Hike We Like: Acorn Creek Loop Near Silverthorne

Length: 4.7 miles (loop)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Acorn Creek (39.76173, -106.11975)
Why we love it: This quiet loop on the edge of Summit County travels through a mixed aspen-and-pine forest with long-range views to the Tenmile and Gore ranges.
When to go: Year-round; wildflowers peak in July and foliage peaks in late September.
Pre-hike fuel: Hit up Red Buffalo in Silverthorne for expertly poured lattes and breakfast burritos stuffed with spicy sausage and roasted green chiles.
Post-hike buzz: Check out the newest Upslope Brewing outpost while the kids run wild in the Playgarten’s four-story playground and arcade.
Restrooms: None
Dogs: Allowed on leash

The sweetest thing about hiking the Acorn Creek Loop is the range of landscapes and ecosystems hikers pass through in less than five miles. From cool lodgepole forests to towering aspen stands to sagebrush hillsides, follow Acorn Creek in the northern reaches of town to wide views of the Gore Range. Even better? Few folks make the effort to seek it out—a few twisting highway turns and gravel roads transport hikers to total solitude (and no cell service).

To tackle the loop counterclockwise (to knock out the climb early), pass through an aspen grove right away before reaching the split. Turn hiker’s right and begin ascending through a mix of sagebrush meadows and mixed forest. A 1,000-foot climb delivers you to a panorama of the Gore Range stretching wide to the west. A high desert unfurls below the 9,525-foot high point where dry sage and juniper, rich red rosehips, and yellow and violet wildflowers (in summer) dot the landscape.

Bypass a couple of offshoots on your left, and follow the main trail through a meadow before descending through evergreen woods with sporadic clearings and creek crossings. Loop north through stands of aspens (peak foliage at the end of September) with views of 12,274-foot Ute Peak to the east. Keep your eyes peeled for deer and elk nosing through the brush. After the third creek crossing, the trail dumps you back at the start of the loop for an easy jaunt back down to the parking lot.

Getting there: From Denver, take I-70 west to Exit 205 for CO-9 N/Blue River Parkway through Silverthorne. Drive 10.5 miles north to Ute Park Rd. Turn right and follow the road 0.4 mile to a split; stay right to continue on Rodeo Dr. The trailhead parking lot is in 0.7 mile and well-marked.

Read more: Our Favorite Close-to-Home Hikes