Rating Hikes In Colorado

I’ve been to Colorado quite a few times already. I’ve been there for my honeymoon, vacation, and had to go there a few times for work purposes.

As a midwestern who grew up around fields and plains, I really loved Colorado for its scenic views, especially when you get to see the mountains everywhere.

Colorado has some pretty scenic trails so, of course, I had to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and go hiking on the trails! In my personal opinion, I think I’m pretty experienced in hiking.

So, I will be rating my experiences on the hikes in Colorado!

Garden of the Gods

If you are ever staying around Colorado Springs or even just passing by, if you have the time, check out the Garden of the Gods!

I loved the Garden of the Gods because you are a lot closer to wildlife than you think! In fact, last time I went, there were deer walking close to the paths and it was a pretty cool sight to see!

Also, if you do see any of the deer walking close to you, don’t be afraid. They are completely harmless and are very used to people. Just keep at a distance from them and they will be on their merry way.

Please do not feed any wild life you run into

The Garden of the Gods is known for its neat rock formations which I found many people actually rock climbing up the rocks, so if rock climbing is your jam, give the Garden of the Gods a go!

This trails in the Garden of the Gods weren’t difficult at all. They are easy enough where people were riding their bikes on the trail no problem!

In fact, I remember most of the trails either being flat or just sloped a little, but nothing super crazy so if you are someone new to hiking, then this is a hike you’ll be able to handle just fine.

My husband and I were passing through on a Sunday morning and it wasn’t crazy busy on the trails until it got closer to the afternoon, so my advice would be to go in the mornings, especially if you want to catch the sun gleaming onto the rocks!

It’s a very lovely sight to see!

A 5/5 rating to the Gods

★★★★★

It was like taking a calm, romantic walk with wild life, so the Garden of the Gods gets a 5/5 rating.

The Hanging Lake

So, I wish I was a little more prepared for this trail because all we wanted to do was go see a waterfall. Well, we saw the trail that led to the waterfall and came to find out really quick that the hiking was freaking brutal.

Now like I said, I’m pretty experienced in hiking, but what I wasn’t expecting was to climbing up some steep stone steps that led up a freaking mountain where I forgot to wear proper shoes and forgot my water bottle.

So yeah, don’t be like me. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of water with you.

This trail is more suited for people who can physically handle it since you are dealing with a 1.2 mile rocky climb.

Also be aware that if you have issues with the altitude, maybe either not go on it or be cautious because you are going to be over 1,000 feet of elevation the more you hike up the trail.

Since it is a long way up with no bathrooms, I strongly advise you go to the bathroom before you head up the trail.

If you have children with you, I advise you to be cautious because I’m not too sure how your children can handle the climb nor steep rocky steps, so please be aware of this before proceeding with this hike.

On the bright side, once you reach the top, you get to see the most beautiful waterfall that has the cutest orange fish swimming in the lake, so if you are interested in photography, make sure to catch some great pictures of the waterfall!

I’m hanging this rating here: 4/5 stars

★★★★

Mainly because I wish I was a little more prepared for the hike; however, the gorgeous waterfall made it worth the sight so it gets a 4/5 rating.

Manitou Incline

Fun fact.

I had this trail on my vision board last year since I was wanting to go back to Colorado and find more trails to hike on. I don’t even remember where I saw the picture, I think I just saw it on Pinterest and smacked it right on my vision board.

And little did I know that back then, I was manifesting the wooden steps of h*ll because that was what it felt like when I went on the Mantiou Incline.

This trail is literally no joke.

We are talking nearly 2,000 feet of elevation and over 2,000 steps to climb.

They have people at the bottom of the incline where you can check in and check out. Although yes, it’s a free trail, it’s just really intense and I assume they check people in to make sure they can keep track of everyone.

I strongly advise people who are physically fit and capable to go on this incline because you will literally feel like your legs are on fire when you are climbing up this steep slope. Please make sure to have a laaaarge water bottle and comfortable shoes because this took about two hours to reach to the top.

On the bright side, they have pathways that go off to the side at certain points of the climb in case you want to back out.

I heard there was an easier trail to go up the slope then taking the wooden steps of h*ll, but my husband and I were already in the middle of finishing the climb before we realized this.

So, if you don’t feel like taking on the steps, try the actual, dirt trails.

On another bright note, we got to the top and met with some really nice hikers and super cute chipmunks. The chipmunks were quite friendly and they liked to climb on people and we were able to pet them which was quite interesting. Very harmless and didn’t bite at all unless you are carrying food.

Please do not feed the chipmunks. I promise you they can find their own food and are probably lying to you.

I rate the wooden steps of h*ll a 2/5

★★

It was a great challenge overall and I’m very proud of myself for taking the challenging way, but I’m not too sure if I would do it again. I was very, very sore for the next few days.

Paint Mines

I went to the Paint Mines back in 2018 and they were definitely one of my favorites. I absolutely loved the pastel colors and they make such phenomenal photos! The trail through the mines is a very easy one and you’ll feel like you are walking through a sea of colored marble rocks!

It was very unique and my inner artist just loved every inch of these mines!

Round trip is a little over 3.5 miles and it’ll take you over an hour to get around these beautiful sights! These trails are mainly for being on foot and not for bikes, horses, or other vehicles.

Don’t forget some photos while you are exploring!