In case you haven’t heard already, it’s snowing in the mountains. And that means it won’t be long before winter is here, overwhelming you with regrets for not making it out of the city enough. But it’s not over until it’s over — and by “it,” I mean the most important outdoor season of all — fall. This is the last time for several long and cold months to get out and hike, bike or even drive without troubles, so before you take out the skis and boards (something still worth getting excited over), take a look at what’s available this fall in the outdoors.
Hiking:
Hiking is one of the most wonderfully refreshing fall activities out there. Now that Colorado doesn’t feel quite as much like the Sahara desert, trekking around is far more enjoyable and also far more accomplishable. Temperatures are dropping every day, which means you’re able to conserve energy that would be lost to summer’s heat and hike further than ever amongst beautiful fall colors that will float to the ground over the next few weeks. Trails also tend to be far less crowded during this time of year without summer tourism packing the parking lots with minivans and Winnebagos.
Some great places to hike this fall (with distances from DU): Bear Lake Park – 15 miles, Elk Meadow Park – 28 miles, Roxborough State Park – 17 miles
Biking:
Biking during the fall is also ideal due to recently-lower temperatures. In addition to the comfort these temperatures bring, they also make dirt much more firm if you can manage to get your wheels outside of the city. However, even if you go for a ride in Denver, there are some great bike paths here, too. A ride downtown is a great way to get off campus while getting some exercise. At the very least, take a B-Cycle (rentable bikes on campus outside of the Driscoll Bridge by Sturm) out and cruise around closer to campus. Wash Park is always a guaranteed good time, as is a simple cruise through DU’s smooth red brick paths.
Some places to bike this fall (with distances from DU): Cherry Creek Trail – 4 miles, Valmont Bike Park – 35 miles, Buffalo Creek Mountain Bike Area – 43 miles
Road-tripping:
Driving in the winter is literally the worst. Not only is it more dangerous than usual, but it’s totally unpredictable with snowstorms and constant accidents, making long trips nearly impossible and really not very desirable. This means that now is the best time to go on an awesome fall road-trip, and Denver’s location at the entrance to the Rockies makes the options literally limitless. Some more ambitious destinations include the vastness of Utah and Wyoming, espeiclaly their national parks, but of course Colorado has plenty of parks and other glorious locations to shoot for, as well.
Some great places to road-trip this fall (with distances from DU): Rocky Mountain National Park – 74 miles, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve – 256 miles, Mesa Verde National Park – 400 miles
