The Best Front Range Hikes For Children

by Tony Parker

An easy-to-use guide to 5 of the best Front Range hikes for children.

Kid-friendly trail ratings and symbols

Detailed directions and full-color easily readable maps

Sidebars on historical and educational information, as well as activities children can enjoy on the way home from each hike

Colorado's Front Range is a wonderful place to introduce children to the outdoors and hiking. From Fort Collins to Denver and Boulder and south to Colorado Springs, trails abound for kids who love spending time outside. This essential guide helps parents select age-and ability-appropriate trails at a glance with a handy rating system. Choose trails that are fun and just challenging enough for children between the ages of two and 16.

From wheelchair accessible to more challenging trails, the 5 hikes that comprise this guidebook were selected for their variety, ease of access, unique natural beauty, educational opportunities, and proximity to some of the best known attractions along the Front Range, including the Platte River, Pikes Peak, Mount Evans, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Children may spot wild turkeys while exploring the Hornbek Homestead trail near Colorado Springs; enjoy trekking across the lands of an early settlement in the Bobcat Ridge Natural area near Fort Collins; or catch a glimpse of a bighorn sheep along the Waterton Canyon trail south of Denver.