There's a particular kind of chaos that comes with preparing for a backpacking trip, and a certain satisfaction that comes with completing one. The planning, the packing, and whatever the mountain decides to throw at you; that's the fun of it all. And in Colorado, the trails make every bit of it worth it.

For those seeking the thrill of the planned unknown, this list includes the best backpacking routes in Colorado and some safety tips for any trail.

When people picture Colorado, they usually think of jagged mountain peaks, rugged hiking trails, and extreme cycling. They don't typically picture open water and swimsuits. 

But locals know a secret: summer in the Rockies is just as enjoyable on a paddleboard as it is in the evergreens. From hidden glacial reservoirs at 9,000 feet to expansive, wake-free oases just minutes from the city, the Centennial State has become a paddleboarding paradise. 

It was 2016. Hip restaurant featured glassy mercury finishes, a crystal chandelier, and industrial-style tables. The bathroom lights were dimmed to nearly nothing, and the speakers above the sink emitted the sound of someone speaking in hushed foreign dialogue. In 2026, the newest restaurants are vibing with a new trend. (A tastier, less moody one.) Colorado’s current dining scene is leaning into credibility. It’s the era of Michelin stars and live TikTok bite-by-bite reviews. 
Instead of mastering a bathroom ambiance that feels like an acid trip, these Denver newcomers are balancing acidity and salt.

To adequately thank the one who keeps the backpacks packed, the boo-boos bandaged, and the house feeling like a home, gift the thing they truly need: some time to relax.

Luckily, Colorado has some of the best spas in the country, compiled in our Elevated List: Colorado spas edition, so you can give mom the gift that will get a gold star for effort and effect. 

Colorado has a reputation for altitude, outdoors, and craft beer. The bakery part is newer to the conversation, but it has arrived. In the last decade, the state has produced some of the most technically accomplished bakers in the country: James Beard nominees, New York Times picks, gold medalists at international bread competitions, working out of everything from food halls to historic grain mills to strip malls that have no business producing croissants this good. 

Colorado’s holiday season has a habit of sneaking up in plain sight. One week the grocery store is still rearranging squash, and the next, you’re driving past a cul-de-sac where someone has committed to a lighting display that could power an entire mountain town. Invitations multiply. Events return from hibernation. Local shops try to outdo themselves with cheerful efficiency, which is honestly much appreciated.

Holiday shopping has a way of testing a person’s resolve. One minute you’re circling a mall parking lot while visions of peppermint mochas and steep discounts dance in your head. The next, you’re questioning every life choice that brought you to a big-box checkout line moving at the speed of your mom that one time she tried to hang the holiday lights.

When people picture Colorado architecture, they tend to think of Denver’s glass angles, Boulder’s solar confidence, or the politely rustic modernism of every new build from Golden to Fort Collins. But move a few hours in any direction, and the geometry changes. The skyline shrinks, the materials simplify, and design stops trying so hard to impress. Outside the Front Range, architecture isn’t an act of expression so much as an act of endurance.