7 Best Places to Snowshoe in Colorado (30+ trails!)

Colorado is a winter playground. While skiing gets most of the attention, snowshoeing is a great, easy, and affordable family activity. I’ve been snowshoeing a few great places and have researched a few more of the best places to snowshoe in Colorado to add to my list for next season. We’ve also taken our kids a few times, with hopes to discover some more great places to snowshoe with kids in the future.

Colorado is filled with snowshoe trails from around Denver to the mountains. It can be overwhelming deciding where to go. So if you are wanting to snowshoe and don’t know where to start, check out these list of places to go snowshoeing in Colorado for your next family adventure.

Best Places for Snowshoeing in Colorado

Here is the list, broken down by location, of the best snowshoe trails in Colorado.

Snowshoeing Near Denver

While Denver isn’t the ideal spot to find great snowshoeing, there are a few places within a short-ish drive that you can go without having to go all the way into the mountains. Here are a few great snowshoe trails around Denver:

Meyer Ranch Park– Located in Morrison, Meyer Ranch Park is the perfect place to go snowshoeing with kids in Colorado. The trail best for snowshoeing is Lodgepole Loop, which is just about 2 easy miles.

Snowshoe Trails in Boulder (near)

Heading to Boulder for snowshoeing isn’t too far from Denver, but will give you some much better options!

Brainard Lake Recreation area in Ward – Park at the Brainard Gateway Trailhead to find great snowshoe trails. Getting to Brainard Lake is a beautiful, moderate hike of about 5.7 miles roundtrip.

Caribou Ranch in Nederland- Caribou Ranch open space is just north of Nederland. It’ll give you close to 5 miles of trail that starts straight and then splits into a loop. It’s great for snowshoeing after a fresh snowfall, but otherwise can get packed down from winter hikers.

Eldora Resort in Nederland – head to the Nordic Center where you’ll find family-friendly snowshoe trails. Try Twisted Snowshoe or another trail specific to snowshoeing. These will not be groomed, leaving you great snow to tromp through.

Chautauqua Park– Chautauqua Park in Boulder will take you hiking among the famous Flatirons. You can throw on the snowshoes and hike long or short distances within the park.

Where to rent snowshoes in Boulder
Christy Sports- 2000 30th Street
Crystal Snow Shop- 1933 28th Street

Best Snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park

There are plenty of trails to snowshoe in Rocky Mountain National Park. If you’re not sure where to snowshoe in Colorado, this is a great place to start.

If you’re not confident in finding them or doing them, sign up for a ranger led snowshoe hike in the park.

Dream Lake (pictured above, in summer)- Dream lake is my favorite spot in Rocky Mountain National Park. The scenery is just jaw-dropping. You can start at Bear Lake (a great < 1 mile loop that would also be great) and take the trailhead to Nymph/Dream/Emerald Lake. It starts fairly flat, but will get a gentle incline as you pass Nymph Lake.

Alberta Falls– Alberta Falls is an easy 1.6 mile trail. You may get lucky enough to see the frozen falls!

Bear Lake to Bierstadt– You can do a roundtrip snowshoe trip, which will be about 4.5 miles if you loop around Bierstadt Lake when you get there. Or, you can snowshoe from Bear Lake to Bierstadt Lake, then down the 1-mile trail at Bierstadt to the Bierstadt Trailhead. This is a one-way route but a shuttle is available to take you back to Bear Lake.

Estes Park- While not in the national park, you can also go snowshoeing at the YMCA in Estes Park. Trek through wooded forests in fresh snow with the kids. I recommend staying at the YMCA as there is so much to do included in your affordable stay.

Where to rent snowshoes in Estes Park
Estes Park Mountain Shop- 2050 Big Thompson Avenue

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Snowshoeing in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs is more of a city vibe, though it does host plenty of nature and trails. Since the elevation isn’t very high (it’s not a mountain town), it’ll be harder to come by powdery snow trails.

Your best bet for snowshoeing in Colorado Springs will be after a decent snowstorm before the snow has melted. If you’re lucky enough to visit during that time, you can take advantage of the trails!

For the best snowshoe trails in Colorado Springs, check out the following:

Garden of the Gods (pictured above)- This place is incredible in summer. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get a winter scene if it snows! Check out the trails at Garden of the Gods when you visit. The best one for families will be the Central Garden trail, which is pretty flat and easy.

Florissant Fossil Beds– This national monument will take just under an hour to drive to, but if you catch it in the fresh snow, it’s a unique and exciting place to snowshoe. The Petrified Forest Loop is easy and just around a mile. You’ll get to see the famous Big Stump along the way.

Mueller State Park– This one also requires a drive under an hour. This beautiful state park is great in winter for snowshoeing or even sledding near Colorado Springs. Try the Dragonfly Nature trail for an easy, short .5 mile snowshoe adventure. Or head to School Pond or Cahill Pond Trail for more easy, but slightly longer trails at Mueller State Park.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space– This is a beautiful park where you have distant views of Garden of the Gods. There are plenty of trails at Red Rock Canyon and you can mix and match to make just the right distance for you and the family to snowshoe.

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Where to Rent Snowshoes in Colorado Springs
North Side
REI- 1376 E Woodmen Rd
Christy Sports- 5294 N Nevada Ave
South Side
Mountain Chalet- 15 N Nevada Ave

Steamboat Springs Snowshoeing

We’ve taken the kids to Steamboat Springs many times. One winter, we decided we wanted to try taking them all snowshoeing. The snow up in Steamboat is so great. It makes for one of the best winter spots in Colorado. You’ll find plenty of snowshoe trails in Steamboat, but here are a few ideas.

Rabbit Ears (pictured above)- Head out of town and go into Rabbit Ears pass. You’ll see a few pullover spots on the side closest to Steamboat. You can park here and head into the designated trails in the forest.

Howelsen Ski Area– The town of Steamboat faces this mountain. It’s where the summer rodeos and many winter activities for the town take place. You can snowshoe on designated trails, or sometimes they even offer snowshoe group tours.

Where to Rent Snowshoes in Steamboat
Ski Haus- 1458 Pine Grove Rd

Winter Park and Nearby

Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash- Just outside of Winter Park is the town of Tabernash. Here you’ll find a luxurious place to stay: Devil’s Thumb Ranch. When you are a guest here, you’ll have access to 12 miles of snowshoe trails the whole family can enjoy.

YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby– If you are an overnight guest, you’ll get included access to this nordic center. If not, visitors can buy a daily trail pass to use snowshoe at the nordic center at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby.

Confluence Park in Winter Park- This snowshoe trail in Winter Park is flat, easy, and short at just around 1/4 mile. This is a great one for young kids to snowshoe on!

Elk Meadow Trail in Winter Park- This trail is a little longer at 2.5 miles, and makes a loop for easy navigation. You’ll walk through an evergreen forest and be delighted with views of mountain peaks and the Continental Divide.

Fraser River Trail– There’s both a north and south trail, both are easy but have different mileages between 2.5 (south) and 3.7 (north). Either one will give you a scenic walk through the forest and along the Fraser River.

Where to Rent Snowshoes in Winter Park
Alpine Sun- 1097 Winter Park Dr
Snow Mountain Sports (At the YMCA)- 1101 County Road 53
Christy Sports- 78930 Highway 40

Snowshoeing in Breckenridge

If you’re not inside keeping warm in Breck, then you’re outside enjoying the snow. There are a lot of great Breckenridge snowshoe trails. The town even has a few nordic centers, which are especially great for families since trails are so well marked and not out in the middle of nowhere. I’ll also list a couple great trails around town.

Breckenridge Nordic Center- The nordic center is a great place if you want well marked trails or if you want to take a group snowshoe hike. The group will guide you through the forest and share knowledge of snow and ecology of the area. You can rent snowshoes here, as well as eat lunch when you’re done!

Gold Run Nordic Center- Another great place to find your own trails or join a guided hike. Enjoy around 13 miles of dedicated snowshoe trails ranging from easy to difficult at Gold Run. Tours include easy treks for ages 7+ and even moonlight snowshoe tours.

Iowa Hill Mine Trail– We’ve done this Breck trail in the summer and it’s beautiful and cool to see some mining equipment at the top. It’s short at just 1.5 miles total, but there is some gradual incline.

Sawmill Trail- This is another one we’ve done and it takes you through the woods and up to a reservoir for a scenic ending. It’s short enough for kids and has a gentle incline as well.

Burro Trail– Another great one for families. This path runs along a creek, giving you great scenery and even an ambience of relaxation if it’s not frozen over.

Frisco Nordic Center (pictured above)- Located just in the next-door town, Frisco Nordic Center offers great snowshoe trails for families in Colorado. We took our oldest kids here when they were younger and found the trails to be perfect for their first experience.

Where to Rent Snowshoes in Breckenridge
Breckenridge Nordic Center- 9 Grandview Drive
Gold Run Nordic Center- 200 Clubhouse Dr
Elevation Ski & Bike- 324 N Main St.

👉🏼 Don’t miss this 1-day Breckenridge Scavenger Hunt to see all the best!

Grand Junction Snowshoe Trails

Colorado National Monument– If you haven’t visited this beautiful monument before, you are missing out. You can snowshoe the trails while taking in breathtaking views of incredible geological formations. Make sure to stick to the trails; snowshoeing on Rim Rock Drive is prohibited.

Grand Mesa National Council Trail System (Cedaredge)- Walk among the Grand Mesa with great views and scenery. Your chances of good, powdery snow are good since the area sees around 300″ each year.

Snowshoeing around Ward lake is just under a mile, making it a great beginner trail. There is also a designated snowshoe trail at the Skyway Trails.

Powderhorn Mountain- Bring your snowshoes to enjoy 10 miles of trails at Powderhorn ski resort. It’s just down the road from the nordic trails listed above.

Where to rent snowshoeing in Grand Junction:
Board and Buckle- 2822 North Ave
REI- 925 Independent Ave

Telluride Snowshoeing

Telluride Nordic Center– conveniently located at Town Park, you don’t have to drive far to enjoy snowshoeing in Telluride. Snowshoe through the park, or simply rent your snowshoes and head to another trail.

The Valley Floor- The Valley Floor consists of about 10 miles of trails along the floor of the valley. It’s great during summer or winter in Telluride. Snowshoers are allowed on the multi-use trails on the floor. This is a great, east location with open terrain among the rolling ground.

Mountain Village- Mountain Village is its own town located just above Telluride. You can can head to the golf course for your snowshoe adventure. Go from the center of town and snowshoe your way all the way to the entrance at highway 145.

Where to rent snowshoes in Telluride:
Nordic Center at Town Park- 500 E Colorado Ave

👉🏼 Grab some amazing baked goods in Telluride

Incredible Snowshoe Experiences in Colorado

Snowshoe to a Yurt in Colorado

What is a yurt? It is a Mongolian home (also used in other places), dating back thousands of years. They are round in shape and known for being built for warmth and stability.

Staying in a yurt is quite an experience. For you to do it, simple drive to the trailhead, then pack your appetite or your bag and snowshoe up to a yurt for a unique experience!

Here are a few amazing places to snowshoe to and stay in a yurt in Colorado.

Crested Butte Yurt for Dinner

Imagine sitting in a cozy yurt in the middle of the forest, surrounded by snow, while enjoying fine dining with friends and family. Sounds like a movie scene, right?

It can be your reality.

In Crested Butte, you’ll have to snowshoe in to earn your meal. It comes at a hefty price, but includes all gear rental, transportation to/from the nordic center, guides, a 5-course dinner, and gratuities. The trail is around 1 mile and takes many beginners 30-45 minutes to complete.

Kids are welcome to join if they can make the trek!

Book ahead of time here.

Gould Yurt Accommodations

Experience serenity and relaxation when you and the family take a short hike into the woods to stay in this yurt in State Forest State Park.

Pack up everything you need, including water, and trek into the forest in the State Park. You’ll arrive at your yurt after a short walk and get to spend a unique experience sleeping in the woods.

There are 7 yurts available in the state park, though if you are bringing kids, you’ll want to consider:

• Grass Creek
• Medicine Bow
• Dancing Moose

Each of these are less than 1 mile trek in the snow (Dancing Moose only being 1/4 mile), making it doable for any kids in the group.

While they are located in the park, you need to book through Yonder Yurts.

Wait…I thought the yurts in State Forest State Park closed down?

Yes, the company Never Summer Nordic Yurts running them had some issues and legal matters with taking payments but disappearing when visitors arrived, giving no access to the yurt on arrival. That has been closed, and new yurts have been built under new management (or “concessionaire”) of Yurt Yonder.

Southwest Nordic Center Yurts

If you’re looking for a real back-country experience to get to a yurt, head to southwest Colorado (and even some in New Mexico over the state line) for a yurt adventure.

These yurts are more for the experienced snowshoer and backcountry skier. Each are at least a couple miles away, so it’s not ideal for families and kids.

But if you want a longer experience in the snow, check out the yurts this company runs.

If you are really experienced, they even offer yurt-to-yurt options for multi-day trips.

Check your yurt options here.

Tennessee Pass Cookhouse (Dine and/or Stay the Night)

This is a fun snowshoe experience in Colorado that you can just stop and eat at or stay the night in a yurt.

Just north of Leadville is the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center. You’ll start your journey here, with included rental gear, and snowshoe in just over a mile to the cookhouse. Here you’ll enjoy a gourmet dining experience.

You can also just snowshoe in to stay at one of the yurts. The best part? Staff will bring your belongings so you don’t have to trek in with a heavy load (*applies if you check in before 6pm). If you want a meal at the cookhouse, it’s only .3 miles from the yurts.

Yurts sleep up to 6 and include bed linens and a comforter.

Both the cookhouse meals and yurts must be reserved in advance.

Snowshoe and Fondue in Colorado

This fun snowshoe and fondue combo is a great way to spend a winter day. Why not get rewarded with some delicious food as part of your snowshoe experience!

Aspen Peak Cellars- Bailey

From January to March, Aspen Peak Cellars in Bailey runs a snowshoe and fondue event on the weekends. Your ticket includes snowshoe rental, a guided hike, wine, and fondue. Enjoy a romantic evening or a fun family event with live music.

Watch the ticketing site to see when tickets become available for the season.

Full Moon Snowshoeing in Colorado

Take a nighttime snowshoe hike to enjoy the light of the moon and security of being in a guided group with one of the full moon snowshoeing tours in Colorado.

Breckenridge Full Moon Snowshoe

Breckenridge also offers full moon snowshoe tours. They happen through the Gold Run Nordic center. The price includes a headlamp and snowshoes to borrow.

This guided hike will provide stories and history of the area as you trudge through the snow.

Find dates and times as the season approaches.

Vail- Walking Mountains Science Center

Technically, this could be a full moon or new moon hike. This snowshoe experience takes off throughout the month.

You’ll get a guide with your tour to lead you 1 mile up the Buck Creek Trail. When you arrive, there will be a fire burning to give both light and warmth while you watch the fireside program.

While it’s only a mile, there’s an incline with a gain of 700 feet for this tour.

Check scheduling for the moonlight hike.

Rocky Mountain National Park

What more beautiful place to hike under a full moon than in a national park?

Join the Colorado Mountain Club for a 3 mile-or-less hike under the shining light of the moon in Rocky Mountain National Park. You’ll ascend about 200 feet over the 3 miles, making it easy enough for older kids to join.

The trail selection may change based on snow conditions, but will remain an easy-rated hike that will agree with many participants. Check for scheduled hikes here under “trips.”

The National Park itself offers guided snowshoe hikes as well, and has offered full moon hikes in the past. Check the snowshoe event page for update moon hike info.

👉🏼 Getting From Denver to Rocky Mountain National Park

State Forest State Park

Head to Walden for another great full moon snowshoe event that’s great for the family at this Potluck Full Moon Snowshoe event.

Being something to add to a potluck and enjoy meeting new friends. Whenever you’re ready, take your own moonlit snowshoe hike on the Gould Loop Trail. The Chocolate Cabin will be waiting with a warm campfire.

You can rent snowshoes at the visitor center and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate as well.

Registration not required, must have park pass.

Durango Nordic Center Full Moon Howler

If you are farther south in Colorado, check out the Full Moon Howler in Durango at the nordic center.

Warm up by the fire, then set out for a snowshoe hike around the nordic center under the light of the moon. You can also choose to join a ranger-led hike at 6pm.

You must bring your own snowshoes to the Howler events. This event is great for the whole family!

Purgatory Full Moon Tours

Heading to Durango? Purgatory ski resort offers guided full-moon tours down the front side of the resort. Along the way you’ll stop at the mountain restaurant for appetizers and wine (included in tour).

The route is intermediate, so if you bring kids, it’s best for older kids with some snowshoe experience.

Tours last around 4 hours.

Check out this years dates and times.

Snowshoe Recommendations

If you’re just going once, you will probably be better off renting snowshoes. Depending on where you go, this can range from $5 or $15 a day to $30+, depending on where you rent.

But if you plan to snowshoe more than once or twice, it may be a wise investment to have your own gear.

If you’re just starting out and doing some basic trails, you don’t need $500 snowshoes. In fact, you might not need $500 snowshoes even when you’re more experienced.

The leading brands in snowshoes include:

Tips for Snowshoeing

No matter where you go in Colorado, the weather can change quickly, especially up in the mountains.

• Dress in layers, bring hat, gloves, and sunglasses since the light reflects intensely off the snow. Ski goggles are great, too, for windy or flat light days.
• Bring lots of water. You may sweat a lot, you may not, but you’ll be working harder than you realize while snowshoeing.
• Bring Snacks– for obvious reasons, but especially if you bring kids along! It helps keep them motivated and going strong.

Hiking in the summer is a lot of fun, and snowshoeing is a great way to keep exploring in the winter snow.

Places to Snowshoe in Colorado- Wrap Up

As you can see, it doesn’t matter where you go. There are plenty of great places to snowshoe in Colorado. Whether you are wanting to stay closer to the city by heading to Boulder, or wanting to go into the mountains in Breckenridge, it’s easy to find somewhere wherever you are.

There are also a great amount of nordic centers if you aren’t ready to head into the woods alone quite yet.

Snowshoeing can be such a great, fun way to stay active through the winter for the whole family. Everyone can participate!

If you really want a unique experience, trek out to a yurt, a delicious dinner, or try snowshoeing in the moonlight.

Hitting the snowshoe trails in Colorado is anything but boring. Find your next family adventure while you snowshoe in Colorado.

👉🏼 Check out more Colorado winter activities!