There’s no better state for adventure than Colorado. This Colorado Bucket List has everything from towering peaks to wildflower-filled meadows to hot springs and incredible wine.
Whether you’re looking for a bucket list adventure or a fun new experience, there’s something on this list for you. In this blog post, we’ll take you through some of our favorite activities in Colorado on the ultimate Colorado bucket list.
When hiking, download trail maps and other information on the AllTrails app.
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1. Hike to Hanging Lake
Located in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, this is one of the most popular hikes in Colorado for a reason!
Please remember to respect the environment, stay on the trail, and leave no trace as this area is extremely fragile due to recent wildfire and mudslides and this is one of the most popular hikes in Colorado.
This hike requires an advance parking reservation and costs $12/person. You can make reservations here. The hike is only 3.1 miles round trip; however, there is significant elevation gain for such a short trail at 1,187 ft.
The hike is considered moderate and is an out-and-back route.
It’s a steady uphill nearly the entire way with very steep stairs at the top.
When you get to Hanging Lake, there’s a fork and Spouting Rock Falls is to the left.
We highly recommend visiting both the lake and the falls! We loved walking behind the waterfall.
2. Paint Mines Interpretive Park
Did you know that Colorado is home to a stunning park full of pink and yellow colored rock formations? The Paint Mines Loop Trail is a relatively easy 3.6 mile trail that winds through the unique geological formations.
There are also some accessible overlooks. This is a family friendly destination. The colors are most vibrant during golden hour at sunrise and sunset, but even during the day the colors are impressive.
The parking lot is large so parking is usually not a problem, but there can be crowds on weekends. We definitely recommend visiting this unique park!
3. Soak in a hot spring
Located in Glenwood Springs, Iron Mountain Hot Springs is well worth a trip. Home to 16 hot pools of varying temperatures and stunning mountain views, you will want this on your Colorado Bucket List!
The facility is open from 9 AM to 10 PM daily.
Prices range from $36-52 per soak ticket depending on the time of day and day of the week.
One free towel per guest is included in the soak ticket rate.
There is also an on-site cafe with drinks and food available for purchase.
Colorado is home to many natural and commercial hot springs. Popular ones include Mount Princeton Hot Springs, Pagosa Springs.
4. Hike a 14er
14ers are mountains higher than 14,000 feet and Colorado is full of them with 58 peaks over 14k! These are strenuous hikes suitable for experienced hikers and there’s a lot of preparation required before you should attempt one.
There are no easy 14ers, but if you’re looking for a manageable 14er that is suitable as a “first 14er”, check out our guide to hiking Quandary Peak in Breckenridge, Colorado.
5. Go for a wildflower hike
There are a plethora of wildflower hikes to choose from over the summer! Wildflowers peak most places in Colorado in July.
There are a few important things to keep in mind while on a wildflower hike in order to recreate responsibly and respect the environment: stay on trail, do not trample wildflower field, and do not pick wildflowers.
Two of our favorite wildflower hikes:
Snodgrass Mountain Trail
We recommend visiting Crested Butte for the best wildflowers; it’s known as the wildflower capital of Colorado! One of our favorite trails in Crested Butte to see wildflowers are Snodgrass Mountain.
You’ll pass endless wild sunflower fields on this trail! Doing the entire 5.8 mile trail isn’t necessary as there is no view at the end and the best views are at the beginning and middle of the trail.
This trail is all about the journey and not the destination; however, if you do the entire trail like we did, you’ll encounter 1,594 feet of elevation gain making for a great work out on this moderate out and back hike!
Herman Gulch Trail
Located in Silver Plume, only about an hour or so from Denver, this 7.2 mile hike is moderate with 1,774 feet of elevation gain and the views are absolutely incredible!
This hike is accessible year round, but it shines in July and is one of the best wildflower hikes near Denver. We loved seeing the huge fields of columbines, Colorado’s state flower.
This hike is a steady uphill nearly the entire way, with many shaded parts of the trail as well. It can be very windy at the lake, so bring layers even in July.
6. Go dogsledding
We’ve been lucky enough to have two dogsledding experiences in Colorado and both deserve a spot on your Colorado bucket list! While this is a pricy activity, it’s well worth it as you’re sure to remember this experience forever.
You can’t go wrong with either of these companies, but we’ll discuss a few difference between the two!
Alpine Adventuers
Located in Leadville Colorado, Alpine Adventures trains Alaskan Huskies to pull you through a snowy field with epic views of the surrounding 14,000 foot mountain peaks.
The ride was incredibly scenic and there’s ample time to play with the pups and take photos. The trail we went on does not go through a forest and most of the time, we rode in the covered wagon due to how cold it was outside.
Good Times Adventures
Located in Breckenridge, Colorado, you’ll be pulled by a team of Siberian huskies.
We felt this dogsledidng experience was more focused on learning to mush and is a bit more active than Alpine Adventures which we personally liked.
On this trail, you’ll take turns mushing the dogs and riding in a wagon through forested snowy trails.
7. Go ziplining
Did you know you can go zip-lining through massive mountain peaks during the winter? Zip-lining at Top of the Rockies in Leadville, Colorado is one of the most epic bucket list adventures we’ve done!
The cost is $125 per person and three times throughout the day are offered. This is a year round activity available in all seasons. In the winter, you can even combine it with a snowmobiling tour.
We have a discount code you can use for this experience: adventuringeyes10 for 10% off.
8. Visit Garden of the Gods State Park
Garden of the Gods Start Park is a must visit for visitors to Colorado and locals alike. The towering red cliffs and accessible trails make this an amazing visit whether you’re a casual walkers or seeking an epic adventure.
The park comes alive at sunrise and sunset. It’s best to visit early if you want to secure parking as the park gets very crowded, especially on the weekends.
There are numerous hiking trails here as well as rock climbing routes, paved walking paths, and overlooks for sightseeing by car. This park is also free to visit!
9. See a concert at Red Rocks
Red Rocks Amphitheater is an iconic music venue located in Morrison, Colorado, less than 30 minutes from downtown Denver. Visitors travel from all over to attend a concert at this epic venue.
The stage is nestled in between two massive sandstone rocks creating a breathtaking backdrop. On average, Red Rocks host 150 events per year. Besides concerts, theres also films played there and yoga classes.
It’s one of the busiest concert venues in the US! Besides being a concert venue, you can also visit the amphitheater during the day to run the stairs, take photos, or sightsee.
There’s also a huge trail surrounding the amphitheater and even just hiking in beautiful Red Rocks Park is worthy of your Colorado bucket list!
10. Hike to St. Mary’s Glacier
Saint Mary’s Glacier is one of our favorite hikes to take visitors to Colorado. It never gets old even though we’ve done it several times. The trailhead is located in Idaho Springs.
It does cost $20 to park at the trailhead which was recently raised due to the increase in popularity of the hike. The hike is popular for a reason. It’s known for its beautiful alpine scenery, including a glacier and a stunning lake.
The trail is about 2 miles round trip, out-and-back, and has an elevation gain of around 650 feet. There are some steep sections up to the lake which can be strenuous due to the altitude.
Overall, this is a moderate hike. It is accessible during the winter, but microspikes and warm layers are needed. Check weather and wind conditions because we’ve visited when the wind was unbearable! The conditions can vary greatly due to the altitude.
11. Visit the Maroon Bells
Located in Aspen, Colorado, the Maroon Bells is the most photographed place in Colorado for a reason. You have to see the stunning beauty for yourself. Advanced parking reservation required from May to October.
You can reserve self-parking or the shuttle.
Some popular hikes include the Maroon Lake Trail (<1 mile) Scenic Loop Trail (3 miles) Crater Lake Trail (3.6 miles) and Willow Lake Trail (8 miles).
If you’re interested in photographing the iconic alpenglow on the peaks, the best time for photography is sunrise.
The sunrise reservations tend to book up first, but even if you can’t obtain a reservation for sunrise like us, sunset and evening is still absolutely worth it! The bugs are out in full force during the summer, so be sure to bring bug spray!
12. Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison may be one of the most underrated national parks in the US!
The national park website says it best. Black Canyon of the Gunnison “exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America”.
During the summer, you can hike to the bottom of the canyon and there are also several overlooks with minimal hiking required. We visited in the winter and went snowshoeing!
There are snowshoeing and cross country ski trails during the winter and several of the overlooks are still accessible.
13. Visit Colorado’s Wine Country
Did you know Colorado has it’s own little wine country? Famous for it’s vineyard and fruit orchards and known as the “Peach Capital of Colorado”, a weekend visit to Palisade is a must do for your Colorado bucket list.
During the summer, you can visit fruit orchards, lavender farms, wineries, local restaurants, and even an alpaca farm. Palisade is also home to world-class hiking and biking trails.
Summer is the best time to visit for everything Palisade has to offer, but we’ve also been during the winter and most of the 20 local wineries are also open during the winter.
A visit during the winter is very quiet and the snow covered cliffs are absolutely beautiful. No matter when you visit, Palisade has something for everyone to enjoy!
14. Visit the Colorado National Monument
Located near Grand Junction, the Colorado National Monument is a stunning and massive park full of canyon views, majestic cliffs, hiking trails, and a scenic drive.
Rim Rock drive is a 23 mile scenic drive thats winds through the monument with several stunning overlooks and views. There are also a number of impressive hiking trails.
You can also spot wildlife like bighorn sheep, deer, and birds. The park is open year round and accessible 24/7. If you are visiting outside of Visitor Center hours, you will need to pay the entrance fee at the self-pay station.
The entrance fee is $25/vehicle, but this gets you access for 7 days.
15. Visit Great Sand Dunes National Park
Did you know Colorado is home to the largest sand dunes in North America?! You have to add this national park to your Colorado bucket list.
The sand dunes are remote, but the closest towns are Salida, (1 hr 15 min from the park) and Alamosa (45 min from the park). You could also camp at Pinon Flats campground inside of the park.
One of the coolest opportunities for accommodation is camping ON the dunes! You have to sign up for a backcountry permit in advance for this.
While at the park, you can hike to the tallest dune in North America, Star Dune, try sandboarding or sledding.
During the month of May, the Medano creek flood the area between the parking lot and the dunes and you can raft down the creek!
Just outside the park, you can take a short hike to Zapata Falls.
16. Hike at Rocky Mountain National Park
We live less than 2 hours from this gorgeous park and love exploring it in all seasons. A visit to Rocky Mountain National Park is a must for your Colorado bucket list. There is so much to do at this park year round.
Keep in mind that reservations are needed May through October. Dream Lake is a favorite for first-timers and accessible year round; although, microspikes are needed in the winter.
Check out our list of best hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Besides hiking, Trail Ridge Road is another unique activity to do at Rocky Mountain National Park.
This scenic 48 mile long road winds through breathtaking peaks and is the highest continuously paved road in the United States! Keep in mind it is only accessible May through October due to snow.
There are many scenic overlooks along the road where visitors can take in the views.
17. Visit Sapphire Point Overlook
Located in Dillon, Colorado, Sapphire Point Overlook is one of our favorite scenic spots with no hiking required. The overlook is simply stunning with gorgeous Dillon Lake surrounded by mountain peaks.
The walk to the overlook is less than a mile, making this overlook accessible for casual hikers and families. There is a longer trail system that connects here as well if you’re interested in a longer hike.
This spot is perfect for photography and is absolutely beautiful at sunrise and sunset. It can be very windy at the overlook so be sure to check current weather conditions.
The overlook is accessible year round but can become very icy in the winter.
