What we’re about
Welcome, Active Outdoors Fans!
The Denver Trail Heads is a group for people with a wide range of outdoor interests. We will be hiking, snowshoeing, camping, cross-country skiing, etc. Occasionally, you will see a backpack or camping trip or an overnight at one of the many Forest Service cabins.
Our goal is to provide a safe, fun environment for ALL to enjoy outdoor activities, regardless of:
• Age
• Gender
• National Origin
• Race
• Religion
• Sexual Orientation
To date, we have hosted over 2,500 events. These trips were all made possible by our organizers. We work hard to organize trips and make them fun for you. The tone of an event is set by the organizer. Hiking speed, number of breaks, fitness level required, picture taking, dog-friendly, etc. Sometimes it is not as much the location or type of event, but who is running it that will determine if it is the event for you. More information about our organizers can be found here.
If you have an idea for a trip or you are interested in becoming an organizer, please let Paul and Bernard know. We are always looking for qualified organizers to help out!
Please RSVP yes only if you definitely plan to come. If you change your mind, please update your RSVP.
By joining this group you agree to the policies and terms of the group.
We do not charge members a fee to join the group. However, donations are appreciated.
NOTE TO SOLICITORS; This is not a philanthropic, or marketing organization. Please do not contact us for such purposes.
Upcoming events (4)
See all- "Golden Bear Peak" - 13,010' !MM 213 Westbound Chain Station, Parshall, CO
7 miles RT with 1,700' elevation gain.
Starting at an unusual high trailhead, and using a mix of road, double track, single track, and off trail hiking to reach the summit of this scenic 13er. This peak sits on the Continental Divide and likely has been observing you while you skied off Chair 8 at the Loveland Ski Area. We might get a good show of wildflowers in the Upper Straight Creek drainage.
Please bring your pack, high altitude layers, fluids, snacks, and good footwear. Be prepared for possible windy conditions. Don't forget your sun protection.
If anyone wants to carpool, meet at Wooly Mammoth Section GG at 6:30. Please comment if you can drive or want to ride and be good to your driver.
This is important. The TH is a right hand turn off immediately after you come out of the west end of the tunnel (going westbound). It looks like a truck chain up area and there used to be sign that said "Brake Check Area." This is the TH. There also used to be a sign that said TH Parking.
Trailhead areaFor the return trip eastbound, there is a road that loops around to give you easy access to EB I-70. I'll point it out to you.
- Mohawk Lakes - 12,500' !Spruce Creek Trailhead- Upper Crystal Lake hike, Breckenridge, CO
8.75 miles RT with 2,100' of elevation gain.
An enchanting series of lakes and waterfalls on this out-and-back trail outside of Breckenridge. We'll take the Spruce Creek trail to and past the named Mohawk Lake to a few more upper lakes in the basin surrounded by high 13ers Pacific Peak, Crystal Peak, and Father Dyer Peak. There's a lot of water back there.
Please bring your pack, layers, fluids, snacks, and good footwear. Don't forget your sun protection. You might want to pack a change of socks in case your feet get wet.
After, we can visit Broken Compass Brewing in Breck (not the downtown location).
Carpools meet at Wooly Mammoth Section GG at 6:00. Please comment if you can drive or would like to ride. We need an early start because this is a popular trailhead. Be good to your driver. Portions of the Spruce Creek Road are currently closed and should be back open mid July.
- Epic Grand Canyon National Park backpackNeeds location
This invitation is to join an epic adventure in America’s grandest outdoor cathedral. There are gazillions of park visitors every year on the south rim. We’ll be on the north rim, so far from the crowds that it’ll be a small miracle if we see any others anywhere on the trip. Our route takes us on a four-day, three-night backpack from the canyon rim to the Toroweep Overlook, nearly 3,000 feet almost directly above the Colorado River, from where we’ll take-in one of the most jaw-dropping views on the planet. Our path is to and on the Tuckup Trail, which winds for about 100 miles under the north rim. We'll start about 34 miles from the overlook, descend about 1,400 feet, drop our packs for a 3-mile roundtrip excursion to renowned petroglyphs, go back to the Tuckup Trail and retrieve our packs, and from there hike step-by-step to the river overlook, where there will be cars to take us out and back to civilization, first at a vacation home near Kanab, and the next day home. During the hike, we’ll be in two-way satellite communication with both emergency responders and others in our group at the overlook, waiting for us and prepared to help us get ER help if necessary.
DATES
Oct. 15-21, 2025
LIMIT - 11
The SUBLIME
The vastness.
The grandeur.
The solitude.
The deafening quiet.
The indescribably beautiful and glorious night sky with no moon.
THE GOOD
Slick-rock hiking, which is easier because your boots don’t sink into the ground.
No trail, meaning that you can place your boots where you wish.
World-class petroglyphs.
Net elevation decline of about 1,400 feet.
Once we hit the Tuckup Trail after the elevation decline, we’ll be steady at 4,000 feet the rest of the way, making breathing easier than at mile-high elevation.
The usual weather at that time of year features warm days and nights.
The weight on our backs will decline every day even more than usual because…. see “The Ugly” below.
THE BAD
No trail means relying heavily on GPS navigation, with serious penalties for getting off-track.
The weather is variable, so we’ll need to be prepared if a system moves through.
Gross elevation gain/loss of about 4,000 feet because of a seemingly endless supply of ups-and-downs of as much as 100-200 feet/per.
No campfires until the final night at the overlook campground (if then).
THE UGLY
There is no reliable water source, so we’ll have to carry up to a gallon each for each day. That means 28-36 pounds of water, which in turn means that your packs will likely weigh 40-50 pounds on the first day.
Participants will need to have experience with desert hiking, fortitude, indefatigableness to overcome whatever hurdles we encounter, and a difficult-to-quench yearning for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the backcountry.
Review what the park says about the area here. For those who subscribe to All-Trails, there’ a nifty 3-D video. Just search “Tuckup Trail.” I will have maps. We will meet in Denver a week or two prior to the trip for a meet-n-greet, to review safety protocols, and to pour over maps. I’ll provide an itinerary to those who sign-up.
I need to obtain a backcountry permit. I cannot apply for it until six months out.
I’m recruiting from multiple groups. To sign-up or ask questions, email me at mtnry@aol.com.
