The best hiking trails by Avon, Colorado.
Hello loves!
Thank you for stopping by! I hope this blog helps you decide what places you want to visit in beautiful Colorado.
My husband and I decided to go to Avon, Colorado for our 1-year anniversary because our trip was canceled due to the Coronavirus. We couldn’t fly anywhere, so we decided to do a road trip. Just to make things clear, we kept our distance and wore our mask in public places. Anyway, we stayed in his parent’s timeshare in Avon called Falcon Point Resort. Avon is pretty far from a lot of the places we visited so we had to drive a bit during the week. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I highly recommend visiting every spot.
We went the first week of June and the weather was perfect. We did get some wet snow one night but overall we had sunny days the whole week we were there! The best time to go is the warm season which lasts for about 3.5 months, from the beginning of June to the end of September. I hope you enjoy your time there and embrace all it has to offer! Oh, by the way, please remember the hiking etiquette when you’re on the trails. Let’s take care of mother earth and be kind to people. Alright, let’s get to it!
1. THOMAS LAKES
Miles: 8.8 miles roundtrip (12.5km) | 3-4 hrs
Location: N39 18.204 W107 07.477
Elevation gain: 1,627 feet
Level: Moderate
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? No
We drove from Avon to the trailhead of Thomas Lakes. To get there you take the 82 and get out on Emma Rd., turn left on Sopris Creek Rd, and take the dirt road that will lead you to the parking lot. We took a Prius and it was fine. You don’t need a high clearance vehicle, however, make sure you check the weather because you don’t want to drive a low clearance car in mud. The dirt road was about 4 miles long. The hike was around 4.4 miles in and 4.4 miles out, a total of 8.8 miles. The hike was pretty rocky, so make sure you take good shoes. Overall, the hike was beautiful. We went the first week of June so there were a lot of dandelions greeting us throughout our walk.
2. BOOTH FALLS TRAIL
Miles: 4.2 miles roundtrip (6.75km) | 1-2 hrs
Location: N39° 39' 2.7324 W106° 19' 15.7512
Elevation gain: 1,358 feet
Level: Moderate
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? No
We drove about 15 minutes from Avon to Booth Falls Trail. The trailhead is right off the road, so thank God no dirt road. We had to park closer to the main road because the parking lot was full, so it added a few more minutes to our walk. We started the hike and in the first mile we were out of breath, not because it was a hard hike, but because of the altitude. It took us a couple of days to get used to it, but we did! Anyway, the hike was heavily trafficked so we did our best to stand to the side when people were hiking down due to COVID. We wanted to respect others and keep ourselves safe. It got pretty steep in some places but nothing overwhelming. Once you get to the waterfalls, you will be in awe of the majestic beauty!
3. CRYSTAL MILL
Miles: 9 miles roundtrip (14.5km) | 4-5 hrs
Location: 39°04'17.0"N 107°10'16.2"W
Elevation gain: 1,391 feet
Level: Moderate
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? No, if you want to go down to the mill, you will need to pay $10 cash.
We drove about 2 hours from Avon to get to the town close to the trail. We drove past Beaver Lake on a dirt road to the parking lot at the fork. It was fine to drive a low-clearance car to the fork but past that, you will need to take an all 4-wheel drive if you want to drive there. Yes, you can drive to the mills or use ATV’s, which you can rent at the town. The beginning is the most steep part of the hike, but then it gets better. On our way back we met Waine, the owner. He inherited the land from his family that has owned it for over 100 years! Crazy right? He was such a sweetheart! He gave us a ride back to the town and boy it was bumpy. He did mentioned that passed the mills is a small town where you can spend the night and enjoy some delicious food in the middle of nature!
4. HAYS CREEK FALLS
Miles: 0.1 miles roundtrip (0.16km)
Location: 39°09'32.9"N 107°15'07.3"W
Elevation gain: 7543 feet
Level: Easy
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? No
After hiking Crystal Mill, we drove to Hays Creek Falls. So, if you have time after your hike, you can check out this beautiful waterfall. It was right next to the highway so there’s no need to hike. It’s a beautiful place for a pit stop.
5. PENNY HOT SPRINGS
Miles: 0.1 miles roundtrip (0.16km)
Location: 39°13'55.2"N 107°13'38.1"W
Level: Easy
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? No
After Hays Creek Falls, we drove to Penny Hot Springs which was about 5 miles away. They were right by the river and it was super warm. Because of COVID, they do have signs stating they’re closed. However, we decided to go anyway because we were the only ones there. Once people started to show up, we left.
6. MAROON BELLS
Miles: 1.9 miles loop (3.05 km) | 1hr
Location: 39.0969° N, 106.9451° W
Elevation gain: 160 feet
Level: Easy
Dog-friendly? Yes, leashed
Fee? Yes
Did you see the photos above? Doesn’t mother nature just leave you speechless? This place was so dreamy you definitely do NOT want want to miss it, so make sure you add it to your bucket list because you won’t be disappointed. You will have to get a permit to enter. We got ours for 6 hours. You can get the permit here: Permit for Maroon Bells. The parking lot is very close to the lake; however, if you want to make a day out of it, you can hike to Crater Lake, which is only 2.8 miles round trip. Part of the trail was very rocky, but overall it was pretty easy. The views will literally take your breath away because they are extraordinary.
7. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Location: 40°16'22.9"N 105°50'05.3"W
Dog-friendly? Yes, but not on trails or backcountry. They are allowed only in areas accessed by vehicles, including roadsides, parking areas, picnic areas and campgrounds. They must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and attended at all times.
Fee? Yes, check out the National Park Pass
We took a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Park and it was absolutely dreamy! Because of Covid the drive up to the tundra was closed. However, we were able to park our car by the scenic overlook and we hiked up the road that leads you there. It was super windy and cold, which is normal for that type of altitude. It was worth the hike because we were literally on top of the mountains. I highly recommend this view because it’s absolutely gorgeous. We also hiked to Alberta Falls which is an easy family hike. It was 1.6 miles (2.5 km) roundtrip with an elevation gain of 252 ft. After the hike, we decided to take it easy and hang out by the meadows and enjoy the scenery. It was a great day full of nature. I highly recommend you visit because it’s a spectacular National Park!
* Photo from www.ironmountainhotsprings.com
8. IRON MOUNTAIN HOT SPRINGS
I was dying to go to hot springs, I just love them. We went here because we saw pictures and it looked pretty cool. We were not disappointed. Yes, they’re not in the middle of nature, but it was just what we needed after a long hike. When we arrived it was raining, so I didn’t get a photo of the place, so the one above is from their website. It was only $25 dollars for 2hrs! So worth it! You can make reservations here: Iron Mountain Hot Springs.
Well, I hope you enjoy your time in Colorado and you get to hike these trails. I was pretty amazed at all the beautiful nature spots we got to see.
Love you all!
