Best Hikes Near Idaho Springs, Colorado

Idaho Springs is more a basecamp than a destination. The town itself has the historic Argo Tunnel, a few breweries, and easy I-70 access. The hiking is in the surrounding Mount Evans Wilderness and the adjacent national forests.

St. Mary's Glacier is the most popular local hike: a 1.5-mile round trip to a permanent snowfield with mountain goats. The trailhead is 12 miles north of Idaho Springs on Fall River Road. Parking is paid ($20 cash per vehicle) and fills by 9 AM on summer weekends.

Chicago Lakes is the harder local option: 9 miles round trip with 1,400 feet of gain, plus a 500-foot climb back up to Echo Lake at the end, to a chain of alpine lakes beneath Mount Blue Sky. The trailhead is at Echo Lake Park.

For 14ers, Mount Bierstadt (via Guanella Pass) and Mount Evans/Blue Sky (via the scenic byway) are both 30-45 minutes from town. Grays and Torreys (the most popular Front Range 14ers) are at Bakerville, 20 minutes west.

The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, the drive-up 14er, reopened for the 2026 season after being closed in 2024 and 2025 for a rebuild; it opens Memorial Day weekend, closes in the fall, and needs a timed-entry reservation from Recreation.gov, with a few closure days for events. Check current access before driving.

Idaho Springs sits at 7,540 feet, which makes it a reasonable acclimatization stop for visitors driving up from Denver who want to sleep at altitude before a 14er attempt.

Winter hiking near Idaho Springs is limited by snow cover above 9,000 feet. The lower-elevation Argo trail and the Chicago Creek area stay accessible most of winter with microspikes. Higher-elevation trails (St. Mary's Glacier, Chicago Lakes) need snowshoes.