Best After Work Hikes near Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado is a well-known gateway to the Rocky Mountains. One of many assets spurring the growth of the city and its metro-area suburbs is access to the outdoors. The 14,000-foot peaks, blue alpine lakes, trails among them, and vistas over them are spectacles commonly associated with Denver. The postcard image of the city shows an urban skyline against a mountain backdrop, making the wilderness seem close at hand. The mountains are indeed nearby, but not near enough for most people to reach on a typical weekday, however.

What you may not realize unless you live in Denver is, to reach the quintessential Rocky Mountain scenery, you have to drive an hour or more... and maybe much more depending on traffic and your location in the metro area. Luckily, there are great trails in the foothills, close enough to the city to make a short day trip.

On these trails, you’ll find panoramas over the city and views to peaks of the Rockies. You’ll encounter up close the impressive rock formations, flowing creeks, colorful flora, and local wildlife of the Denver area. Though a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park may have to wait until a weekend, you can enjoy any of these nearby adventures before or after work, any day of the week, at any time of year.