hiking Archives

Fourth of July Trail – Nederland, Colorado

Looking to get outside this weekend and get away from the annoyances of city life? If so, a day hike on the Fourth of July trail is a great way to do it. Its a 5.3 mile loop just outside of Nederland, Colorado that provides hikers with some breathtaking scenery. It’s one of my favorite hikes in the Denver/Boulder area and I think you will agree.

Fourth of July Trail Details

The trail starts at the Forth of July trailhead and ends at beautiful Diamond Lake. The trail is moderate difficulty and there is a lot to see along the way. As you make your accent toward the alpine lake, you will pass a wide variety of scenery including including waterfalls, streams and creeks, and in the summer, an incredible amount of colorful wildflowers.

The highlight of the trail for me is the serene Diamond Lake. It sits at the base of the Continental Divide and the views are spectacular and powerful. It’s a great spot to sit down and enjoy an afternoon picnic or take some time to relax in the cool mountain air.

Instead of writing a long description here, I created a video of the trail for your enjoyment. You can watch it below:

Considerations

Though the trail isn’t difficult, there is one spot in particular that you need to be aware of, especially if you are afraid of heights or are bringing small children with you. On a day in July, I saw several people turn around because they were intimidated.

Toward the beginning of the trail, there is a waterfall that crosses your path and you need to use step stones to cross it. There is quite a drop off on the south side and it can be intimidating to people afraid of heights. I would recommend bringing trekking poles along with you if you have them.

Finally, this trail gets busy in the summer. If you want to find a parking space, get there early. You also want to make sure you drive a car that has enough clearance underneath it as the road to the trailhead can get bumpy and there are good sized rocks in the road.

Directions

Resources

ProTrails Details of Fourth of July Trail

Hiked the Fourth of July Trail before?

Have you hiked the trail before? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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Walk the Highlands

Walk the Highlands – The West Highland Way

So you want to walk the highlands of Scotland? Good choice. It’s a beautiful place and it should be on everyone’s bucket list.

I wanted to walk the highlands so I decided to hike the West Highland Way. It’s a 100 mile trek through some of the most beautiful country in the entire UK, ranging from farmland to lochs and mountain ranges.

I got the 100 miles done over 6 days and it was a blast. I got to meet a ton of awesome people and the nature and peace the hike brought were incredibly rewarding. I highly recommend this walk to anyone that loves the outdoors.

If you decide to walk the highlands, choosing to do so over 6 days on the West Highland Way is a great option. Doing the 100 miles over 6 days makes the trail very enjoyable and doesn’t put a lot of pressure on you to make it to your daily destination. It ensures that you have enough time to enjoy a few pints at the end of the day and not be exhausted.

This guide will help you plan your adventure and get the most out of your walk. It’s broken down by segment so you can easily hop to any segment of the trial you want.

All of the days of hike area available below. I hope it is useful in your trip planning!

West Highland Way Review and Photo Guide

Milngavie – Drymen – 12 miles
Drymen – Rowardennan – 15 miles
Rowardennan – Crainlarich – 20 miles
Crainlarich – Inveroran – 15 miles
Inveroran – Kinlochleven – 19 miles
Kinlochleven – Fort William – 16 miles