With breathtaking overlooks and trailheads scattered along the road, the Colorado National Monument offers numerous day hiking opportunities to show off its finest features.
Chris & Mac
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Length: Varies – 0.5 to 14 Miles Round Trip
Trailhead(s): Rim Rock Drive & Overlooks; Saddlehorn Campground; Saddlehorn Visitor Center.
Elevation Gain: Varies From 200′ to 1,750′
Trail Type: Out and Back
Dogs: Not Allowed on Trails.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate/Strenuous
Permit Required? Yes – National Park Entrance Fee $35
Considerations: Heat; Flash Floods; Mountain Lions; Rattlesnakes & Scorpions.
Season: Year Round
Overview
The Colorado National Monument is a treasure begging to be explored. Although this treasure is gorgeous and much is visible from the overlooks, there is so much more to see. As such, park periodically and check out some of the hidden delights you can’t see from the road or the overlooks. You won’t be disappointed.
RIM ROCK DRIVE
Rim Rock Drive is a spectacular 23 mile drive through the red rock canyons of the Colorado National Monument. In light of this, the monument is a popular car tour. It is important to realize, however, that the Colorado National Monument keeps its most special treasures for those who take to its trails.
COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT HIKING
Trail options range from pretty darned flat and short, to steep, long, and technical. What is there to see? Well, for one, even on the short, easy trails we can quickly get to wonderful overlooks which have better and closer views of marvelous vistas, side canyons, and rock formations than we can see from the road. Additionally, hiking here gets us up close and personal with some of its most interesting formations such as Coke Ovens, Independence Monument, Window Rock, Pipe Organ, and Praying Hands, to name drop just a few. Bottom line, it’s worth your time to spend some time on the trails in this singularly beautiful national monument.
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Additional Information
Colorado National Monument Slideshow
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Gear We Use for Day Hiking
To see descriptions of the gear Chris & Mac use for day hiking, as well as links to manufacturers and retailers offering the gear for sale, please CLICK HERE.
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SAFETY DISCLAIMER: The activities discussed in this website are outdoor activities and, as such, have inherent risks to which participants are exposed. It is not the intent of this website, nor is it possible due to the variability of weather, terrain, equipment, and experience, to detail all of those risks. The information contained in this site is informational, but not instructive nor exhaustive. It is the sole responsibility of the user to ensure he/she is in good health, fully prepared, and fully informed as to dangers before undertaking any of the activities discussed in this website and the user does so at his/her own risk. The user understands that by using this website he/she acknowledges and accepts all risks associated with use of information from this website and participation in any particular activity addressed herein. Please see “Terms of Use” for additional information.
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