of my favorite trails every summer, the real thrill comes from discovering a new destination, whether on a day-hike or backpack trip, and capturing the incredible scenery with my camera. Iconic scenes, like the Maroon Bells, are well-known to casual tourists and those who've never visited Colorado. One of my goals is to introduce the world to the amazing beauty hidden in the lesser known wilderness areas of this great state.