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Colorado’s Best Hidden Gems

Updated July 16, 2021

Even after three years of what feels like non-stop hiking and wandering throughout Colorado, sometimes intentionally lost, one thing I can say for certain is that even after you’ve seen and experienced the most popular and publicized things to do, there are literally countless trails, lesser-traveled paths, and hidden gems left to explore. We feel like we’ve barely scratched the surface. And if you’re new to the area or determining where to travel on a first-time trip, it can be daunting to choose where to go first. With that in mind, here are our suggestions for Colorado’s best and must-see hidden gems.

Happy exploring! ❤️

1. HANGING LAKE

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 2.5 HOURS

Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs, Colorado has become such a popular hike that a day pass is now required to visit the site. Permits are $12 per person and are booked in hourly arrival windows. If you’re traveling here during the summer months, you’ll need to look at booking these well in advance.

This is a short but steep hike. Think 1,200-foot elevation gain in a heart-pumping 1.6-mile trek to the top. Once you’ve ascended a seemingly endless staircase of boulders, it’s an absolutely gorgeous experience arriving at this tourmaline-hued pool backdropped by hanging gardens and trickling waterfalls.

We recommend spending at least one night in Glenwood Springs along with your visit. There are two hot springs in Glenwood Springs—the Glenwood Springs Hot Springs Pool and Iron Mountain Hot Springs. Glenwood is more of a large swimming pool set amid a massive resort, while Iron Mountain is a more intimate collection of smaller pools that are similar to hot tubs. Both are worth visiting, but if you had to choose between the two, I’d say Iron Mountain provides perhaps a more unique one-visit experience.

If you’re searching for overnight options, we loved our stay and the historic charm of The Hotel Denver, which is located right across from the Amtrak Glenwood Springs Train Station, a popular stop along the California Zephyr route between Chicago and San Francisco.

2. paint mines interpretive park

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 HOUR, 45 minutes

Paint Mines Interpretive Park is a Colorado hidden gem that even some lifelong natives haven’t heard of. Tucked away in rural El Paso County east of Colorado Springs, the colorful clays within the park (the result of oxidized iron compounds) were once collected by Native Americans to make pigments for ceramics. Open and free to the public from dawn to dusk, the site is a popular draw for hikers, photographers, and artists, and there are several different trails and overlooks to explore. Climbing on these delicate rock formations is forbidden as are pets of any kind so definitely leave your dog at home.

3. BISHOP CASTLE

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 2 HOURS, 45 MINUTES

Tucked away in San Isabel National Forest southwest of Pueblo, Colorado is a wondrous and whimsical castle constructed of iron and stone that is the result of the lifelong passion of Colorado native, Jim Bishop, who bought the land when he was just 15 years old for $450. A monumental build, both in height and in years spent, the website for Bishop Castle heralds the feat and Bishop’s motivations as a reminder to the importance of not only having a dream but sticking to it “no matter what.”

There’s no entrance fee to explore the castle, but donations are appreciated. All tours are self-guided through a seemingly endless network of elaborate rooms, intricately forged bridges, and tight spiral stairwells.

INSIDER TIP: Bring a picnic luncH… AND your sense of fearlessness, especially when it comes to tight spaces and heights.

4. STRAWBERRY PARK HOT SPRINGS

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 3 HOURS

The unique and historic mountain town of Steamboat Springs is a great destination for those looking for a less crowded yet purely authentic Colorado experience. And it’s home to an absolutely gorgeous hidden gem that we think is a must-add to your 2020 Colorado destination list.

Strawberry Park Hot Springs is one of two hot springs to visit while in Steamboat. The other is Old Town Hot Springs and is at the top of our list of things to do when we return again. But we’ve added Strawberry Park Hot Springs to our list of Best Hidden Gems for Colorado simply because it’s truly a one-of-a-kind Colorado experience.

For starters, the ride to get there adds to the thrill. In the winter, four-wheel drive is critical to avoid getting stuck. All you have to do is see the TripAdvisor reviews for this one and you’ll understand what we mean. And if you’re like us and you don’t even want to take the chance, you can thankfully book a round-trip shuttle service from Steamboat. It’s a very affordable no-brainer that you’ll be thankful you did.

The soaking pools are set in a mountain valley. The water is a toasty 104-plus degrees. And if you arrive right before sunset, you’ll get the dual benefits of seeing this Colorado natural beauty as dusk settles in and the stars emerge.

INSIDER TIP: STRAWBERRY PARK IS CASH ONLY. ALSO, THERE’S AN ADULT ONLY POLICY AFTER DARK + AT THIS TIME CLOTHING BECOMES OPTIONal SO WATCH WHERE YOU POINT your FLASHLIGHT. ;)

5. interlaken ghost resort

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 2.5 hours + 2 hour roundtrip hike

On the opposite side of historic Twin Lakes, Colorado, a quiet 4-mile roundtrip hike through an aspens grove leads visitors to the relocated site of the Interlaken Hotel and Resort. Locals refer to this curious hidden gem as a ghost resort. Built in 1879 and developed by entrepreneur and mining investor James V. Dexter in the 1880s, it’s often referred to as “Colorado’s most beautiful resort in the late 19th Century." Today, it’s one of the most well-preserved collection of historic settlements in all of Colorado, and it’s free for visitors to wander out and visit on foot.

6. castlewood dam ruins

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 hour + 1 hour roundtrip hike

The ruins of Castlewood Dam within Castlewood Canyon State Park is an absolutely must-see hidden gem if you’re visiting Denver for even more than one day. A relatively short and easy hike will lead you to a crumbling stone levee that once contained a massive irrigation reservoir that ultimately failed in 1933, causing historic flooding in Denver 40 miles to the northwest. Today it’s a much different place. Since becoming a state park in 1964 and expanding to nearly 900 acres in the 1970s, hiking trails spread out and flank both sides of the dam ruins while the quiet trickle of Cherry Creek threads the division between. 

7. rifle Mountain ice caves + Rifle Falls

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 3 hours + a few short hikes to see both falls

Both Rifle Mountain Park and nearby Rifle Falls State Park between Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction in Colorado draw visitors year-round for their gorgeous waterfalls, hiking, and rock climbing. But when the winter settles in, these cascading wonders ice over, creating an especially unique experience. At Rifle Mountain Park, the flowing water freezes into a large column, creating two ice caves that can be explored. A few miles away, at Rifle Falls State Park, visitors can hike above and around the trio of falls and also explore several limestone caves. Visit both for the full experience.

Insider tip: Both parks charge a fee to enter. As Rifle Falls is a state park, it’s free to enter if you’re an annual pass holder. Otherwise, it’s $8 for a day pass. At Rifle Mountain park, you’ll need to pay $5 to enter for one day.

8. sasquatch outpost — bailey

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 hour

The Sasquatch Outpost is a curious museum dedicated to Bigfoot lore in the quiet mountain town of Bailey, Colorado. It was opened in 2016 by Jim and Daphne Myers, self-professed researchers and admirers of all things Sasquatch. The life-sized replicas, artwork, and fun merch are all well worth the trip, most of it created by Jim Myers himself. There’s much to learn about the legend of Bigfoot, which here in the United States now spans over 60 years. We think this is one of Colorado’s must-see hidden gems, and they’ve already hosted over 36,000 visitors since opening!

9. hidee gold mine + nevadaville ghost town

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 1 hour

If you want to step back in time and see how Colorado miners worked amid the gold and silver rush at the turn of the 20th Century, a visit to Hidee Gold Mine near Central City should absolutely be on your bucket list. During this popular mine tour, you’ll go deep inside one of their hard rock mine tunnels and get your chance to chisel for real gold ore samples along a five-foot-wide vertical gold vein.

You’ll hear tales of mining lore, including stories of tommyknockers, along with the spoils and dangers of mining this area, long referred to as “the richest square mile on Earth.”

To complete your mining of yesteryear tour, visitors can travel to three nearby ghost towns. Nevadaville is the closest and is located just up the road toward Central City. An easily marked dirt road takes you to a site where several original buildings remain. Russel Gulch and Apex are the two other ghost towns nearby. In Russel Gulch, visitors can play a disc golf course amid the town ruins. To get to Apex, you’ll definitely need a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.

INSIDER TIP: A visit to Central City is also worth a stop. Filled with historic buildings and small mountain town charm, it’s also a good place to gamble + grab a few complimentary drinks at one of their many casinos.

10. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER — 20 minutes

A short drive from downtown Denver and even closer from Denver International Airport sits a curious Colorado hidden gem that is definitely worth a visit, especially at dusk. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is the nation’s largest urban wildlife refuge where bison and mule deer roam by the hundreds, bald eagles can be observed nesting and hunting near its lakes, and prairie dogs pop in and out of mounds along a meandering 11-mile wildlife drive.

But this place didn’t used to be so serene and full of life. For decades the area, roughly the size of Manhattan, was once used to manufacture and test chemical weapons. Following an extensive cleanup, wildlife returned—the bison where reintroduced—making it one of the best places for guaranteed viewing in the Denver metro area.

unique colorado trip ideas

Cool Colorado Gifts

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Image Credits:

From top: Rifle Falls Triple Waterfall - Krzysztof Wiktor - stock.adobe.com; Hanging Lake - Focqus, LLC - stock.adobe.com; Paint Mines sunset - ipivorje - stock.adobe.com; Paint Mines details - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Bishop Castle - ©batman6794 - stock.adobe.com; Bishop Castle detail images - ©batman6794 - stock.adobe.com; Strawberry Park Hot Springs - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Twin Lakes and Interlaken Ghost Resort - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Castlewood Canyon State Park Dam Ruins - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Rifle Mountain Park Ice Caves - Jaynes Gallery/Danita Delimont - stock.adobe.com; Sasquatch Outpost - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Hidee Gold Mine and Nevadaville Ghost Town - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Colorado’s Most Unique Airbnbs (Carbondale Airstream and Teepee) - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Stargazing at Great Sand Dunes - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; UFO Watchtower - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings - spiritofamerica - stock.adobe.com; Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Galyna Andrushko - stock.adobe.com; The Baldpate Inn Key Collection - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; Trail Ridge Road - Elaine Skylar Neal/Travels and Curiosities; for Pin image credits, please click on the respective pin.