Family Hiking Trips
The Best Family Hiking Trips in Colorado
The weather is beautiful, the trails are open... It's time for a family hiking trip! Taking your family hiking in Colorado is easy. After all, we're surrounded by gorgeous scenery, fabulous mountains, and some of the best hiking trails in the country. The hardest part of hiking in Colorado might be deciding which scenic trail to hit first!
Gorgeous Viewpoints Abound in Colorado
Stoke up with a hearty breakfast and then head out for a day of exploring Colorado's scenic beauty. You may want to start with a day hike up Pike's Peak, the views from which inspired the beloved song 'America the Beautiful'. From breathtaking views to quiet mountain meadows, from strenuous climbs up a challenging fourteener to family-friendly backpacking trails, Colorado has something for everyone!
Colorado offers an abundance of hiking opportunities for the whole family to enjoy. There are several beautiful State Parks to explore, as well as National Parks like spectacularly scenic Rocky Mountain National Park, awe-inspiring Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and the incomparable Uncompahgre Wilderness.
Family-Friendly Hiking
Getting outside with your family to enjoy some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise is good for everyone's mental and physical health. You might want to start with a non-intensive hike to get everyone warmed up before planning a more extensive family hiking vacation.
Some of our favorite family hikes near Denver are easy enough for families with young children but interesting enough for the whole family to enjoy. They include the Bear Creek Trail at Lair o' the Bear Park, the Evergreen Lake Trail, and the trails at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center.
Travel a little farther afield and you can enjoy some more great hikes at Emerald Lake in beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park, the renowned hiking trails at Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, and Sedalia's Devil's Head Lookout Trail, which ends at the historic Devil's Head Lookout.
Family Backpacking Trips
Did your family whet its appetite on the easy trails we listed above? If so, it might be time to tackle something a bit more adventurous! There are several 2 to 4-day backpacking trips that are great for families looking for something a little more exciting than a simple day hike.
Chicago Lakes - Echo Lake Trail
Located near Idaho Springs, this trail is just under 10 miles long and only gains a couple of thousand feet in elevation. That makes it perfect for beginning backpackers or families with pre-teens. Make a 2 or 3-day adventure out of it so you have a better chance of seeing the elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats that inhabit the area.
Abyss Lake — Guanella Pass Trail
This trail near Georgetown offers sweeping views and spectacular vistas. The roundtrip is just over 17 miles with around 3,000' in elevation change. The scenery, wildlife, waterways, and diverse terrain make it well worth a 3-day backpacking trip!
The Four Pass Loop
This 28-mile loop near Aspen gains 8,000' in elevation, so it's definitely more challenging than the day hikes we've listed! Plan on spending 3 or 4 days crossing the four mountain passes along this trail.
Are You Fueled for the Trail?
The next time you're getting the family ready for a full day (or 3!) of hiking, stop by OPH first. Save your spot in line with the Yelp waitlist and we'll have you well-fed and ready to hit the trail in no time!
Red, White and Blue Brunch
Enjoy a Red, White and Blue Brunch on the 4th!
It's almost time to combine two longtime American favorites — the 4th of July and a delicious brunch! Kick off the festivities by inviting friends and family to join you for a celebratory brunch. We've rounded up a few creative recipes to help you incorporate the red, white, and blue into your July 4th brunch favorites.
Summer berries are a natural for creating a colorful patriotic display. You can also show off your creativity through colorful parfaits, tasty blueberry muffins, festive pancakes, decorated waffles, and a whole range of other tasty treats.
Fabulous Fruity Decor
There are plenty of fruits arrayed with our national colors. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red grapes, apples, bananas, blueberries, purple grapes, and blackberries are perfect choices to represent our flag. Here are some of our favorite fruit-filled 4th of July brunch ideas.
American Flag Cake
This is a moist vanilla cake studded with raspberries and blueberries. It's frosted with a light, delicious mascarpone whipped cream and topped with more raspberries and blueberries laid out in an edible stars and stripes pattern.
Fourth Of July Parfaits
Layer vanilla yogurt with red and blue fruits for a healthy parfait to start your brunch. Try blueberries and raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, or blueberries and chopped cherries.
Looking for a decadent finish to your brunch or an après fireworks treat? Replace the yogurt with vanilla ice cream and add a dollop of whipped cream on top. Yum!
Independence Day Flag Waffles
Decorate your favorite waffles with blueberry 'stars' and raspberry and whipped cream 'stripes' for a perfectly patriotic brunch! The small berries nestle into the waffle crevices while the whipped cream skims across the surface.
Patriotic Fruit Skewers
Alternately layer banana slices, raspberries, and blueberries onto wooden skewers. Insert the skewers into a watermelon half for even more fruity fun! Tip: Dip the banana slices into fresh orange juice to prevent browning.
Red, White and Blueberry Pancake Stacks
Mini pancake stacks are layered with whipped cream, blueberries, and banana slices. Then they're topped with more whipped cream and garnished with a whole strawberry. Use about a tablespoon of batter for each pancake and don't forget to dip the banana slices to keep them from browning.
Red, White, and Blue Strawberries
Dip plump, ripe strawberries in white chocolate and immediately sprinkle with decorative blue sugar.
Yankee Doodle Berries
Slice just the bottom tip off of large strawberries so they stand up. Then remove the stem, fill the cavity with whipped cream, and garnish with a blueberry for perfectly delicious plate garnishes.
Non-Fruit Options
Don't 
limit yourself to just fruity 4th of July dishes. These delicious additions to the holiday menu give you a more diverse array of dishes to offer your guests.
4th of July Pinwheels
These festive and tasty patriotic sugar cookies look almost like fireworks with their vibrant swirls of color!
Star-Shaped Pigs in a Blanket
What a cute finger food! Children and adults alike will love these adorable savory treats made by wrapping hot dog slices between star-shaped layers of puff pastry dough.
Red, White, and Blue Soda
This deliciously refreshing sparkling drink turns purple as the red and blue Kool-Aid ice cubes slowly dissolve into the lemon-lime soda.
Any Day Is a Perfect Day for Brunch at OPH!
Use our handy Yelp waitlist to save your place in line, then check out our tasty brunch options. We have some colorful and fruity dishes of our own!